Ludlow

Ludlow
Clockwise from top: Junction of Broad Street and King Street, with the Buttercross, Ludlow skyline, St Laurence's Church and Ludlow Castle.
Coat of arms of Ludlow
Ludlow Location within Shropshire
Population	10,266 (2011)[1]
OS grid reference	SO512746
• London	154 miles (248 km)
Civil parish	Ludlow
Unitary authority	Shropshire
Ceremonial county	Shropshire
Region	West Midlands
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	LUDLOW
Postcode district	SY8
Dialling code	01584
Police	West Mercia
Fire	Shropshire
Ambulance	West Midlands
UK Parliament	South Shropshire
Website	www.ludlow.org.uk
List of places UK England Shropshire 52°22′05″N 2°43′05″W / 52.368°N 2.718°W / 52.368; -2.718

Ludlow (/lʌd.loʊ/) is a market town and civil parish in Shropshire, England. It is located 28 miles (45 km) south of Shrewsbury and 23 miles (37 km) north of Hereford, on the A49 road which bypasses the town. The town is near the confluence of the rivers Corve and Teme.

The oldest part is the medieval walled town, founded in the late 11th century after the Norman conquest of England. It is centred on a small hill which lies on the eastern bank of a bend of the River Teme. Situated on this hill are Ludlow Castle and the parish church, St Laurence's, the largest in the county.^[2] From there the streets slope downward to the rivers Corve and Teme, to the north and south respectively. The town is in a sheltered spot beneath Mortimer Forest and the Clee Hills, which are clearly visible from the town.^[3]

Ludlow has nearly 500 listed buildings,^[4] including examples of medieval and Tudor-style half-timbered buildings. The town was described by Sir John Betjeman as "probably the loveliest town in England".^[5]