Step back in time in Ledbury
FOR CULTURE BY THE CARTLOAD AND CHARMINGLY WONKY ARCHITECTURE
While Ledbury’s clock tower marks the hours, it’s easy to feel time has stopped in the cobbled back lanes of this small Herefordshire town, where Tudor buildings lean in so close they almost touch. The tower was built in 1895 in memory of poet Elizabeth Barrett Browning – one of many local literary associations.
IN THE ESTATE AGENT’S WINDOW Over the past 40 years, the town’s population has tripled in size
– to about 10,000 – and it’s set to increase by at least a third more under current housing proposals. The market remains a competitive one, but developments in Hawk
Rise and New Mills make prospects better for newcomers than in recent years. For traditional residences, head to The Homend, The Southend and Bank Crescent areas. Expect to pay £180,000 for a two-bed town house, £400,000 for a detached four-bed, and upwards of £800,000 for something more mansion like. BUTCHERS, BAKERS & COFFEE MAKERS Tourism keeps the economy ticking over, sustaining independent shops and keeping chains at bay. But it’s a working town, too, with butchers, bakeries and weekly markets busy year round. The Fairy Door Trail, which involves miniature doors hidden around town for children to discover, was started by storyteller Cath Gardner in 2014 and keeps kids happily occupied on days out. COUNTRY LIFE & CULTURE
A high proportion of recently retired folk ensures a flourishing volunteer scene, perhaps best exemplified in Ledbury Amateur Dramatic Society, which has operated out of The Market Theatre for 40 years. But there’s youthful spirit, too – as one resident states: ‘There’s quite a bohemian, relaxed vibe, with a wealth of artistic talent.’ The yearly poetry festival – the UK’S largest – does the town proud, with The Handmaid’s Tale author Margaret Atwood in attendance last year. SCHOOLS
Three high-flying primaries are rated ‘Outstanding’ by Ofsted – Much Marcle, Bosbury and Eastnor,
while Ledbury and Bromesberrow follow closely behind with ‘Good’. Most local children then head to John Masefield High School, which is also rated ‘Good’.
GET AROUND
Hereford is half an hour away, and Worcester is not much further. The M50 can be reached in 10 minutes for access to the M5. Ledbury train station also runs direct services to both Paddington and Oxford.
IN THE AREA
Coneygree Wood is an ancient woodland that connects Ledbury with Eastnor, with a glade known locally as the Fairy Glen – the perfect spot for a picnic on a summer’s day.