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Over the next hundred years Ludlow was the centre of rivalry
between the Dynans and the de Lacys (mentioned earlier in this
publication), and we pick up the story during the reign of Richard
I who, in 1198, gave Hubert, Archbishop of Canterbury, the responsibility
of governing Ludlow Castle and its lands. But in the reign of
John, Ludlow passed back to the de Lacy family, and in 1241 Walter
de Lacy left his estates to his granddaughters, Margery and Maud.
On Maud's death Ludlow passed to her son, Peter de Genevill.
In 1303, during the reign of Edward I, Roger de Mortimer (a very
famous Shropshire name) married Joane, the widow of Peter de
Genevill and became Lord of Ludlow Castle. Edward I was succeeded
by Edward II who was a bit of a bad egg, and Roger de Mortimer
sided with other discontented barons of the realm and was imprisoned
in the Tower of London. But he managed to escape, and, in memory
of his escape, built the chapel which still stands in Ludlow
Castle.
In the reign of Edward III Roger de Mortimer was created Earl
of March and Justice of Wales, but he was destined for a sticky
end, and was executed when he was found in bed with the King's
mother, and, as if that wasn't enough, he was also accused of
the murder of Edward II. His crimes were listed in the celebrated
poem "Mirrour of Magistrates".
"Five
hainous crimes against him soon were had.
1. First that he causde the King to yeeld the Scott.
(To make a peace) townes that were from him got.
And therewithall the Charter called Ragmau.
2. That of the Scots he had privy gaine,
3. That through his meanes Sir Edward Carnarvon
In Barkley Castle most traiterously was slain.
4. That with his Prince's mother he had laine,
5. And finally with polling at his pleasure
Had rob'd the King and Commons of their treasure."
For his crimes he was
executed at Tyburn, hanging (by the King's commandment) "two
days and two nights, a public and gladsome spectacle."
Ludlow passed to a grandson of Roger Mortimer and continued in
the possession of the Mortimers for some considerable time. "How
great, how pious, how numerous these Mortimers were, and lastly
how honourable the name went out, being wrapt up in the crown
by an heir general," for the Mortimers were involved
in the Wars of the Roses, as Edmund Mortimer was related to Richard
Plantagenet, Earl of Cambridge, who was beheaded by Henry V.
But before we get to the Wars of the Roses, we have to deal with
another Welshman in the shape of Owen Glendower, during the reign
of Henry IV. Owen Glendower objected to English landlords in
Wales, in particular the Mortimers, and attacked Radnor Castle
which belonged to Roger Mortimer, as well as many other 'English'
strongholds. At Knighton, on the Shropshire- Welsh border, Glendower
and his men fought an army commanded by Sir Edmund Mortimer.
Mortimer lost eleven-hundred men and was himself taken prisoner.
 During the Wars of the Roses,
Ludlow was a stronghold for the House of York and was the place
of rendezvous for supporters of the Duke of York. When Henry's
army marched on Ludlow they demanded the surrender of the town.
The civilians said yes, but the garrison said no, and fighting
between the two broke out within the besieged town. Later, the
Yorkists fled and the town and castle were sacked by the King's
army. After the Duke of York was slain at the Battle of Wakefield,
his son and heir, Edward (a descendant of the Mortimer family),
took up the cause and visited Shrewsbury and Ludlow to quickly
raise an army which defeated the King's army at Mortimer's Cross,
to the south of Ludlow.
Ludlow became a favourite town of Edward after he was crowned,
and in the first year of his reign he granted the first Charter
of Incorporation.-, "In consideration of the praiseworthy
and gratuitous services, which our well beloved and faithful
subjects, the Burgesses of the town of Ludlow, have done in aid
of recovering the right of the crown of England, withheld from
us and our ancestors, and being therefore desirous for the bettering
and relief of the town."
With Edward's help, Ludlow was rebuilt. It became a favourite
Royal Residence and home to Edward IV's oldest son, Edward, and
his younger son, Richard, Duke of York. It was from here, after
the death of Edward IV, that the two young princes were taken
to London.
After the Battle of Bosworth, Henry VII came to the throne, and
by marrying the eldest daughter of Edward IV he united the houses
of York and Lancaster. Henry VII, because of his Welsh connections,
did much to progressively strip the Marcher Lords of their powers
over the Welsh, and what he started was completed by Henry VIII.
In 1501, Prince Arthur, Henry VII's eldest son, married Catherine
of Aragon and took up residence in Ludlow Castle with his bride.
(He was fifteen, she was eighteen). With reference to that marriage,
the writings of Hall give us a curious specimen of the manners
and language of those times.
....."Because I will not be tedious I passe over wyse devises,
the prudent speches, the costly woorkes, the conninge portratures
practised and set foorth in VII goodly beutiful pageauntes erected
and set up in diverse places of the citie. I leave also the goodly
ballades, the swete armony, the musicall instrumentes, which
sounded with heavenly noyes on every side of the strete. I omit
farther, the costly apparel both of gold-smythes woorke and embraudery,
the ryche jewelles, the massy cheynes, the sturynge horses, the
beutiful barbes and the glitterynge trappers, bothe with belles
and spangles of golde. I pretermit also the ryche apparelle of
the pryncesse, the straunge fashion of the Spanyshe nacion, the
beautie of the English ladyes, the goodly demeanure of the young
damosels, the amorous countenance of the lusty bachelors, I passe
over also the fyne engrayned clothes, the costly furres of the
citezens, standynge on skaffoldes, rayled from Gracechurche to
Paules. What should I speke of the oderiferous skarlettes, the
fyne velvet, the pleasaunt furres, the massye chaynes, which
the Mayre of London with the senate, sitting on horsebacke at
the little conduyte in Chepe, ware on their bodyes, and about
their neckes. I will not molest you with rehersyng the riche
arras, the costly tapestry, the fyne clothes bothe of golde and
silver, the curious velvettes, the beautiful sattens nor the
pleasaunte sylkes, which did hang in every street where she passed,
the wyne that ranne continually out of the conduytes, the graveling
and rayling of the stretes nedeth not be remembered."
- Having spent so long listing the things he wasn't going to
mention, what was left to mention?
But Arthur died the following year and lay in state in Ludlow
Castle for three weeks before being buried at Worcester. (continued
on next page)
  
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