is a
Town in
Herefordshire ,
England . Situated east of
Hereford , on the southern slope of the
Malvern Hills . It is an ancient borough, dating back to the
Domesday Book , where it was recorded as Liedeberge, and returned members to
Parliament in the reign of
Edward I . Ledbury probably takes its name from the River Leadon, on which it stands. The
Old English ''berg'' (hill) has been added to the river name.
Once home to the poetess
Elizabeth Barrett Browning , who spent her childhood days at Hope End, and to poet laureate
John Masefield , Ledbury today is a thriving market town in rural England. Unusually, it has a main-line rail connection to
London . It is known for its large number of
Timber Frame d buildings, in particular along ''Church Lane''. Notable buildings in the area include the
Parish Church and
Eastnor Castle , while the Painted Room contains
Sixteenth Century frescoes.
It was the winner of the
2003 Britain In Bloom , in the category of 'Small Town'.
Until 1885, the
Hereford to
Gloucester canal which was opened in
1798 , passed through the lower part of the town with wharves at Bye street and at what is now the Ross road near the Full Pitcher public house. The canal on closing was used as a route for the Ledbury to Gloucester railway. When that closed, as a result of the
Beeching cuts, it became disused until it was converted to a nature trail.
Ledbury is famous for its numerous festivals every year and is home of the Silurian
Border Morris men.
