Friday, May 11, 2012

Anglophile Friday - Favorite Photos of England

Monkeying around with effects in my ancient PaintShopPro image program
LUDLOW, SHROPSHIRE

From The Feathers Hotel website:


"The Feathers Hotel is internationally recognised for its beautiful Jacobean architecture and medieval heritage. The world famous frontage of the building is the gateway to a warm and inviting welcome to be experienced within this celebrated and charming hotel, restaurant and café bar.

Situated at the heart of the ancient market town of Ludlow in South Shropshire, there are excellent craft and antique shops and a wealth of historic buildings all within easy walking distance. Being so central in the town, The Feathers Hotel has, for centuries, been an important meeting point for the local community, and visitors enjoy its lively atmosphere all year round. During the busy summer months the quiet café terrace is a peaceful haven away from the bustle of the town, yet in the dark cold winter months an equal attraction is the atmospheric public lounge where many visitors can be found enjoying a coffee or meal in front of a roaring log fire."



History of The Feathers:

"The oldest part of the Feathers, including the world-famous timber façade, was built in 1619 (during the reign of King James I) by Rees Jones, a successful attorney in the town, who had frequently appeared before the Council of the Marches, which from 1536 until 1689 was situated in Ludlow, making the town in effect the capital of Wales.

The name of the hotel springs from the motifs of ostrich feathers forming part of the timber framed façade. They can still be seen by the discerning eye on the collars of the three street gables, although now weathered by the centuries. Ostrich feathers (traditionally the badge of the Prince of Wales) were still very much in vogue in the town at the time that the timber façade was being constructed following celebrations in 1616 for the investiture of Charles (the future King Charles I) as Prince of Wales.

From The Feathers Website

"Ludlow was a town with Royalist sympathies and remained loyal throughout the English Civil War, during which it is thought that Royalist soldiers were billeted at the Feathers. Indeed Rees Jones' son Thomas Jones fought as a Captain in the King's Army and well after the Civil War he converted the Feathers to an inn, around 1670.

The Feathers remained an inn for the next 200 years during which time, as well as providing sleeping accommodation, food and much beer, the inn was occasionally used as a venue for cock-fighting and prize-fighting. It was also at the centre of politics in the town when candidates for parliamentary elections would make speeches from the hotel balcony then invite voters inside for a drink to help secure their votes.

From The Feathers Website
"From 1863 the Feathers became known as a hotel and since then has gradually evolved and expanded through the acquisition of properties on either side of the original house to become established as Ludlow's leading hotel with a fine international reputation. Now back in private ownership the Feathers Hotel has been sympathetically refurbished throughout to further improve the fabric yet retaining the character of this historic building."

***


So if you're traveling to England and looking at staying in Ludlow, the tariff on a Double Twin Room at The Feathers starts at $169. Just so you know.

I promise this is the last colorized, grainy, and horrid photo. The other two are not colorized, but grainy and horrid:

 Ludlow Castle

From that most reliable of sources, Wikipedia:

" In 1501 Prince Arthur,  (son of Henry VII  and brother to Henry VIII) with his bride Catherine of Aragon, lived here for a short time before his early death of an infection from which his wife recovered. Mary Tudor, daughter of Catherine of Aragon and Henry VIII, heir to the throne of England as the couple's only issue, spent three winters at Ludlow between 1525 and 1528, along with her entourage of servants, advisors, and guardians."

Catherine did not have a fun life.


 Ludlow Flower Shop


 Yes, we did get a better camera after this.
It's pretty pathetic, I know...but I wanted you to see one of the
Black and White villages in the Marches region of England.
(Marches being the borderlands of England - Wales)





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Sweet Baby! Calendula


...and more! Check out all my handcrafted soaps at
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Have a great weekend, everyone! 
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14 comments:

Pamela said...

More places to add to my Places To Go list! Have you been to Chester? I love the architecture there as well - it looks Tudor but much of it is restoration that was done in the Victorian era. It still looks lovely. Check out my afternoon tea post and follow the links - the menus are there and are mouth-watering. Have a lovely weekend.

Eileen H said...

I've never been to Ludlow. I'll add it to my Places to Go list too! It sort of looks like Chester, a place I am very familiar with.

Robin said...

I really liked Ludlow. Your photos are great, love the flower shop one.

~Lavender Dreamer~ said...

Oh, I love your photos...especially the grainy ones! Very cool effects! I posted about this soap TODAY! I LOVE my soaps! Hope you can stop by to visit soon! Hugs!

Judy S. said...

Now you've got me wondering whether Ludlow is where the name our Port Ludlow came from! Did you also go to Bristol? We toured an interesting Georgian house there. Nice photos, BTW.

George The Lad said...

Mom used to spend the day there when I was at the groomers!! but she grooms us herself now, so she's not been in a while. She's say's this post has made her want to visit again, so thank's for sharing. Maybe when she goes I get to see it to!oh and Tess :)
Have a good week
See Yea George xxx

Debra Hawkins said...

Beautiful. Almost every day you make me want to go back. :)

J_on_tour said...

Lovely post.
Never been here before but your pictures and history tempt me. I would need to look out for that flower shop & do some photographic work using the alleyway.
Like Pamela says ... another place to go on the list although I've know idea when, as most places seemed mapped out for me with chosen stops on the way... Might need an excuse to go to Aberystwyth then !!

Ruth Kelly said...

I love your photos. My Alaska photos were all grainy but I used them anyway. I especially like the first photo.

Anonymous said...

Great photos and beautiful buildings, wouldn't mind to visit that hotel :-)
Have a lovely weekend!

Eva

Denise said...

Wow, really lovely.

Christa said...

Great photos and very interesting history! Thanks for sharing!
Christa

The Thriftiness Miss said...

You are such a talented photographer! Thanks so much for the follow :) following you back. Have a fabulous Mother's Day!

Tiffanee said...

Loving my trip through your pictures! So beautiful! Thanks again!

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