Ludlow Ledger (Issue #10)

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ISSUE 10 – NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2015 – FREE

Winning dancer: Hollie Victoria Robertson The Reader’s House investigated Mr Underhills uncovered Nicki’s gardening holiday U3A Working Solutions The Women’s Centre Local MGA rebuild Barmen’s greatest escape

“I put discipline in everything I do ... When I won the MTV competition I thought: ‘that’s it, this is my path’ – and ever since I just find everything I need to do to be the best” THIS is the first time we’ve ever employed the magnificence of our town’s castle, from within anyway, as a backdrop to any story. And what an opportunity, with Ludlow’s centuries-old medieval fortifications providing a stone stage-drop for the remarkable dynamic youthfulness of dancer Hollie Victoria Robertson. I say youth, hoping she won’t mind me saying so – her twenty-year old looks and five-foot-two frame belie an actual age of thirty and a physicality that exudes pride and power. Either way, there has been an awful lot squeezed into her years to date. At just four years old Hollie was involved in both dance and gymnastics, but it became clear that one of these contrasting disciplines would have to go –

Hollie committing to gymnastics ... pursuing this, with years of dedicated training and sacrifice, until she suffered a stress fracture when she was 14. Prior to that, an exciting career had been unfolding, with Hollie travelling to places like Hawaii, and competing as an espoir gymnast at the British Championships in May 1997, where she proudly picked up bronze for the Vault. “At that moment I was told I had to stop gymnastics or I would end up in a wheelchair. That was a big shock to the system. From having no real social life, leaving Ludlow School early at the end of each day, to train and commit to my gymnastics – well, it just stopped overnight. Suddenly I had an allowance to experience life like I never had before. While

I was doing gymnastics I was very focused, I knew no better. But, with the realisation that I had to stop, everything became so hard to deal with – I was just a young girl and ‘wow I have no focus’ so I rebelled.” I must admit that, in a similar situation, I would have taken up anything that took me off my feet and helped relieve the back pain – but not Hollie, she continued her arduous training schedule, persisting with punishing flips and strenuous mid-air splits. That’s Hollie for you. With a gap year of sorts, Hollie was back – again disciplined and driven, but reverting her attention to the world of dance ... starting another wonderful journey. Initially she trained at Insteps in Ludlow with Debbie Lamb and it was here that another foundation was built;

– www.ludlowledger.co.uk –

Debbie, along with Hollie’s parents, helping to springboard Ludlow’s legendary gymnast into the legend of dancer and choreographer. “Doing gymnastics set my work ethic in a really disciplined way. I’ve had that for life. We were taught to have the discipline in the way we executed each move, and it just grew in me – I am very grateful for that. I’m also happy my mother and father pushed me down that route as it gave me the discipline for everything else in my career.” In front of the camera, expectant crowds (like the rather large one now gathered within the inner bailey of the castle on a dreary wet and cold Thursday afternoon) and audiences alike, she appears

Continued on page 14 >

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Contents

10

MEET & GREET 4

Broad Street’s recruitment agency Working Solutions

5 Local author Chris’s novel spin on Shakespeare PAST, PRESENT, FUTURE 6-7 LUDLOW FICTION

Paul Merton joins the Folk Down The Track, town wall update, Mortimers of Corve Street, Rose & Crown closure, and Shropshire recipe book

LETTERS 8

The Dog Hangs Well, fly-tying at The Unicorn, Arthur Powis the musical man, and a jazz players’ plea

CROSSWORD 8

7 down: model wearing old leggings left extremely rowdy tavern

OBSERVATIONS 9

“I’m in Castle Square in Ludlow, but it makes me think about the number of times I have done this in other squares, in other towns.”

GARDENING

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“They are about as tough and thorny as they come and are often used in our gardens as burglar deterrents.”

RESTORATION 10

Swapping an aged MGA for a lorry-load of bricks

LANDMARK 11

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The Reader’s House

PROFILE 12-13

Judy and Chris Bradley of Mr Underhill’s

14-15 Strictly Dance Fever winner and one of Orange’s ninjas: Hollie Victoria Robertson COMMUNITY 16 COVER STORY ... continued

“...personally, I find the idea of the male billiards hall being taken over by women far more entertaining, so I’m going with that.”

TRAVEL 17

Ludlow pub barmen tackle Stuttgart’s Cannstatter Volksfest

19 The Lord Chamberlain’s Men and Ludlow’s Twelfth Night NATURAL HISTORY 20 REVIEW

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The land that time forgot: Ludlow’s Mark Lawley investigates the Titterstone Clee

Editor’s notes, hello again THIS issue is quite unlike any Ludlow Ledger to date, with many of the prime suspects taking a momentary backstep … allowing room for some of this year’s deserved editorial backlog. This year has been abundant in terms of the stories sent the way of 14 Corve Street, some of which really should see the light of the day in 2015 rather than being rolled over into January’s issue. Therefore your attention may already have been drawn to this issue’s Ludlow Legend (on page 5) bowing to a topical slice of local fiction from Ludlow’s Chris Crowcroft. The backpage’s usual focus has also taking a hiatus, temporarily replaced with a snippet of Mark Lawley’s Wildlife In The Marches … switching things from sport to natural history. Even the Past Present Future spread of pages 6 and 7 has overflown – meaning that I shall use this editorial to add that David Evans (as featured in issue 9) has since sold 800 of his 2,000 print run of Dawdling in the Dale (with a cover price of £13.50) and will be giving his self-published book a further

promotion with a signing session at Ludlow’s Castle Bookshop on 5th of December, between 10am and 12noon. I also wanted to let you all know that William Shakespeare’s The Tragedy of Macbeth (directed by Peter Hayter and Giles Emerson, and produced by Charmian Ingham) will be presented at the Assembly Rooms from Wednesday 25th to Saturday 28th November 2015 at 7.30pm. Promises were also extended elsewhere but, as is always the case, submission of content (whether on spec or commissioned) is not a guarantee that it will be published in Ludlow Ledger On the flip side you have Brian Mead’s MGA story (found on page 10) which was kindly submitted by post earlier in 2015. I think Mr Mead was rather surprised when we eventually turned up, all those months later, to pour over his painstakingly rebuilt classic, and an equally sharp Porsche 911 which we found tucked away between a downstairs shower cubicle and a fridge freezer.

And on the subject of cars ... I couldn’t conduct this issue’s editorial without highlighting that British Hillclimb champion – Scott Moran of Moran Motorhomes, on Orleton Road – has made the top-ten shortlist to take part in November’s Race of Champions in London, where (if picked) he will race the likes of F1 and WRC champions Vettel, Massa and Sollberg. Hopefully, by issue 11, we’ll have a follow-up story, hopefully stating that Ludlow’s-own Scott flew the flag for our town... if you read this in time you could still have time to vote on the official ROC Facebook poll page: http://tiny.cc/scottroc And last but not least; I would like to announce that the 2016 Ledger calendar is available, in limited numbers, at both Ludlow Brewery and Castle Bookshop.

Cheers, Jon Saxon editor@ludlowledger.co.uk Office – 01584 872381 Mobile – 07795 244060

Editor’s notes image} Abi Betteridge |Print} Guardian Print Centre, Manchester | Letterpress printed masthead} Dulcie Fulton: mostlyflat.co.uk

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Ledger stockists

LUDLOW 55 Mill Street Ludlow Aragon’s Cafe Church St Assembly Rooms Mill St Baker’s Cafe Tower St Barber Jacks Lower Galdeford Bentley’s Castle Square Bindery Shop Bull Ring Blue Boar Mill Street Castle Bookshop Market Square Castle Lodge Buttery Castle Square Charlton Arms Ludford Bridge China Garden New Rd Church Inn Church St Cicchetti Bar Broad St Codfather Sandpits Corve Garage Bromfield Rd Countrywide Weeping Cross Lane Crumbs Tower Street Ego’s Wine Bar Quality Square Fish House Bull Ring Green Cafe Dinham Guild Hall Mill St Harp Lane Deli Church St Homecare Temeside La Jewellery Parkway Mews Leisure Centre Bromfield Rd Ludlow Brewing Co Station Drive Ludlow Ledger 14 Corve St Ludlow Touring Park Ludford Ludlow Train Station Station Drive Mascall Centre Lower Galdeford Mod Lang The Woodyard (Corve St) Mr Underhill’s Dinham Myriad Organics Corve St Olive Branch Bull Ring Poyners Broad St Queens Lower Galdeford Red Hair Studio New Rd Renaissance Centre Tower St Rockspring Centre Sandpits Sam’s Cafe Lingen Ind Est Silk Top Hat Gallery Quality Square St Laurence’s Church College St Swifts Bakery Corve St Tiger Lilly Bull Ring Tourist Information Mill St Unicorn Corve St Vaughan’s Sandwich Bar King St V Cafe New Rd Wheatsheaf Lower Broad St Woodyard Gallery Woodyard ----------------------------------------------FURTHER A FIELD Aardvark Books Brampton Bryan Apple Tree Onibury Bennetts End Hope Bagot Boot Inn Orleton Brightwells Auction Leominster Cleobury Café Cleobury Mortimer Community Shop Aston-on-Clun Country Centre Cleobury Mortimer Courtyard Antiques Presteigne Crown Inn Newcastle-on-Clun Crusty Cob Cleobury Mortimer Discovery Centre Craven Arms Fiddler’s Elbow Leintwardine Lamb Inn Stoke Prior Ludlow Food Centre Bromfield Market Hall Cleobury Mortimer Mortimer Stores Wigmore Nelson Inn Rocks Green Old Downton Lodge Downton Plough Inn Wistanstow Roebuck (pub & shop) Brimfield Sun Inn Leintwardine Tourist Information Tenbury Wells Village Hall Ashford Carbonell Village Shop Lydbury North If you would like to become a regular stockist of Ludlow Ledger, whether in Ludlow itself or out of town, then please do get in touch: 01584 872381 or stock@ludlowledger.co.uk

Working Solutions

Finding the solution text} Mia Davis | image} Richard Stanton – MEET & GREET – SOUTH Shropshire isn’t the first place that comes to mind when considering a powerhouse of industry. With small rural businesses scattered here and there, it’s quite likely that someone selling eggs from their garden gate is better known to locals. However, it’s also entirely probable that there could be another rather successful business hidden behind that henhouse. Despite a better work/life balance and affordable business premises, exchanging the tube or train for a cowpat-splattered commute in Shropshire might not be for everyone. Yet the businesses who do operate in this neck of woods are as dynamic and diverse as in any city centre. And, in far-sighted fashion, one canny woman who found herself living here 20 years ago, realised that there might actually be a living to be made from it. Now in its 20th year, and with smart new premises in Broad Street, Working Solutions serves an area from Hereford to Telford, sourcing and placing people in jobs around the county with an enviable reputation for getting things right. Meeting Working Solutions Director Julia Hughes, husband John, and her erstwhile team – the ebullient Andy and the lovely Eleanor – in the Blue Boar, Julia explains how it all started with a friend and a roadside sign, in

that order. Spotting a small ad in the Shropshire Star for a part-time graphic designer, she mentioned it to a friend who had been searching for such a position. Her friend wasn’t confident about the idea of calling them, so asked Julia to do it for her. “I rang them up and told them I had someone interested in the job. We arranged the interview and she got it. Some time later she phoned me and said, ‘I don’t know why you don’t set up a recruitment agency.’ A couple of months later a road side sign at the end of Julia’s drive announced her enterprise. The very first job they placed was someone looking for help with ironing. Now a three-strong team, the Working Solutions website advertises vacancies as diverse in role as a financial controller (at £55,000 a year) and a telemarketing junior (at £17,000 a year). So what is it like operating an employment agency in such a rural part of the world? Andy, in particular, positively froths with enthusiasm, having previously worked in recruitment in London for 25 years. “Up here we’re doing things for the right reasons, not just for a corporate machine. And what is particularly amazing is the number of small companies here dealing with clients all over the world.” Taking the time to get to know both companies and candidates to find the perfect working match, the

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team at Working Solutions do have to be a bit canny about how they do things, especially with companies who have recently moved the area. “As we all know, the wages in Shropshire are among the lowest in the UK, yet companies naturally want the best people they can find,” continues Andy. “So it can be tricky. Yet some are very generous – there are companies moving here from London who could easily shave four or five thousand from the salary they’re offering, but they don’t do that because they value the person and the job.” With the mention of London, the conversation moves seamlessly on to ‘Ludlow Time.’ And anyone who has lived here for over a month will know all about that. As Julia points out, some companies are on London time, whilst others are on Ludlow time. “We tend to work quickly, but local companies often tell us they will get to it next week.” An increasing number of companies are moving up here and it’s a trend set to continue – they may be companies that Working Solutions haven’t dealt with before but they are well equipped for the job. The Temp Desk, in particular, is invaluable for clients to test the water. “We often have clients who only ever take on employees as temps first,” Temp Desk Manager (and former Australian ranch-hand) Eleanor tells me. “Often because they don’t know how they’re going to be doing in six months, but also because it’s the best way of getting to know someone and how they fit into the company. So we do everything we can to get the right people before them for an interview so it’s all really positive for everyone. Sometimes, they don’t even know what they want or haven’t thought of … by the time you’ve discussed it, it can turn out that they

want something entirely different to what they thought they wanted.” For candidates too, temp work is ideal. As Julia points out, “For people reentering the workplace, temp work can be a good way to build confidence by doing something they are perfectly capable of.” So how do they go about finding the perfect match between client and candidate? Is it like online dating? Andy laughs raucously at this, “I bloody hope not because I’ve been single for so long that it would be a disaster.” Andy’s marital status aside, the team agree that chemistry between employee and employer does come into it but what they try and avoid is candidates who are changing their job purely for the salary. The advice to potential candidates is to ‘always be honest.’ As Andy explains, “I had a senior executive in recently looking for work. But when I started asking him questions about himself, he didn’t really have an answer to them. He thought he was saying all the right things, but he was going through the motions. If we sent him to a big company they would see right through it. After talking it through, it turned out he hadn’t been happy for a long time and was looking for a challenge because his kids are growing up and he felt undervalued at work. He realised he wasn’t prepared for the questions and we had a really good honest chat. It’s not always easy but it’s rewarding when it’s right – I’ve been invited to weddings and everything.” Julia and her team are professional, likeable and honest, with integrity in spades. For both clients and candidates alike, it’s clear that Working Solutions are providing a valuable service for Ludlow and the surrounding area.

