South Shropshire

Stanton Lacy is a parish and village just to the north of Ludlow. The village lies just off the B4365 Ludlow to Culmington road beside the river Corve. Legend has it that Milburgha, a daughter of Penda, King of Mercia, founded the first church here. Whilst travelling in this area Milburgha found herself pursued by a Welsh Prince. Having crossed the river she prayed that it would become an impassible torrent to foil her pursuer. Her prayer was answered and the founding of the church was in gratitude.
The present church is dedicated to St. Peter, and stands close to the river. It is very much a dignified church, and stands in a large churchyard which presents itself as a sort of foundation to the village. Elsewhere in the village are houses which add to the impression the casual visitor first gains at the church. Here is a village which is truly English. Of course, being truly English it has its spice, like the story of Robert Foulkes, one-time vicar of the parish, and the unmarried mother, but that was a long, long time ago.

Stoke St. Milborough is a delightful parish lying between Brown Clee and Titterstone Clee hills. The connections with the Church, and in particular Wenlock Abbey, go back some 1,200 years to St. Milburgha who founded a small convent at Much Wenlock. Although this had long disappeared by the time of the Norman Conquest, her importance must have been great, as Roger de Montgomery built a priory in her memory. (see Much Wenlock) St. Milburgha's connections with Stoke St. Milborough are well documented in many books on Shropshire, and invariably tell the tale of how she fell from her horse, sometimes described as a milk-white ass, and bloodied her nose. A spring was revealed by a blow from the horse's hoof, providing water to wash away the blood. It is a lovely story, but differs from some accounts. (see Legends & People) The church which, naturally, is dedicated to St. Milburgha stands close to the site of the well and has 12th-century traces.

Stokesay is an interesting parish containing the town of Craven Arms, six miles north-west of Ludlow on the A49. The much visited castle is a fortified manor house dating from the 13th century and is believed to stand on the site of an earlier one built in the 12th century by the de Saye family. The present castle was begun around 1240 and later became the property of a wealthy Ludlow merchant, and it was he who created a fortified manor house.
Craven Arms stands on a crossroads. This crossroads of trade routes between north and south, east and west became the venue for an annual event which was of some importance to the town. It was the annual sheep sales which were first held in 1874 where up to 20,000 sheep could be sold each day of the sales. A little way to the west is a country road crossing the B4368, Craven Arms to Aston on Clun road. This is known locally as Park Lane and is the old Roman Watling Street which went from Viriconium on the banks of the Severn to Kinchester in Herefordshire.

The parish of Tugford lies in the heart of Corve Dale. On the southern parish border stands the 14th century Broncroft Castle. The village of Tugford lies in the south of the parish and is a tiny, tranquil place. The church there is one of those with leaning walls and character. Its most unusual features are two sheela-na-gigs. (See Legends & People) This is a rather primitive pagan stone carving caricature, usually of a woman. There are only eighteen in the whole of England, four of which are in Shropshire. Three of those four are in the parish of Tugford.
To the north of Tugford lies Holdgate with its 12th century church where there is another Sheila-na-gig. Beside the church stands the remans of Holdgate castle, and in the fields across the road are the grassy shapes which mark the site of a mediaeval village