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Ludlow Ludlow was described by John Betjeman as "the loveliest town in England" and by Country Life as "the most vibrant small town in the Country". Ludlow also has more Michelin Star restaurants than any other town in the country. Ludlow has a lively market, food fairs, speciality food shops and more restaurants and Inns than you can shake a cocktail stick at. With over 500 listed buildings, mainly Georgian or half-timbered, Ludlow is a feast for the eyes. Once the home of Kings, Ludlow Castle has been described as "the epitome of what a castle ought to be" - the castle dominated life in Ludlow for centuries. As a venue for festivals and events and open air theatre Ludlow Castle still plays an vital part today. The Ludlow Museum gives a history of the town. St Laurence's Church is the custodian of the Ashes of A.E.Housman, the celebrated poet and author of "A Shropshire Lad". Ludlow hosts a number of festivals and fairs each year. The Ludlow Marches Food & Drink Festival is held every September, Ludlow Festival is held in June/July attracting performers from all over the world and, in November, the Medieval Christmas Fair is held here. Set in the beautiful rolling hills of south Shropshire, Ludlow is well placed for a visit being on the Welsh and Herefordshire borders only 45 mins west of Birmingham. Our Main Showroom is here located in a Georgian shop on the northern approach to the old town. Shrewsbury Shrewsbury is packed with timber-framed black & white buildings. With a population of around 100,000, Shrewsbury is the county town for Shropshire, England. Set amidst glorious countryside near to the Welsh Borders, it is one of England's finest medieval market towns. The town centre is packed with timber-framed black & white buildings, steep narrow streets and alleyways. In fact it boasts over 600 listed buildings including the Castle, now a regimental museum and the world-famous Shrewsbury Abbey, home of the fictional Brother Cadfael. Charles Darwin was born and educated in Shrewsbury and all around you will find reminders of his association with the town. The River Severn forms a loop around the town centre offering gentle riverside walks or you can enjoy a trip on the new pleasure boat Sabrina. Next to the river you can relax in the beautiful Quarry Park., location for the annual Shrewsbury Flower Show. Continuing on the floral theme, due to the proliferation of plants and blooms, particularly in the summer months, Shrewsbury is often referred to as the "Town of Flowers". In 2006 the town was awarded a Gold Medal in the National Britain in Bloom Competition. Our Shrewsbury branch is located on the historic Wyle Cop, the old southern approach to the old town near the English Bridge. Warwick Warwick offers to visitors today the opportunity of exploring not only the architectural gems of our medieval history but also those of our more recent past and the modern vibrant life of the county town of Warwickshire. The town of Warwick was founded on the banks of the River Avon in 914 AD by Ethelfleda, sister of Edward the Elder, as a defence against the Danish invaders, on a site overlooking earlier riverside settlements. It is built on a small hill which controlled not only the river valley but also the river crossing on the road to London and the roads to Stratford, Coventry and the salt way to Droitwich. The Anglo-Saxon town was surrounded partly by a wall and partly by a ditch. The medieval core of the town was prevented from expansion by the open spaces that surround it: the Common and Racecourse, the grounds of the Priory, St Nicholas Meadow, the River Avon, and later, Warwick Castle. Within a relatively small area there are many buildings of historic interest, of which the Castle is the most important. This is one of the most dramatic and complete medieval castles in the country. It has been inhabited continuously since the Middle Ages, and was the home of the Earls of Warwick until recently. Many of the central streets of the town were destroyed by the Great Fire of 1694. The buildings which were burnt, and many which were not, were re-built in the handsome style of the late 17th and early 18th centuries. St Mary's Church, which dominates the surrounding countryside, had a new nave and tower at the same time. Several important medieval buildings survived the fire and can be seen to this day, notably the town's medieval Guildhall, now the Lord Leycester Hospital, as well as a group of timber - framed buildings around Oken's House.
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