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Shakespeare

A Case for Richard Palmer Investigator text} Chris Crowcroft | image} Richard Stanton – LUDLOW FICTION – RICHARD Palmer, ‘failed lawyer, former soldier, ex-everything’ has been hauled out of his bed in the wake of an armed revolt against Queen and Government in February 1601. He is an investigator. Chief Minister Cecil has need of one reporting to him alone. Politics and the theatre have clashed, the necks of some big names – the Earl of Essex and his young lieutenant, Lord Southampton – are on the block, as well as a troublesome playwright’s. ------------------------------------------------“HOW well do you know the playhouses?� The playhouses? Palmer bit back the honest answer that he couldn’t stand them. He only went when his work required it – stinking, squalid places they were, and as for the new drama performed there, it was devoid of the most basic classical principles; as one might expect of the uneducated hacks who wrote it. “Only in connection with my business,� he replied carefully. Chief Minister Cecil appeared to be reassured by the answer. He laid out the case. “The day before yesterday, at the Globe playhouse on Bankside, an old play was resurrected at the special request of the insurgents. They intended to get the mob in the mood for regicide.� A suspect play? This was news to Palmer; there had been no talk of it in the Bell Inn. He had no idea which play it could be, he was not a follower. “Richard II,� Cecil said. The royal name was enough for Palmer. It was infamous, a ruling monarch deposed in favour of a popular rival causing war and national misery until the Queen’s grandfather – even more of a usurper himself, a jumped-up Welshman – had settled the realm by force of arms and taken the throne. We’re all Tudors now, he reminded himself in case he spoke out of turn. “I have a report for you to look at,� Cecil said, referring to the document in front of him. “Do you know anything about one William Shakespeare? He wrote the play.� A common sort of name for a common type of character, Palmer reckoned. If he was a player then he was not a bad sort, not one of the quarrelling, whoring, drinking sort usually pursued by angry husbands and fathers with trouble all round.

Good for business all the same. “No more than the next man,â€? he said with a hint of distaste. Cecil’s satisfaction visibly increased. Palmer could guess why. These new plays and their players were a troublesome phenomenon to control – puritan preachers fulminating against them, the City fathers constantly at the Government to close their playhouses down while the Queen, who liked a play, turned a deaf ear to all of them‌‌ until now, until this Richard play. Palmer put in a question of his own. “Isn’t this an official matter? Why do you need me?â€? Keep your mouth shut, his empty purse complained. Get out of here and stay as far away as you can, his instinct for survival urged. Cecil toyed with the papers in front of him. “I have learned that it pays to be in possession of all the facts however awkward they may be. Our agents have a tendency to report what travels best, what is convenient when they are under pressure. They do their job as they think I want it done. I need an independent investigation, reporting to me alone.â€? Palmer understood. There were factions in the Government, he guessed, differing interests rubbing against each other in these awkward times. He was to be a useful pawn in a larger game. He couldn’t care less – what clients did with his report was a matter for them. ------------------------------------------------SUSANNA Shakespeare, elder daughter of her house in Stratford, got no explanation when the mudpasted figure of her father appeared, out of the rain, in front of her. He was distracted in his greeting, saying little. She watched him strip off his boots then shut himself away in his room, the one in which he habitually slept alone whenever he came home. He didn’t even call for warm water. She relayed his orders to the servants that he was not to be disturbed. Listening at the door, she overheard the chest inside being unlocked, the one in which her father stored documents of importance to the family. Whatever could it mean? Nothing good. She gave him some time and then she went in with as much hustle and bustle as she could on the excuse of making up a fire in the room. As she did her work, she saw out of the corner of an eye that her father was

shivering, even as he was standing by the surging flames. From the papers clutched in his hands and the abstracted look in his eyes, she tried to understand what was going on – she had never seen him like this before. “Father‌‌â€? The prospect of her close to hand seemed to disturb him. She was no longer a child, Susanna reminded herself, she was coming on eighteen, already marriageable. She took pride in being the fruit of his youth, his image in female form, so unlike her mother – her younger sister Judith took after her. Her mother‌.. that ghost of the house who was keeping to her room as was her custom ever since‌‌ Susanna pushed the memory of the golden boy aside. Dead, her brother was, dead, dead these five, six years. She stopped working for a moment to try to remember his face. It wouldn’t come. She must concentrate on the living, on the needs of her father. She’d always had a special bond with him. But shouldn’t he honour it as much as she did? Nothing came from him, just more shivering and the look of a man interrupted, waiting for her to go. His silence nourished her suspicion – her father’s surprise return must be due to bad news in London, the place she had never seen except in her imagination, fuelled by her father’s stories. Maybe there was plague in the capital and the actors had broken up? It had happened before. Even when it did, he had never been like this before. She saw herself dismissed by a wave of his hand. “It’s not a good sign,â€? her grandmother Mary said when Susanna went over to the old family home on the other side of town to give her the news of the strange return and her father’s close-mouthed behaviour. “His father was the same, yow must know, when the last bad times came.â€? Times worse than now? As far as Susanna was concerned, her life wasn’t easy as it was, what with her father away for most of the year except for a midsummer month or two. She couldn’t remember when this wasn’t how it was. No, it wasn’t easy. Her mother’s illness, a kind of sad, moping sickness, was a lot for a daughter to bear, having to manage the household, denying herself the dreams of the young. Some of her friends were married with children, others had sweethearts or hopes for one. All she had to look forward to was her father coming home with his tales of the big city and the promise that one day, soon, her time would come. But now, would it ever? She returned home to push again at her father’s door with the stubbornness her mother used to chide her over, in her better days – “yow get it from the Shakespeare side.â€? Her father seemed to read her mind. “You’re not to worry, Susanna,â€? was all he would say to her in an accent marked by the south.

“Mother,â€? she said instead, “she’s asking after yow.â€? “Now is not the time.â€? The colour rose in her face. He appeared to ignore it. “I will see her, when I am ready, soon ‌ only not now.â€? ------------------------------------------------IT was not easy to entertain a woman respectably in public. Even Palmer knew that taverns or eating houses were not places for women of decent reputation. A church, however, would serve the purpose. He took Emilia Lanier firmly by the arm as he led her through a heavy, oaken door. The light in the church was obscure, only a few candles burning and stinking with their fatty smell of liquidising tallow. Niches empty of statues and walls whitewashed to conceal the coloured cartoons of martyred saints somehow deconsecrated the space. An old, incomprehensible anger was stoking up inside Palmer. His questions to her were piling up inside his head. What was her story since she returned to London? One look at her told him that Captain Lanier, whoever he was, was only the half of it. What was she doing out on her own at this time of night? The answer she gave, about a visit to her doctor, did not convince him. When she gave him his name – Forman – a little light gathered in his mind. The man was a low-life, an astrologer, a dubious meddler with other men’s women – he had once followed the Alderman’s wife there, asked questions, got answers. Was Emilia on the street for the old reason? He had seen better as well as worse forced to that extreme. Early days came back to him – his when the Palmers enjoyed their Kentish house and lands, hers in the household of a noblewoman in that county. It had been a good situation for the daughter of a court musician who had died leaving his family unprovided – Italian wasn’t he? The girl turned out refined, he had discovered, visiting as a neighbour. He replayed their walks in pleasant gardens, taciturn on his part, talking much but saying little on hers. He saw – as if it was yesterday – her fingers playing filigree music on a dainty keyboard. It never fell silent long enough – she never let it, he realised across the years – to let him say to her what he had rehearsed; awkward masculine words of love. The time came when word arrived that her mother had died and she was an orphan. “When I returned to London, I came to the notice of one of the most important families in the country,â€? he heard her say now, in the cold air of the church. A powerful man, he heard himself guessing. “I was taken into their service.â€? Into his bed. “They found me a good husband, a handsome military officer.â€? When her protector died, when she had outlived her purpose? “We have a son of seven, a good-

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looking boy, but we lost a daughter. Isn’t it all such a world away, those days in Kent?â€? Yes it was, Palmer admitted to himself, but he saw the reality in front of him. She was a woman who had seen better days, out after dark without protection. Was she really going to Forman to gain some hope about her future? Or for another kind of payment? She carried on talking. She did not ask him his story. Then she made a move to leave. Palmer gripped her arm, holding her back. Her courage appeared to reassert itself. “Let me go, Dick.â€? The words froze him in the act. They were the same she had used all those years ago when she told him she would go back to London. He loosened his grip. “So you turned me down for the bed of an old man, Milly.â€? Her mouth opened as if to deny it before her mind changed. “A rich and powerful man, Lord Hunsdon, the Lord Chamberlain. I had everything I wanted.â€? Dead now, all the same, replaced by his son in name, title and court position. So it went‌‌ She began to recite what it had brought her, jewels, money, clothes. Brutally he interrupted her, told her his current case, spat out the name – Southampton – a name she didn’t seem to want to hear by the way that she put her finger to his lips as if to force the word back. “So his life is in your hands,â€? she said. -------------------------------------------------The above excerpts feature from the book: Shakespeare in Trouble by Ludlow-author Chris Crowcroft. Published by Aesop Modern for SHAKESPEARE 400 in 2016, this paperback is priced ÂŁ8.99 from Castle Bookshop as well as online: aesopbooks

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Rose & Crown, Mortimers, Folk Down The Track

Since issue 9 of Ludlow Ledger text} Jon Saxon – PAST, PRESENT, FUTURE – SINCE issue 9 Charlton Arms’ Andrew Brooker has decamped to 17 Corve Street to form British/ French restaurant 1Mortimers (which opened in October) with chef Wayne Smith. Sticking my nose firmly against the Mortimers’ window during the refurbishment, I noticed that the style has been maintained from its life as La Bécasse, though the small bar from its time as Hibiscus (where Andrew once worked) has been reinstated. A couple of doors up, No.14 (the home of Ludlow Ledger) has been granted permission to change its kitchen to a parlour pub. If time sits right I imagine this pub (christened The Dog Hangs Well) will be open by December, maybe even trading by the weekend of the Medieval Festival. This October gone marked Paul and Lynne Kemp’s five-year lease of the 2Rose & Crown coming to an abrupt end, to be followed by ten months of

temporary closure, as far as anyone can tell, when the gates and doors of the pub will only open to contractors while pub owner, Joule’s of Market Drayton, re-imagine this Grade II listed inn. As written in the second issue of Ludlow Ledger: “Joule’s are proposing a big do-over, in which they aim to throw out the false beams ... studded ceiling too, along with the current bar – which would be reinvented in what is currently the dining area. The 1930s fireplace would meet a sledgehammer, and within an older fireplace, which they hope to find, they’d slot a log burner. The way in to the inn would be diverted too, with the door to the left being permanently locked; instead making your way through what is the old off-sales hatch area. The plans also suggest that the outdoor toilets will be turned into a dining area...” There had been surprisingly little panic in town up until the 25th (most people believing that the revamp would never happen) but once Paul and Lynne announced their official departure date, locals and regulars alike aired their concerns. Many

people showered the pub’s Facebook page with upbeat notes, ripe with fond memories. One of these online comments was made by ex-Ludlow Rector Colin Williams: “In the years I was Rector in Ludlow the Rose and Crown was St Laurence’s unofficial annexe. I ate the occasional plate of ham and eggs and drank the odd glass of merlot. I had my parish leaving party there. I also had my last meal in Ludlow there on the day I flew out. And now this much-loved pub (and its much loved landlord and landlady) are to be swept into history at a developer’s misguided whim. Words fail me.” There have been endless gripes too, aired at Joule’s – believing that the brewery have been underhand with how their purchase from Punch Taverns and subsequent management of the Rose & Crown have been conducted. An open letter, on their own Facebook pages, posted by Harp Lane’s Henry Mackley said: “Yes, the Rose and Crown will look a bit neater and tidier, and I’m sure it will be staffed well. Yes, I’m sure that tourists will visit and say nice things, have a nice time, and pop back another day. But – and I’m certain I speak on behalf of dozens if not hundreds of locals – to me, she’ll never be the same again.” Our very own subeditor, Sally Newman-Kidd, also took the time to post: “I also know that you don’t want to retain the present landlord or any of the character that he has put into the pub. Yet this is the landlord that turned the business round from a closed, run down pub into the popular success that made it a viable proposition for you to buy. Please come and spend

some time in the Rose and Crown and appreciate the pub for what it is before you close it”. There have been creaks and groans heard elsewhere, this time with regards to the 33-foot of 3collapsed town wall – which tumbled down the hill in February 2013. In light of the recent progress ... Shaun Ward said: “The Parochial Church Council of St Laurence’s, Ludlow Town Council and Shropshire Council, together with their legal advisors, met recently to discuss the initial findings of the geophysical survey of land beneath St Laurence’s churchyard, so as to enable all parties to agree a process for carrying out repairs to the collapsed part of the historic walls, surrounding the closed churchyard belonging to St Laurence’s. Shropshire County Council’s Natural & Historic Environment Manager is co-ordinating further investigations and structural surveys required before the repair work can begin, on behalf of all parties. It has been formally agreed that all the parties will work together, led by Ludlow Town Council, and working closely with St Laurence’s church, to manage the necessary repairs to preserve the historic site and maintain this part of the ancient walls, for the benefit of the people of Ludlow.” Following on from the last issue, I can announce a slight shift for at least one of the vacant commercial outlets in town – with a planning application put forth by a Mr Richard Bowyer of Llangollen, who suggests removing and replacing the front window of No.5

