Ludlow is a market town in Shropshire, England. The town is significant in the history of the Welsh Marches and in relation to Wales.  

 Ludlow's  history begins in 1086 when the impressive castle was first developed, as one of a line of castles along the Welsh Marches to defend the border and subdue the local Anglo Saxon population.

The construction of the Ludlow Castle started around 1085, with many later additions in the following two centuries. It is one of the most interesting castles in the Marches, in a dominant and imposing position high above the river Teme. It features examples of architecture from the Norman, Medieval and Tudor periods. The building of the castle led to the development of Ludlow itself, at first grouped around the castle; the impressive ruins of the castle occupy the oldest part of Ludlow.

In the 18th and 19th centuries Ludlow was a fashionable social centre. County families built elegant Georgian brick houses along the wider medieval streets; which can still be seen in many of the streets most notably Broad Street, Mill Street and Dinham.

Ludlow Castle has played a key role in some turbulent events in English history. One of its 14th-century owners, Roger Mortimer, helped his mistress Queen Isabella, in the overthrow of her husband King Edward II. In 1473, the Prince of Wales and his brother were held here before their mysterious death in the Tower of London. In 1502 Prince Arthur, Henry VII's son and heir to the throne, died at Ludlow.

Ludlow is also in important area of geological research and the museum has fossils of the oldest known animals and plants.