318 
to meet them at the further end of the Downton grounds; then 
walked through a most lovely valley a distance of about two 
miles, the River Teme at their feet, and richly wooded lofty banks 
on each side of it. They then rejoined the carriage and drove back 
to Ludlow, via Barrington and Aston. At the latter place they 
stopped to inspect the exterior of a small but interesting old 
Norman Church ; the tympanum over the doorway having a sacred 
emblem, and some grotesque figures on it well carved and in 
excellent preservation. After a good dinner at the Feathers 
some of the party accepted the kind invitation of the Rector of 
Ludlow to take a cup of coffee with him and stroll about his 
garden—a very enjoyable lounge after the fatigues of the day ; and 
nothing could exceed the courtesy and attention both of the Rector 
and Mrs. Clayton, who pointed out the various objects of interest 
in their neighbourhood, with suggestions for divers excursions, &c. 
The following day was devoted to exploring the Castle and 
Museum. The Castle is a remarkably fine structure, seated upon 
a bold wooded rock at the N.W. angle of the town, at the foot of 
which runs the Teme. It is surrounded by walls of great height 
and thickness and fortified with towers at irregular distances. 
Generally supposed to have been erected by Roger de Mont- 
gomery, Earl of Shrewsbury, about the early part of the 12th 
Century, it was afterwards forfeited to the Crown and remained 
more or less in the nominal possession of Royalty down to about 
the middle of the 15th Century, when it was held by the Duke of 
York and became the general rendezvous of the Yorkists. 
Edward the IV. made it the Court of his son, the Prince of Wales. 
Henry VIII. also appropriated it for his son, Prince Arthur, and in 
1616 the creation of Prince Charles, afterwards Charles the I., to 
the principality of Wales and earldom of Chester, was celebrated 
at the Castle with great magnificence, In 1646 the Castle was 
surrendered to the Cromwellian party, and in 1688 the Court of 
the Marches was abolished, and the Lords Presidents were dis- 
continued. Henry VIII. fixed this Court at Ludlow, which con- 