High Street (once Farlows Estates) with an oak framed double glazed structure, with the front elevation proposed in cream and black – with the new shop name (unknown at this stage) desired in black and gold. Mr Bowyer is also going for change of use: the first and second floor to be converted into a one bedroom domestic accommodation, comprising lounge and kitchen on the first floor, and bedroom and bathroom on the second floor. Also, since the last issue of Ludlow Ledger, there has been the launch of a new singing group that is on the lookout for new members – led by Sarah Inglis from Sing and Tonic. If you’re interested, the group meets every Thursday between 10 and 11.30am at the Loudwater Studio on Burway Trading Estate, Bromfield Road ... found by taking the road next to Ludlow Motors. Loudwater’s Business Development Manager, Nikki Hook said: “Singing is an amazing way of getting rid of the stresses of everyday life and everyone leaves with a huge smile on their face; so we’re inviting anyone who would like to give it a try to join us. The first session is free, so really there’s nothing to lose.” You can reach Nikki direct on 07801 225883 or call Loudwater Studio on 01584 877272. Sticking with music, 4Folk Down The Track (organised by Graham of Myriad Organics) celebrated their fifth anniversary on Thursday 17th September, with the added celebrity

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of the TV cameras and comedian/ presenter Paul Merton, who were there to document the events for a TV programme that will be aired some time next spring or summer. Boarding the Heart of Wales line train at Craven Arms, Graham, Folk Down The Track gang, Paul Merton and the film crew, took the train to Knucklas and the home to that night’s folk session; The Castle Inn. Before the return train back at 21:50 (where the singing continued) all were entertained by the Castle Folk Club and guest performers from previous Folk Down The Track events, including Sally Stamford (Sally the Lemonade Lady) and the Melomanics. Graham is looking forward to celebrating in another five years’ time and, hopefully by that time, incorporating more pubs into the mix, though this has been encouraged from the word go to no avail: either landlords have not been interested or the venues are unsuitable. Interestingly ... The Castle Inn was actually thinking of selling up (down on its heels) before Folk Down The Track rolled up, rejuvenating interest in the pub; the event now effectively pays the pub’s mortgage. It’s a great story, that has the added benefit of raising funds for a variety of charities (over £3,000 raised over the five years) nominated by the folks bands who perform the third Thursday of the month for free. Another interesting fact is, so rumour has it, that Michael Portillo was also at Knucklas the very same day as Merton and Folk Down The Track, though not present at the folk session.

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Beth Heath’s labour of love 5Made In Shropshire is a chunky hard-back book, printed by Corve Street’s Orphan Press. Designed by Herefordshire’s P and R Design, with photography by Photopia Photography’s Rebecca and Simon Wild (known for their enticing food and lifestyle imagery), and illustrations from Mister Charlesworth (in fact a girl called Emily), it is a nicely produced project. There are 90 recipes in total, created by 86 contributors, including the likes of Old Downton Lodge, The Clive, Bistro 7 and Ludlow Brewing Co. Described as “an exciting culinary adventure around the county” the team behind Made in Shropshire promote this new book as “a great compilation of recipes catering for every skill level, from everyday recipes for all the family, to something a little more adventurous for those looking for a culinary challenge.” It is available in Ludlow, priced £20, from Homecare, Castle Bookshop and Ludlow Brewery. Also online: recipesmadehere.co.uk This year is the 6Old Ludlovians’ Association’s 107th, which they celebrated in October, first with a formal gathering at The James Room at The Feathers Hotel, a general meeting the following day, then a Sunday spent with morning coffee at The Charlton Arms. Sadly a recorded interview, telling the interesting history of the group, went astray (as did my notes) thus the Ledger missed a key photo/story opportunity. Annoying.

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Images on p6 and 7} Richard Stanton (1, 2 and 5); Roger Penwill (3); Les Lumsdon (4)

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Just a small selection of your kind emails, letters, postcards and social posts from Facebook and Twitter

Letters to the Ledger We’d love to hear from you – editor@ludlowledger.co.uk

– VIEWS & COMMENTS – I WAS visiting Ludlow recently and just wanted to say how much I enjoyed the Ludlow Ledger, it’s probably the best relevant, local publication of its kind that I’ve ever come across (not that there are many of the kind). It’s really good, a great read. Congratulations! Long may it and you continue. Eileen Orr, North Wales -------------------------------------------------DEAR Ludlow Ledger: I do hope you find the space to print my letter and, of course, don’t mind me using the Ledger for my plea ... knowing it is the natural means of reaching the people of the town as a whole? I have recently returned to Ludlow (my home town) after working abroad for most of the last 20 years – the last 11 years in France, where I played the tuba in the 6-piece New Orleans jazz band Come Back Sweet Papa (which can be seen on YouTube). I also play piano and hope to find likeminded musicians with an interest in mainly 1920s to 1950s Jazz – ie Sidney Bechet, Louis Armstrong, Billie Holliday, Ella Fitzgerald, and so forth, but also Trad Jazz, from the 60s and 70s – such as Kenny Ball, Chris Barber and Acker Bilk – in fact anything with a good tune… The ideal line-up would really be: trumpet, saxophone/clarinet, banjo/ guitar/piano, trombone, tuba and washboard – with the ability to play adlib and improvise to a certain extent, although I have some sheet music and certainly most of the chord structures for many of these pieces. I would aim for weekly practices, mostly for our own enjoyment, but would certainly be up for the occasional gig or two locally, as this type of live music is sadly lacking in this area, and I know many people and venues who would welcome a bit of foot-tapping entertainment. You can contact me either by phone: 01584 318088 or by email: jackparsnip1946@gmail.com Rob Jones, Ludlow Not at all Rob. Best of luck with your musical gathering. -------------------------------------------------I WAS recently given your paper to read... I really enjoyed your write ups of Ludlow. I myself was born and grew up in Ludlow. As a pensioner of 88 I’ve certainly seen a lot of changes in Ludlow. My father, Arthur Powis, was a musical man – bandmaster and conductor of the then British Legion Band – for Cleobury Mortimer too. For years he played the Last Post on Remembrance

Sunday at St Laurence’s Church, as well as surrounding villages. I don’t expect anyone will remember him now. Just wanted to say how much I enjoyed your paper. I look forward to the next edition. Mrs Kathleen (Powis) Williams, Ludlow -------------------------------------------------JUST read read issue 9 of Ludlow Ledger: a great read – especially the write-up on Sam Jones (Ashford Carbonell fishing syndicate). I run a fly-tying club at The Unicorn Inn, Lower Corve Street on the 1st Thursday of every month (7pm through to 9pm) which I initially started after an illness that made me realise that had I not survived, all that I had learnt would have been lost with me. This instigated me to form the club in question, and pass on my skills (which is free of charge) to any would be fly-fishers and fly-tiers. Fly patterns are on the website: ludlowflytying.org.uk with step-by-step instructions on how to tie flies. If any of your readers were inspired by the cover feature words of Ludlow Ledger issue 9, and are interested in learning more, then they can call me on 01584 876049. Derek Young, Ludlow

l be “...we wil udlow to L returning coring visit -s on a beer December, again in ld hope and wou y be in a that you mto sell us a position al ale.” some re

DON’T forget, you can find out the answers to the previous issue’s crossword on the back page of this Ludlow Ledger. ACROSS 1 Instrument firm next to Women’s Centre achieves success (9) 5 Swimming in a bath (5) 8 Milk suppliers in dodgy ruse to seize large cups (6) 9 Noble wild boar beside loch (8) 11 Overwhelming defeat in central Belgium (8) 12 Move student interrupting class (6) 13 Eg. Black Sheep about right with starters of roast yak (7) 14 Skirt hem (6) 18 Standard ginseng no good when ground (6) 20 Animal on pound coin in vase (7) 23 Sailor duo are Russian (6) 25 Partner once over-iced rum (8)

27 Philosopher’s great city states (8) 28 College of Anne & Mary perhaps (6) 29 West Country measure makes heave (5) 30 Discover fire at university having gone inside (5,4) DOWN 1 Place to worship Switzerland’s alternative curry (cold and hot) (6) 2 Sticky stuff protects cycle parts (9) 3 Warhol is not left out in pilot exhibition (3,4) 4 Lead vermin back (4) 5 Chaos not starting before fuss bears fruit (7) DEAR Jon ... you kindly showed us around the beginnings of your parlour pub project (of no name), back in July of this year, when a large group of members from the Shrewsbury & West Shropshire branch of CAMRA called at 14 Corve Street on spec. I thought I’d let you know that we will be returning to Ludlow on a beer-scoring visit again in December, and would hope that you may be in a position to sell us some real ale. Arrival by train is shortly before 12noon, so we could call at any time between then and 5pm, at a time convenient to you. Peter Duckers, Shrewsbury CAMRA Since your visit earlier this year there has been a big push towards the doors being open for beer service. This includes an elongated shopping list of 15 stools of elm, oak and ash; a 9-foot pine bench from Hereford Cathedral, three coppertopped tables, and a pine table of larger proportions. The walls are now mostly covered with 30 or so picture frames, with front parlour furnishings made up of red and green armchairs, a wooden chair or two, and some marble-topped gilt tables. There is still a fair bit to do, in order to serve you and your comrades in December – though you’ll be pleased to hear that 14 Corve Street was granted a 7-day licence to serve beer back in

6 One man’s representative (5) 7 Model wearing old leggings left extremely rowdy tavern (8) 10 Soon disheartened to be third person in trap (5) 15 Giveaway in easy chair dept. (4,5) 16 Fed with energy, overweight chickens right for new plumage (8) 17 Granville’s heart for beating on (5) 19 By degrees, bachelor’s university has one left (7) 21 Say cheese – not for game (7) 22 New overhead railway’s on hold (6) 24 Build and demolish, we hear (5) 26 Male nonsense (4) August; a step in the right direction. A change of use application was placed the same day, to convert the ground-level office spaces into public bar and parlour (old kitchen and original front-parlour respectively). With regards to your visit: 14 Corve Street will open as a pub in two of the three rooms (the third being the Son of Saxon/Ludlow Ledger office) at the close of office hours (usually 5pm) on Thursday and Friday, and a longer opening period of service on Saturday: 12noon to 3pm, closing for lunch, opening again at 5pm and serving through to 9pm. The times may change from time-totime, being as this is a supplementary business – as would have been the case all over Ludlow in past times, where (as you know) many home owners would have boosted their weekly income by opening up their front parlours and kitchens – so you may find 14 Corve Street open for beer from as early as 3pm or 4pm, depending on my office day. Thus the Victorian tavern lantern (once installed), which will be switched on to denote the kitchen and parlour is open for business. Name-wise: it is to be: ‘The Dog Hangs Well’ – a play on The Gate Hangs Well ... in this case referencing The Dog Hanging Woods within Mortimer Forest.

