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Castle Lodge is a fine large mostly 16th Century Mansion located in the centre of Ludlow, in Castle Square, with Ludlow Castle a nearby neighbour. There are some stocks near the building - possibly the market square stocks of old.The building has fine oak carvings - wall panels, doors and so on, some old stained glass, and a lovely pendant plaster ceiling.
Despite its age and condition it is almost an unknown building with little mention in books or on the web.
To remedy that a little, I am presenting some small photographs of the building here, and perhaps if you are in the vicinity one day, you will be encouraged to pay a visit. Try not to leave it too long though. Ludlow has hundreds of ancient buildings, and no public money to maintain them. The Castle Lodge is in private hands at present and with no funding to maintain the building there is nothing in place to continue public access long term.
The building has only brief references in David Lloyd's book "The Concise History of Ludlow" - notably:
Robert Berry of Castle Lodge, official of the Council of the Marches, sitting in six parliaments from 1584-1614.
Described by Thomas Churchyard in 1587- the fayre house of Master Sackford - upper story added later by Robert Berry, like Thomas Sackford a Council official.
The lower parts built in the early 1570's by Thomas Sackford, incorporating an arched doorway from an earlier building on the site.
1643: Castle Lodge listed as a void house available to billet soldiers for the defence of the town from the Parliamentarians (the town surrendered after 33 days siege).
Robert Berry of Castle Lodge married Dame Katherine Howard widow of the 5th son of the Earl of Suffolk.
Such an old building must be haunted... reputedly (jointly with the nearby Castle) by Katie or Katherine of Arogon who lived for a time at the Castle with Arthur.
I found a reference in Hansard for 1938- Castle Lodge received a mention in the UK Parliament when the government's attention was drawn to the intention to sell the Lodge (then apparently owned by a Mr and Mrs Brown) and export it to America. It is still in Ludlow. This was only a few years after the film The Ghost Goes West (1935) which may have inspired such a move or story- but the entry is really there in Hansard, 4th July 1938.
In 1965 Castle Lodge was used during the filming of Moll Flanders.
Remarkable that such an ancient property should have so little readily available about it.
Here are some images to look at - only small ones but more than is available anywhere else....