Ludlow with kids – a family day out in Shropshire

On a quiet Sunday in January, it can be hard to believe Ludlow’s importance through centuries of English history. There’s no doubt its peaceful streets, lined with medieval and Georgian buildings, still have one foot in the past: the black and white frontages include Grade I listed The Feathers, built in 1619, and elegant 18th century Buttercross in the centre of town.

But the country is not short of pretty towns with plenty of history. Admittedly few get the seal of approval from a poet laureate as Ludlow does, with Sir John Betjeman calling it ‘probably the loveliest town in England’ – temptation enough to plan a day out in Shropshire, wandering the twisting streets and discovering just how it earned it modern-day foodie reputation.

Look beneath the attractive surface though, and Ludlow’s location on the border of Wales meant it played a role in practically every major event in English history, from the Wars of the Roses to the Civil War, bolstering the power of the Marcher lords who ruled the area as they helped crown, manipulate and depose medieval monarchs, not to mention fighting off Welsh rebellion and housing royalty.

Almost 940 years after the Normans laid the first stones of Ludlow Castle, the fortress is now in ruins, but in its heyday was home to Edward V, one of the ‘Princes in the Tower’, before Tudor Prince Arthur and his wife Catherine of Aragon.

Admittedly, it’s harder to conjure up ghosts and dramatic deeds when you have an excited four-year-old tearing around the grassy court, pretending to be a heroic knight, a princess and a dragon, in no particular order.

Our visit to Ludlow (where I was hoping our stay at Fishmore Hall nearby, with its spa and award-winning restaurant, would help fight off my latest cold) might have been short but there was no way I was missing the chance to see the castle.

Our last trip years ago on another day out in Shropshire had seen us sliding around the exterior in snow, with the ruins themselves were closed. Back again with Minnie, I wondered what Ludlow Castle with kids might be like.

This time, there were enough walls to shelter from the drizzle and a few information boards to help explain just what you’re looking at. Both they and the details on the map are limited, although there is an audio guide – I’ve found this and a four-year-old don’t mix, so we didn’t pick one up.

Even without knowing all the details, you can still make out where the huge fireplaces would have been and see around the chapel, where some of the decorative stonework still remains.

While wooden floors have long since rotted away, some of the stout iron-studded doors may even be originals too.

Best of all, you can still climb the narrow spiral stairs in a couple of the towers – even on a grey misty day, it’s worth looking out as we did. In summer, the views must be beautiful, gazing across to the Shropshire countryside and river as guards and soliders must have done in case of advancing hordes streaming over the border.

As we conceded defeat to the weather and headed back into the town, I couldn’t help but be amused to note the current owners are the Earls of Powys – a Welsh title.

For more ideas of things to do in Shropshire with kids, check out this post

Need to know: Ludlow Castle with kids

Tickets to Ludlow Castle cost £9 for adults and £4.50 for children, with family tickets for £18. Kids aged five and under are free.

Guided tours are available on the first three Saturdays of the month, as well as for groups if pre-booked. There seems to be a mini treasure hunt for kids around the grounds too (we spotted a couple of the knights, although we weren’t offered the activity).

The castle opens from 10am for most of the year, closing between 3pm and 5pm, with more limited hours during part of November and December. Check the full opening hours here.

The site is pushchair friendly (and several families were visiting with babies and toddlers) although some areas aren’t accessible and apart from some paths, most is over grass. There are babychanging facilities in the tea rooms.

For more ideas for days out in Shropshire with kids, check out my review of Blists Hill – Ironbridge’s Victorian town

PIN FOR LATER: LUDLOW CASTLE WITH KIDS

Images copyright MummyTravels

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