Ledbury Primary School
Determined to Succeed
The History of Ledbury Town
Ledbury landmarks and persons of historical interest
Ledbury is a borough whose origins date to around 690 AD. In the Domesday Book it was recorded as Liedeberge. It may take its name from the River Leadon on which it stands.
Arguably the finest timber-framed market hall in England, Ledbury's iconic timber-framed 17th-century Market House (sometimes known as the Market Hall) was begun in 1617 and took 51 years to complete. Regular markets and stalls are still held under its historic timbers today.
No less than four battles were fought in Ledbury during the English civil wars, during which it was a bastion of royalism. In 1645 the town was occupied by Parliamentary forces when Prince Rupert decided to divert his forces to make a surprise attack on the newly ensconced Roundheads. Legend has it that on 22nd April a fight broke out in the Talbot Inn in the town centre. Bullet holes in an oak panel are still evident today.
Ledbury was home to the poet Elizabeth Barrett Browning, who spent her childhood at Hope End. It is also the birthplace of poet laureate John Masefield, after whom the local secondary school is named. Every year, Ledbury hosts a world-renowned poetry festival, attracting poets and authors from across the world.
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