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Connect

Watching the world go by text} Simon Pease

– OBSERVATIONS – I’M sitting outside a coffee shop, enjoying a slice of sun in a town that is a pleasing mixture of the old and the not so old; I’m in the square, but of course it isn’t really square. There’s plenty of activity: tourists poking around the stalls in the market, quite a few coffee drinkers, small groups of students from the college laughing and checking their mobile phones as they stroll by. The locals acknowledge each other, some stopping to chat, some simply giving a cheery wave, and the tourists meander, often looking up at the buildings around them. At the table next to me a man is frowning at a crossword. I have a general feeling of contentment – what could be better, after all, than a cup of coffee, warm sun and a spot of people watching? I’m in Ludlow’s Castle Square, but it makes me think about the times I have done this in other ‘squares’, in other towns, and the fact that you can do this across a range of countries and cultures. Sometimes the drink of choice will change and, in some cultures, the customers will be largely men if they are locals, but the essential simple activities will remain the same. I recall specific places and details… In France: the couple with a seat at their table for their dog who ate biscuits off a plate, quite decorously, without arousing the least surprise among the management or clientele, who were probably used to it. In Siena: the absurdly beautiful and exquisitely-dressed young couple, two tables away, having a furious argument while trying not to attract attention, the girl with her mouth set in a firm line, impassive behind her enormous sunglasses, the man feigning indifference with a shrug. In the old City of Jerusalem, close to the Holy Sepulchre: the wide eyed tourists who found everything fascinating and incomprehensible, in equal measure. In Damascus: the unfailing courtesy and welcome of the coffee-shop owner, and the coffee itself, strong and with the warm scent of cardamom. In Buenos Aires: every woman, apparently, wearing impossibly high heels and clicking on the pavement as they pass. In Vienna: people spending virtually the whole of Sunday at a favourite café, beginning with breakfast, and involving a good book and a lot of cake with whipped cream. In Marrakech: siting on the roof terrace of the café beside the ‘square’, watching the crowds around the storytellers and magicians, with the red town wrapped all around and the wall of the Atlas mountains, capped with snow, visible on the Eastern horizon. For a few minutes, all these places seem to merge, here in Castle Square. I feel that if I looked out of the corner of my eye, I could see any of those other characters walking across the square and brushing shoulders with the inhabitants of Ludlow – every one of them feeling at ease in surroundings, which could fit equally well into any of the places they call home. Even after I come out of my reverie I find this idea that I can see the connection of all of humanity here, in this town, a beguiling one. The man with the crossword has left and I am foolishly pleased when the couple who sit down in his place begin speaking to each other in Spanish.

Editor-in-chief Jon Saxon Sub editor Sally Newman-Kidd Photographer Richard Stanton Authors Liz Hyder, Simon Pease, Mia Davis, Nicki Lewis-Smith, John Barratt, Prue Britten, Gary Seymour, Brian Mear, Peter Bull, Chris Crowcroft Crossword John Jarvis Cartoon Roger Penwill

Gardening

My busman’s holiday text and image} Nicki Lewis-Smith

– GARDENING – I NEVER thought that my early autumn holiday would take me to California or South Western Australia, not to mention the Western Cape of South Africa and Chile. Yet there I was, brushing past plants that work hard to exist in such harsh climates – survival by adaptation; evolution; smaller leaf surface to minimise moisture loss; fatter leaves for water conservation – all pretty damn clever. No, I haven’t really been jetting around the world, I was in Wales – the National Botanic Garden of Wales to be precise, and to pass through these countries only took half an hour or so. But it didn’t take that long to understand why the early plant hunters had seen these exotic plants and had wanted to bring them home to their native Britain. Take the Californian Lilac, for example, (Ceanothus) – it initially arrived on our shores in 1713 and now it appears as a stalwart and fairly common shrub in many Ludlow gardens. How about the Berberis, of which there are about 450 species?

They are about as tough and thorny as they come and are often used in our gardens as burglar deterrents. When you live and breathe plants as I do, this may appear to have been a bit of a busman’s holiday – well, of course, it was, but would I really be happy lounging on a beach counting grains of sand? I doubt it. Much better to buy my bus ticket and wander amongst the Mediterranean-type flora growing within, what appears to be, a giant jellyfish on a Welsh hillside. It was a warm day – not only inside that vast greenhouse, but outside too – one of those early autumn days when Mother Nature smiled upon us benevolently before pushing us headlong into the grips of winter. And she will – all the signs are there. Take the bees for instance – at the National Botanic Gardens the autumn flowers were ablaze with colour; the yellows and oranges of Heleniums and Rudbeckias, purple Asters, the last of the summer phlox and vast drifts of Verbena bonariensis were all alive with bees – so many, that it gave the appearance of the plants themselves

shimmering. I’d noticed it at home in Ludlow too – the flat dusky pink flower heads of Sedum spectabile (Ice Plant) have been literally covered with wall-to-wall honey bees, I’ve never seen so many. Did you walk by any ivy clad walls in October? The bees adore those insignificant flowers and set the whole plant buzzing with industry. It was time to stock up on their nectar reserves and apparently more so this year – not only did the bees embark on a feeding frenzy but, for some time, had been reducing the size of their hive entrances … all signs of a harsh winter. And the berries – Holly, Cotoneaster, Blackberries and Sloes – plenty of food source for our resident and overwintering birds. After, of course, the human consumption of blackberry crumble and sloe gin. Hic. ------------------------------------------------Nicki Lewis-Smith is an award-winning garden designer and consultant, based here in Ludlow: (see advertisement on page 16 for further details).

Printer The Guardian Print Centre Media Park, Longbridge Road, Parkway Estate, Manchester, M17 1SN Paper 100% recycled 52gsm 76ISO improved Berliner newsprint Online Website: www.ludlowledger.co.uk Twitter: @ludlowledger Advertising There are a number of different ways to explore advertising in Ludlow Ledger: Download ludlowledger.com/advertise Email ads@ludlowledger.co.uk or Phone 01584 872381 Office Discuss advertising in person at 14 Corve Street, Ludlow, SY8 1DA Legal All rights reserved. No part of Ludlow Ledger may be copied or reproduced, in whole or in part, without the strict written permission of the publisher Production schedule ISSUE 11 Editorial: 20th November, 2015 Print: 8th January, 2016

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ISSUE 12 Editorial: 22nd January, 2016 Print: 3rd March, 2016 ISSUE 13 Editorial: 25th March, 2016 Print: 4th May, 2016 ISSUE 14 Editorial: 20th May, 2016 Print: 6th July, 2016 ISSUE 15 Editorial: 22nd July, 2016 Print: 7th September, 2016 ISSUE 16 Editorial: 23rd September, 2016 Print: 2nd November, 2016 ISSUE 17 Editorial: 25th November, 2016 Print: 9th December, 2016

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10

Regal MGA rebuilt

Ground up – brick by brick; bolt by bolt text} Brian Mear | image} Richard Stanton – RESTORATION – IN 1990 as a middle aged boy racer and a veteran-car nut, I longed for a return to those halcyon days of the Fifties and Sixties when anything remotely sporting, including old vans converted into sports cars (loosely called specials) were the thing of the day. But that was when a rural wage packet could never stretch to buying a new MG, TR – let alone a British racing green XK 120, 140 or E-type – although I did manage to persuade my, then, bank manager to lend me ÂŁ450 to buy a one owner Mk1 MG midget which had an Ashley GT hardtop (that’s the one that goes right over the boot when you remove the boot lid). Sadly, impending marriage meant that my second love had to go. In the late Eighties, I worked as a representative for one of the major brick manufacturers and it was then that I made the acquaintance of a small garage owner who needed bricks for a new workshop. When I visited the site, and his existing garage, I could not believe what I saw: his speciality was restoring classic cars, mostly Triumphs and Jaguars. Before my eyes was the most superb E-Type Jaguar and an ex-racing Triumph TR5. Both immaculately finished, together with a number of other projects underway. Following on from the initial deal to supply bricks for the new workshop, I made a point of calling in whenever I was in the area just to admire whatever was being worked on. I said I would love something like an Austin Healey 100/4 or 100/6 or an MGA, to which he replied: “I’ve got an MGA,â€? pointing to a shed, “which I don’t think I’ll restore ... It will need a full body restoration but the engine has been professionally re-built.â€? Sure enough, underneath a pile of other worldly goods, I could just about make out the tail end of an ‘A’. With no chance of a close inspection, as it would take at least a day to uncover, I enquiring of its worth, to which he replied: â€œÂŁ700

or ÂŁ800 as it is... but I need some more bricks to build some stables for my girl’s horsesâ€?. Putting my negotiating skills to the test I enquired further: “How many bricks do you need?â€? – “Another six thousand...â€? to which I suggested a straight swap – half a lorry load of bricks for the MGA. Deal done I headed back to the brickworks, where I met with my regional sales manager to discuss a staff discount on six thousand or so mixed russet facings. Not only did he agree, he allowed me a batch, invoiced as seconds plus my discount. The transportation was just as cheap (just ÂŁ50 cash) bringing the total to ÂŁ453.13, whilst my customer bagged 6,150 bricks worth about ÂŁ750. Before I could take delivery of the car, I had to finish the concrete base for the second garage where the MG was to rest and where I hoped I would eventually restore it. Finally the day came when my brick customer agreed to deliver the car and, sure to his word, my MG arrived on a trailer behind a Land Rover. Together we manhandled the chassis and the pieces of an MGA off the trailer and on to my prepared concrete pad – including three tea chests full of bits and lots of rusty metal. Once they had left I took stock of what I had bought and realised that I had acquired a total basket-case. I spent the next twelve months building the garage – completing the roof in the autumn of 1991. During the following winter I sorted and labelled bits, before disassembling what the previous owner had started. It was only then that I realized why he wasn’t keen to restore this particular MG. To cut a very long story short (avoiding the boring details of 19 years of restoration) I’ll fast forward to March 2010 when, after nearly 20 years, my MGA was at last ready to hit the road again in something close to its original state; back to black with green leather upholstery. Following a preliminary inspection, and a few

adjustments, I obtained the MOT certificate. With the car’s original legal documents also came a hand-written letter on headed DVLA paper stating that, upon completion of the restoration, the original registration number would be available. This, in fact, took a lot of work (including many inspections) before finally, after nearly five months of correspondence, I received confirmation that 464 APB had been fully resurrected. So now I am the proud owner of a true British Classic 1956 Roadster. Unfortunately, when I acquired the car I had only two of three original old-style logbooks – the earlier of the two records the owner in 1964 as being The Right Honourable Morgan Rees-Williams, who was then residing at Allen House, Allen Street, London W8. In the Nineties I made contact with the Rt. Hon. Gentleman by telephone – he was very pleasant and recalled owning the car. He told me that he did not buy the car when new but had purchased it from a ‘Lady’. He seemed rather reluctant to say much more, perhaps unable to recall further details, but he did indeed remember the colour was black. Despite obtaining a heritage certificate from the British Motor Heritage Trust, which records the dates that the car was manufactured and the date of dispatch from the factory as being the 15th of February 1956, all sales records have been lost and Surrey County Council office, where the car was first registered, have destroyed all of their early registration information. It is my belief that as the car was manufactured in right-hand drive form (surely for the home market) it was most probably pre-ordered at the Motor Show in the autumn of 1955 and would have been sold to someone of substance; at that time the majority of the MGAs went for export – not many were obtainable in the UK during the early days of their production. As The Right Honourable Gentleman referred to is now Lord Ogmore – having inherited the title after the death of his elder brother – I can only assume that back in 1964 he would have been suitably acquainted with several young ladies, possibly debutantes or even ladies of title, which explains his reluctance to describe the original owner as much more than just a ‘Lady’. If only cars could talk.

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Thursday 21st January, 3pm Thursday 17th March, 3pm Thursday 28th April, 3pm Thursday 9th June, 3pm Thursday 21st July, 3pm Thursday 8th September, 3pm Thursday 20th October, 3pm Thursday 1st December, 3pm

Thursday 18th February, 3pm Thursday 7th April, 3pm Thursday 19th May, 3pm Thursday 30th June, 3pm Thursday 18th August, 3pm Thursday 29th September, 3pm Thursday 10th November, 3pm Thursday 22nd December, 3pm

Viewing: Wednesday prior to sale day: 9.00am – 7.00pm Thursday (Sale Day): 9.00am – 3pm Collections and deliveries can be made on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Collection by purchasers can also be made on the day of sale. We also have a deadline for deliveries, so please contact us for more information Commission rates: 15% + VAT on the hammer price Minimum charge: £2 + VAT per lot Insurance charge: 1% + VAT on the hammer price

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La Jewellery by Lisa-Anne

CELEBRATING TWO YEARS IN LUDLOW FAIRTRADE All of our jewellery is hand crafted by a small dedicated team, here in the UK; something that we, as a company, are extremely proud of. We also have a personal relationship with the Fairtrade miners in Peru – which means that you know exactly where your gold and silver comes from and how your support is helping them, their families and their immediate community. SPECIAL OFFER We are offering an £18 necklace when you spend over £29 in our Parkway Mews store (located just off Corve Street, by Ludlow Library). There are limited pieces available, which are made from recycled brass sourced from broken parts reclaimed from old ships. SWAP BOX I first saw this idea in action whilst surfing the Net for inspiring community ideas – it’s been made a reality with the help of friends who built a watertight box, and is now being filled with swap items. This is a community project designed to engage the people of Ludlow, with no money needing to exchange hands ... the idea is that you trade your surplus with what you may need. You can even leave a ‘Wish List’ requesting certain items. If your swap item is too large for the box, then leave a note stating what you have and a contact number. Please remember that we really want you to take the items you need, otherwise we won’t have any room for new things … so start sharing the love. LUDLOW CHARM BRACELET You can help La Jewellery create this bracelet by donating your unwanted silver and gold jewellery – which could be an odd earring, faulty cuff link or broken chain. We will then set about creating some very special charm bracelets

La Jewellery

to be sold, with all monies raised being donated to local charities. BLACK FISH My world hasn’t been the same since watching this 2013 documentary – it triggered the memory of a childhood visit to the zoo, cut short when my father (appalled by the conditions in which a killer whale was being kept) forced us to leave. The orca died after being at Dudley Zoo for just four years and, in the same year that ‘Cuddles’ was brought to the Midlands, another orca (a 6-year old, later named Lolita) was captured in Washington State’s Pen Cove – one of seven young whales sold to marine parks around the world. In the 43 years she has been at Miami Seaquarium, her situation has courted much controversy and endless law suits in a bid to end her imprisonment. As a jewellery designer, I decided to help by creating the heartfelt Lolita Collection (pictured left) to help raise funds to help free Lolita. DAVID LENTON Avidly watching as we made our shop ready, to launch over the 2013 Medieval Festival weekend, David was the first to notify me (two days ahead of the grand opening) that the shop window had been shattered. From that day forth David has come to visit us twice daily ... once in the morning for our weather report and once in the afternoon for a good old sing song. Thank you David Lenton for brightening up my world and for the smile that makes Ludlow a far better place.

