On the return journey from Presteigne, we stopped in Ludlow, Shropshire. We had not been to Ludlow, despite it being close to Birmingham.
The first thing you notice is the large church, St Laurance’s, which I initially thought was a cathedral. Only cities have cathedrals and Ludlow, it turned out, was not a city.
Upon entering the church, I was met by a volunteer and he started telling me about the church’s history. Locals, he said, call it the “Cathedral of the Marches”. “The Marches” refers to the border region between England and Wales. The Gothic church was founded in the 12th century and underwent major renovation in the 15th century.
Before stopping for lunch/coffee/cakes, we walked around the market town, which itself was founded in the 11th century. One of the locals I spoke to said that Alistair McGowan, the comedian/impersonator/actor, moved to Ludlow and started learning to play the piano. He apparently now performs concerts regularly in the town!