The Idyllic Market Town of Ludlow

Ludlow has been described as the "prettiest town in England," and this is not a judgment from which I feel any pressing need to dissent. Certainly, it is one of the most unspoiled, thanks to a local administration that has refused to allow inappropriate construction, garish storefronts or superfluous advertising. Located in the so-called “Welsh Marches” — the lands on either side of the border between England and Wales — Ludlow is situated on a hilltop in a bend of the pretty River Teme. With a population of around 10,000, it is the most important market town in south Shropshire and has been a place of consequence for nearly 1,000 years. As a result, it contains nearly 500 listed historic buildings, the most conspicuous of which is Ludlow Castle, founded in the 11th century but greatly expanded in the 14th by Roger Mortimer, 1st Earl of March, a man powerful enough to depose King Edward II in 1327. A second architectural highlight is provided by the magnificent 12th-century Parish Church of St. Laurence, which is the resting place of A.E. Housman, whose cycle of 63 poems, “A Shropshire Lad,” was set to music by Ralph Vaughan Williams. For the most part, though, Ludlow is an exceptionally attractive mix of Jacobean half-timbered buildings and elegant Georgian townhouses, through which it is a consistent delight to stroll.

Surrounded by rich farmland, Ludlow is a gastronomic center, with a colorful open-air farmers’ market four days a week, plus numerous traditional butchers, bakers and fish-mongers, and a celebrated Food Festival in September each year. For a time, the town could boast three restaurants with Michelin stars, but Shaun Hill sold The Merchant House in 2008, and when Claude Bosi moved his two-star establishment Hibiscus to Maddox Street in London’s Mayfair, this was reduced to only one. Chef Chris Bradley has been cooking for no fewer than 29 years at Mr Underhill’s, situated beside Dinham Weir directly below the ramparts of Ludlow Castle. He styles his establishment “A restaurant with rooms,” and on our recent trip, we stayed for a night in one of the four comfortable suites that overlook the rushing waters of the Teme. Although not notably luxurious, these accommodations are more than adequate, and come with well-appointed modern baths.

Each evening, Bradley serves a nine-course tasting menu in a pretty dining room that opens onto a garden courtyard. His charming wife, Judy, orchestrates the service and is on hand to explain the subtleties of each dish, as well as the accompanying wines (which are chosen from an unusually eclectic and international list). Our memorable dinner included triumphs such as smoked haddock velouté with horseradish ice cream; duck liver custard and sweet corn cream with lemongrass and ginger glaze; crispy day boat brill with pickled vegetables, vanilla and lime; and slow-roasted fillet of venison with caper and raisin jus and beetroot risotto. On a calm summer evening, Mr Underhill’s provides a small patch of rural English heaven.