Special offer Free £18 necklace when you spend over £29 in our store. Limited availability. Made from recycled brass, sourced from parts reclaimed from old boats and ships – which have been cleaned with lemon juice.

Say hello

La Jewellery, No1 Parkway Mews, off Corve Street

THE UNSUNG HEROES OF LUDLOW Nomination form Nomination name ................................................................ ................................................................................................ Reasons for nomination .................................................. ............................................................................................. ............................................................................................... ............................................................................................... ............................................................................................... ............................................................................................... ............................................................................................... WE WILL BE giving away 12 pieces of jewellery to some of the special people nominated, on each of the 12 days leading up to Christmas. And it’s up to you to nominate someone – that someone could be a helpful neighbour, your mum or dad for supporting you, or a loyal a friend ... in fact anyone who you wish to say thank you to – by using the nomination form on this page.

www.lajewellery.co.uk

Contact details ...................................................................... .................................................................................................

Who is your Unsung Fifteen of our lovely independent traders of Ludlow have, very kindly, teamed up with La Jewellery, to donate some of their wonderful wares and services to help us say a huge thank you to some very special people in Ludlow. La Jewellery will be giving away 12 pieces of jewellery to some of these people on each of the 12 days before Christmas.

Castle Bookshop

Who are these special people? – well, you decide... You could nominate a neighbour who waters your plants when you’re away, a family member for being there in a time of need; a friend ... in fact anyone to whom you wish to say thank you. Simply fill out the form (found on the previous page), nominate your Unsung Hero of Ludlow and hand it in to La Jewellery (found next to Florabunda); our carefully selected panel will sort through your nominations.

Bodenhams BOOKSHOP-OWNER, STANTON, has kindly offered to give away five copies of John C. Parkin’s book F**k It Therapy: The Profane Way to Profound Happiness (a very spiritual book) to someone who you believe deserves a good illuminating read. It is life-changing and inspired the La Jewellery collection of the very same name

01584 872562

French Pantry If you haven’t tried the French onion soup in the French Pantry then you haven’t lived... My daughter and I regularly book a table for just such a delight. Thank you Helen and Simon for offering two lucky people a gift voucher so they too may sample my favourite dish from this cosy little restaurant.

One of this town’s little gems, (in one of the grandest shops in our town – our very own Liberty, if you will) is offering a special someone a clothing voucher to spend in the family-run shop. Bodenhams also stocks La Jewellery so please pop in and take a look – a friendly smile and great service awaits.

www.thefrenchpantry.co.uk 01584 879133

www.bodenhams.co.uk

The Parkway

My favourite tapas has to be the garlic prawns, but on a cold day nothing beats a hot winter vegetable soup hand made by Tolo and Patricia (both of whom are Spanish, so you know its going to be good). The proprietor Julia, would therefore like to offer someone in our community a meal voucher so that they can enjoy a lovely relaxing evening. Who do you know that would deserve such a treat? Use the nomination form on the previous page.

www.parkway-ludlow.co.uk and 01584 873130

Photography Nigel Bishop

Mod Lang

I first met Paul about three years ago, when he moved in directly opposite our house, excited about setting up his new record store in Ludlow. Mod Lang, situated just by the library in the Wood Yard, is where Paul offers an eclectic range of music – with something for most tastes. My musical taste buds have certainly been enriched thanks to Paul, who is kindly giving away two album starter packs worth £25 each to a deserving member of our community.

www.modlanguk.com

Hero of Ludlow? Matt Fothergill

Matt and Andy create rather handsome pieces indeed – with a vast range of accessories, bags and jackets. Many of our customers at La Jewellery own or have commissioned one of Matt’s handbags. If someone nominates you then one of his lovely handbags could be coming your way soon.

www.mattfothergill.com

Michelle Kendal

Myriad Organic

One lucky member of our community will be having their nails manicured and pampered by Michelle herself at her Parkway Mews salon. So nominate a special person that you feel would deserve this treat by completing the form today. On a personal note: I can also recommend Michelle’s HD brows.

Myriad is ONE of our lovely local and independent shops, stocking organic and fair trade goods – from shampoo, eco washing-detergent to fresh fruit and vegetables (which you can have delivered to your door) and it is also home to the Rural Skills Centre. Myriad stocks a great selection of organic wine and will be giving away a bottle or two to one of our nominees.

www.facebook.com/public/Michelle-Kendal

01584 872665

Mill Street Market Street Castle Bookshop Ghost Walk

Broad Street Bodenhams

Old Street

Quality Square

King Street Corve Street

Matt Fothergill

Florabunda La Jewellery

French Pantry

Tower Street

Parkway Bistro

Myriad Organics

Smarti

Parkway Mews

Mod Lang

Michelle Kendall

Woodyard

Ludlow Ghost Walk

Leon and Stuart have offered a group ticket to a lucky person, as their way of saying a huge thank you for the support that Ludlow and its tourists provide. The walks (which are fun, informative and a great evening out) take place promptly at 8pm every Friday starting from The Buttercross (outside Ludlow’s Church Inn), with a minimum of five people. All Leon and Stuart ask is that you bring suitable shoes, a torch, and a strong constitution...

www.shropshireghostwalks.co.uk

Dawn Debalinor

Florabunda

With a passion for painting hares, Dawn uses acrylics on canvas to create unique, imaginative works. Her limited edition prints can be seen every Saturday at the local independent traders’ market, on Ludlow’s Market Square, as well as in La Jewellery on Parkway Mews, where you can also check out the ‘Lobe Hare’ collaboration created between Dawn and La Jewellery’s Lisa-Anne. Use the form on the front page of this supplement to give someone the chance to receive one of Dawn’s prints.

FLORABUNDA’S dedicated team of lovely ladies would like to offer a beautiful bouquet to a deserving member of our community, as a thank you from them to you. Their flower business has been delighting people for over 30 years and they plan to continue for many more years to come.

www.debalinor.co.uk

www.florabundaludlow.co.uk

Smarti

Nourish Counselling

Nigel Bishop

Stocking an array of cotton and quality clothing for boys and girls of all ages, Smarti includes the eco-friendly range Little Green Radicals. Owner Sam is supporting our Unsung Hero campaign by offering a voucher for a boy and another for a girl, so that they can treat themselves in her Corve Street boutique.

Christmas time can be both a lonely and stressful time for many people in the community: Caroline can be there to provide support through these difficult times, and she has offered a counselling session as part of her giveaway. Please state very clearly, when you fill in your nominee form, if you think that Caroline’s support may be of use to the person that you are nominating.

Specialising in weddings, portraits, events and commercial photography, Nigel offered his services, to work closely with each of the businesses within this supplement. Nigel has also offered a family portrait to one lucky family within the community, to benefit from his professional but unobtrusive and relaxed style of photography.

www.smarti-ludlow.co.uk

07815 524834

www.wnbishop.co.uk

Bike Adventures Michelle and Dominique, who’s cycling-holiday company run cycle tours throughout the UK and beyond (including the challenging tour from Barcelona to Gibraltar, and the relatively easier tour from one tip of Portugal to the other), have offered one of their t shirts and hold-all bags to an Unsung Hero.

www.bikeadventures.co.uk

La Jewellery ... new gift shop, a dog’s life, special thanks Are you looking for space to exhibit your work? Come and take a look at our new gift shop, at La Jewellery, where we are already showcasing original paintings, vintage clothing, cards, as well as organic candles and skincare – plus more. Shop dog brew would (I’m quite sure) love the opportunity to thank all of the customers that come into her shop on a weekly basis – bringing with them treats as well as taking her for small walks. We will soon be selling dog treats in our gift shop to raise money for local charities so please pop in and purchase... This special supplement has been made possible with the support and kindness of Nigel, Kristi, Reena, Annie, Jon, Anthony, Bear, Katie, Noel and Shannon.

www.lajewellery.co.uk

Fill out the form on page 1 to nominate your hero IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER – La Jewellery Ltd or any of its employees will not be held liable in case of complaint or injury, concerning any gift or service offered as part of The Unsung Heroes of Ludlow nomination give-away. Local businesses or individuals are solely responsible for organising meal times and service dates. Please hand your completed nomination forms into La Jewellery: No1 Parkway Mews, Corve Street, by the Library. END DATE – 12th December 2015. Nomination does not denote a gift allocation. La Jewellery’s decision is final. Nominees must be willing to collect their gifts, where necessary, from La Jewellery Ltd, Corve Street. No purchase is necessary. All rights are reserved. Nominations via official form. Only two (2) nominations per person.

Comments and enquires: info@lajewellery.co.uk

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Hundreds of Books, from Adichie to Zola Collectible First Editions and Antiquarian Books Ž—•ǥ ƒ ™‹†‡ ”ƒÂ?‰‡ ‘ˆ ’ƒ’‡”„ƒ…Â?• ˆ”‘Â? Í?͘’ Also be sure to visit our furniture showroom!

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Reader’s House

Reading all about it text and image} John Barratt – LANDMARK – ONE of Ludlow’s finest and most historic buildings is tucked away from the bustle of the town on the edge of St Laurence’s Garden of Rest. The house now known as the Reader’s House has existed in various forms for around 700 years, dating back to at least the early 14th century. An old deed, which was found in one of the interior walls of the house, suggests a date as early as around 1230, and it is probable that it was originally built mainly in stone. When this first house was built, the area around it was rather different to today – St Laurence’s church was smaller, without its great 15th century tower, and the plot of land on which it stood was larger. The Bull Ring was much bigger than it is now and that which is now King Street was part of the market place, then as large as the western part which is now Castle Square. The earliest surviving record of the Reader’s House shows that it was owned by the Palmers’ Guild – a guild which played a very important role in the life of medieval Ludlow. It was not one of the more common trades’ guilds, but it was set up around the mid-1200s for mainly wealthy merchants and local gentry, and it had a major role as a mutual benefit society, providing financial assistance to members and their families who encountered misfortune. It was common for property and money to be bequeathed to the Guild, which eventually owned about a third of the property within Ludlow. It is uncertain who occupied the house for much of the Middle Ages but, in 1431, Ludlow Grammar School (set up by the Guild to teach boys the skills necessary to become clerks) was moved from St Laurence’s Church to the house. It was used as the school until 1489, after which it became the home of Thomas and Isabel Cook,

the first of its residents whose names we know. Thomas was a wealthy man and was, for a time, “servitor� or aide to Prince Arthur during his time in Ludlow. On his death, in 1513, Cook left a large amount of property to the Palmers’ Guild, as well as a suit of “vestment of cloth of gold�. This was the kind of garment a royal official might have worn, at a time when cloth of gold cost six guineas a yard, more than the annual income of a large part of the population. The house may have been empty for some years after Cook’s death, as it seems to have fallen into disrepair. Thomas Cother, the tenant from 1540 to 1550, and a churchwarden and bailiff of the town, did not live in the house; apparently he was allowed it rent-free for at least part of the time, probably because of its bad condition. In 1551, as part of the religious changes of the Reformation, the Palmers’ Guild was dissolved and the house, along with the rest of the Guild’s property in Ludlow, went into the possession of Ludlow Corporation. Some repairs were carried out and, in the 1550s, the tenant was John Dalton, a bookseller, who paid a rent of 6s 8d a year. He also rented the frontage, forming three shops, on to the Bull Ring. Dalton used one of these as his own shop, probably doing much of his business with the many officials of the Council of the Marches living in the town. In 1569, for example, he was paid 20/- for a new Bible. Dalton died in 1575, and the next tenant was Francis Jenks, a lawyer and Town Clerk of Ludlow, who lived in the house until around 1600. For the next century the house was rented by members of the Cam and Kaye families. Thomas Kaye was a Yorkshireman, ordained as a preacher and priest in London in 1610. He was made Reader (effectively deputy to the Rector) of St Laurence’s in 1611 and, although he also had parishes in

other parts of the country as well, as was common, he remained in Ludlow until at least 1621. In 1613 Thomas married Mary Cam and the couple moved into the house. It was in a serious state of disrepair and, at this time, received a major rebuild which resulted in the building we see today. The stone wall facing the church was retained but the rest of the rebuilding was remodelled as a three-storey halftimbered house. In commemoration of the work, Thomas Kaye had his name, and the date 1616, carved on one of the porch timbers. The rebuild would have been an expensive business. The house incorporated 6,800 pieces of timber, weighing (after shaving, jointing and cutting) approximately 28 tonnes, and approximately 1,100 wooden pegs were needed to secure the frames together. Between 45 and 50 mature oak trees would be required to build the same house in 2015. In 1711, the house took on its present name of the Reader’s House, when Ludlow Corporation purchased the lease so that it could be used regularly as the home of the Reader. A legacy of this change was discovered in 2009/12, when excavations in the garden found a quantity of material, including pottery and broken clay pipes, which had probably been cleared out at the time. The Reader was paid a salary for his duties and allowed to live rent-free in the Reader’s House or sublet it to others. The most notable of the succession of Readers was Robert Meyricke, who was in post from 1824 to 1881. He lived in Dinham Lodge, which was the family house, and so sublet the Readers’ House. He was a scholarly man, who, it was noted with some awe, “could read Persian�. A man of wide interests, Meyricke enjoyed the theatre and helped establish the National School in Ludlow. The Readers’ House seems to have been unoccupied for much of the late 19th century, but was regarded as one of the notable sights. -------------------------------------------------You can read more about it in a new book The Reader’s House by the LHRG, which is available from the Castle Bookshop and St Laurence’s church

52 MILL STREET, LUDLOW www.blueboarludlow.co.uk

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Mr Underhill’s

Over the hill, not quite yet text} Mia Davis | images} Richard Stanton – PROFILE – Quietly providing a low-key but superlatively fine dining experience in Ludlow, Mr Underhill’s is renowned for its glorious riverside setting and nine-course market menu, using fresh local ingredients. A typical set menu could include wild venison from Mortimer Forest, Bridgnorth asparagus, Oakley Park or Shropshire Blue cheese, and Ludlow pears poached with lemongrass and vanilla, cooked and served by husband-andwife team, Chris and Judy Bradley. Inventive combinations of food, (green tomato marmalade ice-cream anyone?) attentive service, and a relaxed non-starchy atmosphere which belies the sophistication of the menu, have put Mr Underhill’s on the restaurant-goers map, not just here in sleepy Shropshire, but across the country. Generally considered exceptional by even the toughest of restaurant critics, Ludlow has long been lucky to have Underhill’s in its midst. And as a result, the news of its closure on the 20th December this year has been greeted with great disappointment – not only here in Ludlow, but by anyone who has ever dined or hoped to dine there. Notable to gourmands far and wide as a destination restaurant worth a four-hour drive from London, in 2010 the UK’s most authoritative restaurant guide, Hardens, said of Mr Underhill’s: “This restaurant with rooms has been a fixture of the ‘Ludlow phenomenon’ for years. This year has seen the reporter’s ratings – always impressive – rise to exceptional levels, making this the best all-round UK restaurant across the board. Now better than ever and even more notable for the sheer perfection it offers.” To put this into context, being named by Hardens as the UK’s best is the ultimate accolade. An achievement made even more remarkable by the fact that Chris Bradley is self-taught. So, as the longest-serving Michelinstarred restaurant in Ludlow (and one which has remained a firm fixture whilst two others have come and gone), the fact that they are closing is a blow. Yet regular visitors and gastronomes take heart – a transformation is due to take place in six month’s time, when Chris and Judy intend to open something just as good, but “different.” It won’t be Mr Underhill’s as we know it – but it’s sure to be as impressive just the same. On the reasoning, Judy is very clear. “We’ve done this for 35 years, and we’re past retirement age. We both need some repairs. Physically we should probably stop, but mentally we’re not ready to. So we’re planning to re-open as something different, so we can trade a sixteen-hour day for an eight-hour one.” Considering they have each missed just one service in their thirty-five years, and currently serve dinner from Wednesday to Sunday, notwithstanding looking after the

guests who are staying over, it’s little wonder they need a break. Wisely perhaps though, Chris and Judy aren’t ready to divulge any details of what Mr Underhill’s will become next. All they will say is that “It’s a very good idea,” and that the new venture will be less dependent on their presence. “We’ll still be driving, but from the back of the bus – not the front, and we have new people as well as existing staff we can pull in, with the right attributes to make it good. Until then, we have time to think and step back. We went away for a week to try and decide what to do, and came up with what we think is a really good idea.” Ironically, rumours on the Ludlow grapevine of their closure are as annual as Christmas. So they were keen to make sure staff knew first. Yet how do they feel about losing their star? And more importantly, will Ludlow now be a Michelin-starrestaurant-free zone after the heady days of enjoying three? On this, they are both philosophical. “The inspectors will visit the new restaurant for sure, but we have no idea how we will be considered. All we can say is that Michelin supported us from the moment we opened. In the old days they gave out an award called a Red M, which was basically half a star, and we got that after our first inspection. We were the only restaurant who did a set menu to do so, Michelin would come along every year and ask us if we were going to start offering a choice but we didn’t, and shortly afterwards they moved the goal posts and we got a star. That was over 20 years ago.” Ludlow has long been vibrant enough to support a plethora of different types of places to eat, so there’s no reason for that to change. In theory, it’s quite possible that Ludlow will lose a star and win it back if Chris and Judy create another exceptional place to eat. With their passion and experience driving the new restaurant, albeit from the back of the bus and not the front, the chances of it being a success are high. Yet as Ludlow shows no sign of declining in popularity and as the quality of places to eat remains high (including one café with a Michelin Bib Gourmand), it would also seem the town can easily live without actual Michelin stars. Indeed, gaining stars was never even part of the plan for Chris and Judy. “When we started we created the kind of restaurant we wanted to visit. It has evolved, but sometimes the publicity has driven it because of people’s expectations as a result of the awards … which has been great, but wasn’t always the direction we wanted to go in,” Chris explains. “So our new plan is for the kind of restaurant we would particularly like to go to in the future.” In the meantime, we’ll have to wait. But one thing is for certain: whatever it is, it’s sure to be worth a visit. Watch this space.

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– COVER STORY – < continued from the front page supremely confident in her ability within this chosen career. Behind the dramatic make-up and dress, though, the Hollie within is somewhat selfconscious – “rather sensitive” to use her words – in fact a little delicate (fragile to that end perhaps). I join the growing crowds as we witness Hollie’s spaghetti-stray of corn-row braids and two shiny black Doc Martins glance millimetres above the grassed grounds of Ludlow Castle (never once placing her hands down for support) in what appears a most natural action for any human being. It is not. Subsequent sequences evoke a mixture of gymnastics, a balance of ballet, and an edgy street-style that delivers grace in one direction and aggression in the other. So many contrasting styles, so many different emotions ... Hollie the dancer perhaps no different to those woven styles. It is this clinical perfection that inspired Hollie’s friends to encourage her to enter the reality TV dance series Shakedown, that aired on MTV in 2004 and which she won, later being crowned best hip-hop dancer in Europe. The second series of Strictly Dance Fever followed – hosted by Graham Norton and broadcast on BBC1 on a Saturday evening in the spring of 2006 – with Hollie becoming one of only 20 contestants selected from the 80,000 who applied to audition. Alongside dance partner Darrien Wright, she maintained a clean sheet of 10s on two occasions from the four-strong judging panel – gaining a maximum score of 40 in two of the eight shows and, ultimately, winning the televised competition. “I put discipline in everything I do, when I do something I do it to win it – I’m not going in for a joke,” adds Hollie. “When I won the MTV competition I thought: ‘that’s it, this is my path’ – and ever since I just find everything I need to do to be the best.” Giving her utmost to this path has led Hollie down a long and wonderfully winding road, as a backing dancer for the likes of Ashanti (for her Only U video) and the music video for Lies by McFly. Musicals also play a large part in Hollie’s career; in addition to the £50,000 prize money she gained from winning Strictly Dance Fever, she was also given a part in the West End musical Footloose. Musicals that have followed include Fame (2007) and touring Europe as Dance Captain with Thriller Live (2008-2010) and Musical Rocks (2011-ongoing). Certainly disciplined and driven (some may even say blessed) it hasn’t always been an easy course to tread. “There have been times when it’s been almost too hard: The BBC show (Strictly Dance Fever) was one of the toughest I’ve ever been through in my life, both mentally and physically. There were a couple of times when I was ready to break down and called my mother (she’d put me back together), and then what holds me together is my fight and my pride. I’ve been so drained in so many ways, but there’s something that switches in me – so when I get the next phone call I always think ‘I am going to win this’.” Hollie’s road has not always been paved with gold – but at least on occasion it’s been orange, with Ludlow’s-own being one of the four ninjas featured in Orange’s 2012 TV advert. “The choreographer’s assistant got in touch with me, asking me to send a video of me doing as many tricks as possible. I was at home at the time so the only way I could do this was in my small lounge, with my sister recording it all.” The advert was filmed in Barcelona’s train station, over the course of three days, and the resulting edit opens with Hollie back-flipping through the station, with a bored customer sitting awaiting a delayed train. Hollie is then seen popping her head up from behind the ticket office, completing a layout somersault in the music shop, as well as angling the station’s security mirror so that the advert’s customer can watch Sky Sports.

But away from the TV and theatre sets, it is back at home (here in Shropshire and amidst nature) that her inspiration truly emerges. “It gives me back my strength,” she says, with work continually taking her to and from Ludlow; past workshops have journeyed her to Belfast, Plymouth, London, Liverpool, and Nottingham. Add this to the Choreographers Showcase in San Diego, the UK premier of Will Smith’s Hancock, even a time as a model for Clarks Shoes, and you get a feeling her retreat to her roots is much cherished and often. “Ludlow has really made me who I am. I’m quieter, more considerate of others, because that’s the way people are around here. People here make an effort to speak to you – it’s not like that in London. I struggle because I feel swallowed up there. It can be a real struggle.” Also an emotional engagement is the subject of music, as Hollie (expressing herself gently and quietly) explains: “Music is the biggest part of my life (it comes before the dance) the music feeds my soul 100 percent.” Anxiously Hollie’s hands now grab at her jacket as if she’s about to explode: “I do find it hard to express myself through words, so dancing for me is an incredible release and expression. I dance from my heart.” A sensitive character, by her own definition, she has listened complicity to her heart and soul throughout her life – her sensitivity, she says, comes from her mother Jill and the out-going side of her character from Stuart, her father. So where forward from now, I wonder? “I would really like to set up my own school helping others grow one day. I also want to do more with my clothing line HV, but now it’s my time. I’m clear about what ‘Hollie’ wants to do ... the next three years I want to be intense, for me to get the best out of myself as I can as a dancer.” But this relentless drive must come at a price? ... “My back injury remains a real problem. I wake in pain everyday but I just get on with it. When you’re younger you feel you’re invincible, but training has taken its toll on my body. But the thought of stopping, not performing ... the thought of that is horrific.” At the end of the day, as Hollie puts it: “When something is your life how can you face giving it up?” -------------------------------------------------hollievictoria.com

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Industrial Unit & Yard, Weeping Cross Lane, Ludlow, SY8 1JH 01584 872398 or 07768 149639

www.wickedvanhire.co.uk Self-drive vans hire from just £45.00 per day – 1.1 ton or 1.5 ton payloads. Van hire with driver, available, from £18 per hour. Plus: courier service, house clearance and pallet services: part or full loads. ALSO AVAILABLE: ‘Wicked Storage’ for all your storage needs

Travelarts Come and see the Klover 120 smart pellet cooker and boiler – along with other stoves, boilers & biomass – working in our showroom and home

Friday 27th November

Lesley Gareth at Malvern Theatre £36 per person

Saturday 28th November

London day trip Depart Leominster bus station 8am leaving London 6pm, free time for shopping or a matinee £29 per person

Friday 11th December Anne Reid at Malvern theatre £36 per person

Thursday 10th December

Better for the environment, better for your pocket Only an MCS approved installation may qualify for government grants

Coronation Street Last chance to visit the set before it closes (walk on the famous cobbles; also chance to visit Manchester Christmas markets) £45 per person

Sunday 3rd January Peter Pan pantomime Malvern Theatre £29 per person

Saturday 9th January Cardiff Shopper £22 per person

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Thursday 17th March The last Tango at The New Theatre, Cardiff £55 per person

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Page 14 and cover text} Jon Saxon | supporting interview conducted by} Rhiannon Stanton | images} Richard Stanton

16

Women’s Centre

When Ludlow’s women took over... text} Liz Hyder | image supplied by} Polly Bolton – COMMUNITY SPACE – HIDDEN away away through a secret green door, right in the heart of Ludlow, lies a little gem of a building, the Women’s Centre. Host to country markets, tai ji classes, singing, dancing and, perhaps surprisingly, a male-voice choir, this beautiful hall has been run by and open to the community since 1939 when it was purchased by a group of Ludlow women. I met up with Polly Bolton and Jan Malcolmson, two of the trustees who also both use the hall (for the community choir group Larks and for tai ji classes respectively), over a pot of tea, to find out why the Women’s Centre is so important. The pair are great company and have been good friends for over two decades, since meeting at Larks. “From that I got involved in the committee,” says Jan. First of all though, both Jan and Polly want to put paid to a real misconception. “This isn’t a centre just for women, it’s for the whole community,” says Jan, emphasising ‘whole.’ “All sorts of people use the spaces,” adds Polly, “it’s run by women but it’s for everyone to use.” The history of the building is a bit uncertain, despite Polly having done a fair amount of sleuthing over the years. The best guess is that it was a billiard hall in the late 1800s and, certainly, the tall windows and shape of the hall would fit with that. The contrasting theory is that it was an annexe to the Cottage Hospital in College Street – personally, I find the idea of the male billiards hall being taken over by women far more entertaining so I’m going with that. The building was also used as the local Conservative Club before being sold in 1939 for the princely sum of £600 to a collective of local women; Mrs Hunter, Mrs Adney, Mrs Lacey, Mrs Jones and Mrs Handy. “Fine upright conservative women, not a bunch of lefties,” says Polly, tongue firmly in cheek before she bursts into laughter. It may seem odd to us now but women wouldn’t have been found in any of the pubs or bars in Ludlow at that time, leaving them with few options in terms of places to meet outside their homes. With their own hall, they could gather for talks, play

games, share information, learn new things and organise social events. Known then as the Women’s Club, they also had their own rules: ‘The promotion of the education and moral, social and physical advancement of its members’, according to documents from the time. They were also very strict on behaviour as Polly later tells me. Anyone who was a month in arrears with their subs was ‘disqualified from taking part in any of the activities’ and you could be expelled if one of the committee thought you were not worthy of membership. Voting was done by ballot and, worst of all, the committee ‘need not disclose the reason for such an expulsion…’. As Polly says, “if you behaved in a manner unbecoming to the club, you were out. They were quite draconian!” There’s even, hilariously, a note from the solicitor on health and safety and insurance at the club dating back to 1939: ‘The club might think it wise to consider food and drink claims in case some member or visitor was poisoned by say, some tinned food, at a social function.’ Now that really is health and safety gone mad... I hadn’t realised, until given a proper tour by Jan, that there’s a secret upstairs room at the Women’s Centre that’s also available for public hire, along with the main hall. The Mary Williams Room, named after a much loved former president of the Centre, is painted in calming lavender with a rather impressive beamed ceiling; it is much smaller than the hall but it’s a lovely space mainly used for meditation and counselling. As Jan shows me around, she points out all the work that the volunteers and trustees have achieved recently, from organising the installation of new double glazing and handrails, to purchasing new chairs. “We’ve brought it up from a shoddy state really, painted it inside and out, improved health and safety, everything. I work with visually impaired people so I tend to notice extra things that need doing too, like the handrails,” she says. “We do everything, from washing the tea towels to replacing windows... We’re the heart of the Centre really, but people do use it as their home, we all help each other.” As with any old building, there’s

a certain amount of ongoing maintenance, especially as the Centre was built against the original wall of the old Almshouse garden, and the site of an old well and spring, causing some of the Centre’s ongoing damp issues. In order to fund the remedial work, the trustees spend a lot of time and energy raising money and applying for grants. Polly tells me of the grant they received from the Ludlow Joint Committee that they easily matchfunded but adds: “there’s always more to do. The ceiling needs doing, the parquet floor needs sanding back and re-polishing…” Polly is genuinely passionate about what makes the Women’s Centre different from other venues for hire in Ludlow. It’s what drives her and the rest of the committee to keep the venue open and to keep improving it. “We’ve been run by women since 1939 and we feel it should remain an accessible and reasonably priced venue for small groups and activities. We have wheelchair access, we have various social groups here from the U3A group (see page 18 for further information) and a dancing group to Ludlow In Bloom and children’s parties. For many years, we had CURLEW – a free women’s counselling service here, although that’s all but faded out now. We always maintain the right sort of activities for our ethos though, especially within the group.” She suddenly bursts into laughter. “Many years ago, before

your time Jan, we kicked the Bishop of Ludlow out as they didn’t allow women priests at that time,” she says between guffaws. Which brings me on to the Ludlow Male Voice Choir... “We are inclusive,” says Jan, “and that’s demonstrated in the wide range of regular and one-off bookings we have here. We are run by the local community for the community.” Polly in particular has a long association with the Centre having worked here first as a youth worker and, later, with Larks. She’s even held “many birthday parties here” for her daughter over the years. She is also openly protective of the hall as a community asset. “We’re here to protect the building and the reputation and goodwill of the Centre. We’re a small group who run it, but over our dead bodies would it be sold into corporate hands. Small is beautiful. We have lovely neighbours here, we’re in the heart of town, we’re all fond of the old place, but we absolutely want it to be run by and for the community, that’s what’s important.” Today, the Centre is busier than ever. “It’s more occupied now than ever before and with a greater variety of users,” says Jan, pointing to a long list of regular bookings on the wall. Jan and Polly believe it’s a better space now too, thanks to all the improvements that have been made to it over the years. “We’ve tidied up a lot,” says Jan, looking around the hall. “We’ve

rationalised the storage, regular users now all have some storage space. It’s better now than ever before but we all have to do a bit of everything to make it work. Life changes. We’re all getting older. We could do with some fresh blood.” Polly nods in agreement. “If we could just be trustees instead of management, cleaners and everything else…” she sighs. Despite being busier than ever, the Centre’s team never even advertise, it’s all done through old-fashioned word of mouth. “Although I believe we do have a Facebook page,” says Polly. The team have also, recently, started using an online calendar for bookings to make them easier to co-ordinate. As Jan says, “this whole place has always been run by volunteers and we could always do with more. There are always things to do.” The Centre is open seven days a week to hire and keep costs extremely low – £10 an hour for the hall; even less for regular bookings. “We hope this little building tucked in the heart of Ludlow will go on providing a meeting place for many years to come, a unique place run by women for the whole community. We won’t rent out to commercial enterprises though,” says Polly. “It has to have a community value, we wouldn’t want someone in here just selling rugs or something. But otherwise we’re absolutely open to the community.”

ISSUE #9 Mackenzie & Smith Sculpting legend: Adrian Jones Ashford Carbonell’s fishing syndicate Castle Gardens’ 2-ton Russian gun Lower Linney croquet Bentley’s wine merchants Travels with Aubrey Ann and Alf’s Dhustone story Croquet club of the Linney ludlowledger.com/archive

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17

Cannstatter Volksfest 2015

Our greatest escape from Ludlow text and group image} Gary Seymour – TRAVEL – OUR Great Escape had nothing to do with the heroics allied POWs, as depicted in the 1963 film of the same name, but a lads’ weekend escape. Rather than fleeing Germany (occupied Poland to be correct) four friends and I decided on a trip to Germany and, in particular Stuttgart and its beer festival. The Cannstatter Volksfest is an event that was started almost 200 years ago by King Wilhelm when he sponsored a harvest festival after two years of famine; it is now the second largest beer festival in Germany, after Munich. Regulars of Ludlow’s Church Inn, will know Karl, Matt, Elliot, Hayden and myself as this establishment’s barmen. Admittedly, our escape didn’t need the extensive planning and digging of three escape tunnels but it did need the approval of landlord Floyd to allow such a large number of barmen to go AWOL. (My assurances that it was work related and we were doing market research fooled nobody). With our shifts covered by Big Dave, Tim, Lizzy and the girls we made good our escape early on Saturday morning, the 10th October. ------------------------------------------------SATURDAY. We met in the early morning at Ludlow train station to catch the train to Manchester. Deja-vu here, must be the fact I’ve watched The Great Escape film more times than I care to remember, but I couldn’t help thinking of the escaped POWs anxiously waiting at the train station before being rumbled by the German officer. Once on board the train our nerves were settled and we tucked into our bacon butties washed down with a couple of glasses of prosecco. At Manchester airport we made our way to the bar – I was pleased that they served real ale as I was destined for a few days of lager. If we felt out of place in our silly feathered trilby hats, we were soon put at ease by the sight of a group of Scousers decked out in lederhosen, obviously also on our flight. Several beers and gin and tonics later we touched down in Stuttgart, and a short taxi drive took us to our hotel – on the outskirts of the city but within striking distance of the beerfestival site. Saturday night was difficult – last year over 4 million people visited the festival and it seemed that most of them were there again that night. Despite seven beer tents, the wine tent and the alpine village, we found the queues too much hassle. Karl had had enough and headed back to the ranch, the rest of us had a few beers and a couple of bratwurst at an outside stall then, one man down, we decided to quit and head to the old town of

Stuttgart. The old town was buzzing and the numerous bars we sampled were packed. I even managed to find a dark ale that Matt and I enjoyed before the evening descended into a typical lads’ night out with us ending up in a strip club. ------------------------------------------------SUNDAY. The previous evening’s escapades had proved too much for Elliot who couldn’t be tempted by a beer at our HQ (a small bar close to the hotel) but returned to the sanctuary of our hotel and missed the day’s proceedings. The rest of us once more headed across the River Neckar to the Festival. The organization and atmosphere was excellent and ran with typical German efficiency. Having prebooked, we had our own bench table and were able to gain entry into one of the huge beer tents, which was the size of a football pitch. The entertainment (aside from the four of us dancing on the table after several litre steins of beer) was provided by a traditional Oompah band. The band kept playing and the beer kept flowing throughout the day and into the evening. Karl drifted off once again not to return to base this time but to sample the fairground rides. The walk over the Neckar proved to be a bridge to far for me – on the last leg of our journey my legs betrayed my age and turned to jelly. Fortunately Hayden and Matt were up to the task and helped me back to our hotel. ------------------------------------------------MONDAY. All together we all set off together to see and sample the old town of Stuttgart in daylight. Once again we were surprised at the size of the city but, I must confess, a little disappointed at what little remained of the old town; severely bombed during the War, a vast modern city has been built up around the remaining buildings. Bizarrely our first port of call was a quirky bar which had originally been a public convenience alongside one of the city’s former train stations. Deciding we needed some substance besides takeaways, we sampled some excellent German cuisine, although I’m unsure that Karl’s choice of bread and pork dripping would count. Day drifted into night with a familiar theme and we revisited several of the bars we had attempted to quaff dry on Saturday night. Taking a bus out of the city and wanting a final night cap, Matt, Hayden and I headed for our HQ bar – then on to an equally dingy bar where Hayden fell asleep, so we thought it a good idea to order takeaway bratwurst and chips and retreat for the night. I was able to repay Hayden for the previous night and help carry him back to base – he now had legs like jelly.

TUESDAY. It was time to return to Old Blighty, we wanted to visit the Porsche museum but decided that, instead, we should make one last visit to HQ, now known by us as the Dinkelacker bar after the beer it served. Dinkelacker is the largest brewery in Stuttgart and the name is German for a ‘field of spelt’ – spelt is a type of wheat cultivated since 5000 BC and is used in the brewing process of this brewery’s beer. The Dinkelacker brewery was founded in 1888 and we must have consumed, at our HQ, a bottle of beer for every year it has been in existence. We left Germany mid afternoon and, despite a tedious train journey in England, we were able to make it to the Church Inn for early evening and a pint. It had been great fun and an enjoyable trip away, but, after all that lager, the pint of Ludlow Brewing Company’s Boiling Well had never tasted so good.

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Main Cannstatter Volksfest image on p17} courtesy of cntraveler.com

18

U3A

Not a university as I remember it text} Peter Bull – MY STORY – BACK in the early 1970s, I spent three years at university in Manchester. I enjoyed my time there and got my degree, but once I had graduated, it wasn’t further academia that beckoned for me, it was the world of work. Fast forward 40 years and I had enjoyed a moderately successful career; the first 30 of those were spent, mainly, in sales or marketing management with three different car and commercial vehicle manufacturers. Then, in 2002, I stepped away from the world of the major corporates and joined a very small Worcestershirebased, privately-owned automotive consultancy; I worked with clients and prospects throughout the UK and in Europe. The company prospered and grew, relocating to smart new offices in Ludlow in 2011. I enjoyed my job. But all this, for me at least, came to a sudden end in mid-2014. The biggest automotive data and services company in the UK made our consultancy’s owner an offer he couldn’t refuse. The local office was kept on, but I wasn’t. The corporate world had suddenly returned with a sting in the tail and, at the age of 61, I was out on my ear. After the initial shock, I realised that I needed to come to terms with my earlier than planned/enforced retirement. Although my wife Becky and I had relocated to South Shropshire from Oxfordshire in 2006, and had quickly come to feel at home in the area, I had been too busy working and my social life locally was limited. I have a good number of friends but they were invariably scattered around the UK or abroad; with a very few exceptions, they didn’t live in the Marches. So how to overcome the problem? The answer was supplied by my wife’s cousin and his wife. They are stalwarts of U3A in Stafford and encouraged us to check out U3A locally. What was U3A? I had vaguely heard of it. Did you have to study for exams or was it just some sort of club for retired academics? I knew that neither would suit me, but I investigated it anyway and soon realised that I couldn’t have been more wrong. The U3A in Ludlow website informed me that the University of the Third Age, to give it its full title, is a self-help group of older people, enabling its members to share many educational, creative and leisure activities. There is no lower age limit for membership – any person who has passed the first age of childhood and the second age of full time employment and parental responsibility is welcome, even if still working part time. No qualifications are needed to join and none are given. It was brought to the UK in 1982 and now there are nearly 1,000 autonomous groups, supported by a national body, The Third Age Trust. There are 13 U3A groups in Shropshire alone, including Church Stretton, Much Wenlock, Bridgnorth and Shrewsbury, as well as Ludlow. Herefordshire has another seven such groups, including Leominster, Kington and Hereford. U3A first came to Ludlow in 1997, the inaugural meeting drew in around 50 people and, with good press coverage, it grew quickly. Ludlow attracted people who were looking for more than a ‘pipe and slippers’ retirement and U3A filled the gap – recruitment was likened locally to ‘picking low-hanging fruit’. U3A in Ludlow now has a network of over 500 members, with access to 60 different study groups, all of which are led by a co-ordinator who shares their knowledge, experience and skills with the other group members. Most meet during the day at a variety of venues, usually in Ludlow but on occasions in surrounding villages, sometimes even in members’ homes. There is no limit to

the number of groups members can join and new groups are regularly created. There are also monthly meetings at the Assembly Rooms, open for all members – these feature visiting guest speakers and cover a wide range of topics. So how much does all this cost? Annual fees are £12 per person. For this members are entitled to participate in as many of U3A in Ludlow’s activities as they wish; some are free while others charge a small fee to cover expenses and/or refreshments. Members also receive five copies per year of the national Third Age Matters magazine. And, perhaps best of all, members gain access to lots of potential new friends. I decided to give it a go. Two study groups in particular sounded like ‘my kind of thing’, Café Society and French Discussion, and, from the start, I loved participating in both. Café Society 2 was formed quite recently when Café Society 1 became too big to accommodate any more new members – a perfect example of how new U3A groups can be created if the demand is there. Our group is co-ordinated by Stuart McLaren, a dynamic Scotsman who learnt about the ways of the world in a career that started as a merchant seaman and concluded as the chargé d’affaires at the British Embassy in Tbilisi, Georgia. Stuart has also, recently, taken up a key role on the U3A in Ludlow Committee. The very varied life experiences of the group members contributes greatly to the quality of the debate. A couple have memories going back to childhood during World War 2; National Service was experienced by a couple more. Rather younger group members also have fascinating tales to tell. The subjects we discuss are chosen by members and are topical and far reaching. For me at least, not too much beats meeting in a pub twice a month with like-minded people for a stimulating debate on current affairs,

even if we only drink tea or coffee together. My other group, French Discussion, is one of four different U3A in Ludlow study groups orientated towards the French language. Between them, they cater for differing proficiency levels. Having been born in France and loving that country throughout my life, plus having used my French on occasions during my career, I was keen to meet up with people on the same wavelength as me to ensure I maintained that facility – and I haven’t been disappointed. Our group co-ordinator is Guy Whitmarsh, a charming and super fit veteran (or is it vintage?) cross-country and fell runner who was Head of Modern Languages at Ludlow College prior to retirement. Guy also speaks better French than any other Brit I have ever met. Unlike my recently formed band of brothers and sisters in Café Society 2, the U3A French Discussion Group has evolved rather more gradually. Several have been meeting together for years and have built comfortable friendships with each other along the way. But usually one or two new members join each year as others move on, so the group is never devoid of fresh ideas. Becoming the newest member of a wellestablished group was not a problem for me or my new chums. They are delightful company and I was warmly welcomed into their midst. So what sort of subject might interest potential new U3A in Ludlow members? Could it be cerebral, such as Science Discussion or Bridge? Or perhaps rather more practical, such as iPad Learners or Photo Editing? Or even something a little more energetic, such as Walking with a Purpose or Scottish Dancing? All in all, there are 60 different subjects from which to choose, so it’s likely there will be something that catches your fancy. And even if that were not the case, you could always consider setting up a new group. I am so delighted I checked out the U3A in Ludlow website: u3aludlow. org.uk when I did. I already enjoyed living in South Shropshire, but with U3A now in my life I can see myself appreciating it even more in the years ahead. If you are self-motivated, local to Ludlow and are currently or soon to become retired, you may wish to give U3A in Ludlow a try. You will be made very welcome if you do.

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19

Twelfth Night

Changing characters, costumes and gender text} Prue Britten | image} Mark Puddle – REVIEW –

in Marshbrook with two of the war veterans taking part in Walk of Britain, ahead of their arrival in Ludlow

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THE summer weather was, as you’ll remember, rather unreliable. Heavy rain and possible thunder were forecast for Ludlow on the evening The Lord Chamberlain’s Men brought their production of Twelfth Night to the Millennium Green. Of course Ludlow people are used to inclement weather and all of the sizeable audience were well waterproofed. We were rewarded with a wonderful production and the threatened weather held off. The Lord Chamberlain’s Men have been touring with all male, openair productions for about ten years. This cast are not only fine actors but van drivers, programme sellers and technicians. However, their skills may not run to armoury. The parting of hilt from blade of Antonio’s (Todd James) sword was one of many laughter-inducing moments of the evening – and not only amongst the audience. It seems unlikely that this was a deliberate ‘corpse’ but the audience thoroughly enjoyed it and James recovered admirably and professionally, to deliver his passionate speech on the apparent ill done to him by Sebastian (Andrew Keay). There are fourteen main characters in the cast of Twelfth Night and here they were played by seven men – something of a tour de force with several character, sex and costume changes for five cast members. The excellent Ollo Clark as Viola (latterly Cesario) and Tom Lincoln as a most convincing and womanly Olivia, had single roles. The logistics of needing five men to play twelve roles must be every director’s nightmare but, happily, in this production there were no elements of Whitehall farce – it was effortlessly smooth and totally engaging. It would be invidious to single out any individual member of this very

strong company; all the actors had total command of every aspect of their various characters. These talents, combined with fine singing voices and the added impetus of the crossdressing aspect, gave the audience an ‘in’ joke from the outset. A peep into the complexities of mistaken identity, and the pain of love and loss, gave this offering a balance not always evident in other productions of Twelfth Night. With ‘clarity and entertainment’ being the watchwords of the Company, they succeeded on both counts, giving us a most enjoyable evening. Ludlow looks forward to welcoming them again next summer.

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Walking With The Wounded image over p18 and p19} Richard Stanton

20

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Town Centre to Titterstone Clee

The land that time forgot text} Mark Lawley | image} Bob Kemp

– NATURAL HISTORY – TUESDAY, 28th July was warm and dry in 1868, as the Woolhope Naturalists’ and Caradoc Field Clubs met at Ludlow to “visit Titterstone Clee Hill and hear the Reverend J D La Touche discourse on the geology of the surrounding country, and to read several papers at the evening meeting.” The meeting, which was “very numerously attended” had a predominantly geological flavour and, before leaving Ludlow for Titterstone Clee, the naturalists inspected “the best collection in England of the Lower Ludlow star-fishes” at Ludlow Museum. Robert Lightbody, a local geologist of repute, who had gathered many of the specimens himself, was in attendance, “and gave every explanation that might be required.” As half-past eleven approached, the party assembled outside the Feathers Hotel at the top of Corve Street. “Never, perhaps, did the ancient figures which garnish the front of the (hotel) look down on a more picturesque group. The very gables seemed to bend out of the perpendicular in admiration.” Among those commanding this admiration were George Bentham Esq, President of the Linnaean Society; Dr Henry Graves Bull of the Woolhope Club, and instigator of the club’s famous ‘forays among the funguses’; Robert Lightbody, a past President of the Woolhope Club, with others of his family; Reverend James Frederick Crouch, a botanist from Pembridge; various of the Salwey family of Ludlow; Dr John Henry Wood, an entomologist from Tarrington; Burton Mounsher Watkins, a botanist from Ross-on-Wye; Reverend James Digues La Touche, geologist and rector of Stokesay, and three sons; Reverend William Houghton, a polymathic priest from Preston-on-the-Weald Moors, near Wellington in Shropshire; Reverend William Allport Leighton, author of

A Flora of Shropshire and subsequently of The Lichen Flora of Great Britain; and Miss Lewis of Ludlow, probably Mary Frances Lewis (1821-1903, daughter of a physician in the town), who discovered the rare Narrow-leaved Helleborine (Cephalanthera longifolia) on Bringewood Chase near Ludlow, in the 1880s. The rules of neither club permitted the attendance of ladies at the clubs’ ordinary meetings but, on this occasion, were “more honoured in the breach than the observance.” Moreover, the clubs had arranged to meet on a weekday, for they “did not cater for the working class”. There was some delay “as carriage tickets were distributed, and break, omnibus, dog-cart and carriage were loaded”, but eventually the naturalists set off for Titterstone Clee, “from the sandpits through the purlieus of Rock Green; then by the more dangerous ascent of Mount Flirt .... and .... dived into the cool shades of Henley Hall. Then began a steady and steep ascent towards the Long House through Stoney Lane .... The ride of five miles, with beautiful views, ever changing in character, and varied delightfully by cloud shadows, was very enjoyable.” The naturalists left their carriages at the miners’ village, continuing on foot over a mile and a half of slippery, dry turf on common land, eventually reaching the summit for the promised lecture. “The wind by this time had freshened to a point that rendered elastic fastenings for hats highly valuable ... Taking the sheltered side of the summit ... a knoll, not far from the Giant’s Chair, gave the required convenience .... In a picturesque group, all reclining, in easy attitudes, on the rush-grown turf, the umbrella and the parasol shading from the sun alike the antiquary, the botanist and geologist, and their fair fellow-students (ladies) .... (assembled) to do homage to the natural beauty of the prospect spread out before them, and listen to the discourse (by the Reverend J D

La Touche) which was to explain its component parts.” Nearby, a young lady on a white pony heightened the picturesque effect of the assembly, while a chestnut horse “stood amongst the rocks on the steep hillside as if he too were deeply interested in the Reverend gentleman’s ‘Address on the geology of the district.’ The naturalists who ascended Titterstone Clee Hill in 1868 to admire the loveliest scenery in the West Midlands and to hear the Reverend La Touche discourse on the geology of the surrounding district, returned to Ludlow and an evening meal, for which 80 or 90 people sat at three long tables in the large room at the Angel Hotel. Afterwards the Reverend William Houghton read an important paper on the ‘Earlier stages of the development of animals’, Mr Lloyd discoursed on the ‘Swimming bladder of fishes’, and Dr Bull read a most lively and interesting communication by Mr Blashill on the plants used or useable for food. After this, in the absence of the Rev W Brodie, Mr J W Salter read his short paper in abstract on the ‘Fossils of the Woolhope Valley’, and a short paper of his own on the ‘Onny Section’, in which the importance of observing the jointed structure of rocks was noted, and the unconformity of the newer beds explained. A few moments remained for the naturalists to supplement the geological instruction they had received earlier in the day by inspecting “an admirable model in relief of the country near Stokesay, which Mr La Touche has constructed with great labour and care .... “The company did not wholly separate till about 9pm, a prolonged session at the Angel being devoted by a few earnest members to a discussion of the duties and prospects of Field Clubs in their esoteric aspect. While the delightful excursions give body to the association, the soul must be supplied by the real work of the more industrious members, and the free discussion of their mutual knowledge.” Indeed, it was entirely in the character of such meetings that little investigation and fresh discovery occurred during that day long ago in 1868. The mark that its record left for posterity is more interesting for its social than natural history, having been organised in order to admire and discuss what was already known, and to enjoy a day out in pleasant company. The solo sorties of these bygone naturalists are shrouded in the mists of time, but while their bones lie still in mouldering graves, some of their discoveries loom into view from diaries and notebooks, and the yellowing, rarely read annals of natural history. ------------------------------------------------The above text is taken from Wildlife In The Marches by Ludlow’s Mark Lawley. Available from Castle Bookshop, £35

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Indulge in the taste of our majestic restaurant. Reservations essential. Serving dinner Tuesday to Saturday from 6pm till 9pm

5 course tasting menu from £40 7 course tasting menu from £50

Found just six miles out of Ludlow: Old Downton Lodge, Downton on the Rock, Ludlow, SY8 2HU – The perfect venue for that special occassion – 01568 771 826 – bookings@olddowntonlodge.com Three AA rosettes Award for Cullinary Excellence New Listing in Michelin Guide for 2016 Editors Choice The Good Hotel Guide 2016

If you’re still making your way through the last issue’s crossword then you had better look away now

CROSSWORD CLUES #09

See page 8 for this issue’s crossword

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