Nicholas Ludlow was wool merchant to King Edward I, starting in about 1255, when Edward was a prince. This was at a time when wool was the core of England’s economy and Nicholas was the wealthiest merchant in England, lending the king vast sums of money. His business was international but was controlled from Shrewsbury, Shropshire. A pedigree of the descendants of Nicholas has been prepared by Robin Ludlow. It is now displayed at Stokesay Castle. A pedigree of the descendants of Nicholas including the Stokesay family, has been created for the web site (see Downloading the databases).
A paper version is available from robin.ludlow@btinternet.com. or +44 (0)1985 213 025.
This is a new book published by the Ludlow Historical Research Group and has, for the first time, recorded the Ludlow family ownership and occupation of Stokesay Castle, Shropshire, from 1281–1498.
Copies of the book can be obtained from the publisher: Scenesetters, Ash-Leys, Chapel Lawn Road, Bucknell, Shropshire, SY7 0AL. Tel/fax: 01547 530660 E-mail: mailto:scenesetters@btinternet.com.
Or visit the Scenesetters web site: www.scenesetters.co.uk.
Price per copy, including postage: UK £6.60, Overseas Airmail £8.50.
The ISBN: 1874200 16 5. This will be available shortly through Amazon and other book outlets.
If you wish to purchase more than one copy it would be advisable to telephone or e-mail the publisher first to check the additional postage costs.
We hope you will find the book an interesting read. A list of other references is given at the bottom of this page.
William of Hill Deverill was probably orphaned in one of the battles that led Henry IV to the throne in 1399. William and his brother, Richard, worked as “yeoman trayers in the King’s cellar”. They rose in the royal household and William was granted the manor of Hill Deverill in Wiltshire, along with many other posts and privileges that amounted to a substantial income.
A pedigree of descendants of William Ludlow was published in the Wiltshire Archeological Magazine, registered by the College of Arms. The pedigree published here was extracted from Keith Ludlow’s data and includes a number of American Ludlows. Most Irish Ludlows are believed to be descended from William of Hill Deverill but DNA analysis of American Hill Deverill Ludlows is needed to compare with the Irish representatives already analysed.
The database is available by clicking on: Downloading the databases.
This family started with Stephen Ludlow in Shipton Moyne, Gloucestershire, in 1500s. There are many surviving members today and it is believed there may be links to Hill Deverill. This branch has proliferated since Stephen’s day and are mostly to be found in London, the Midlands and West country and the USA.
A pedigree of the descendants of Stephen Ludlow can be downloaded from the site: Downloading the databases. This is more extensive than the pedigree registered with the College of Arms which is available from Robin Ludlow: robin.ludlow@btinternet.com. or +44 (0)1985 213 025.
Thomas Ludlow listened as a child to John Wesley preaching outside Kilmore Cathedral, co. Cavan, Ireland in 1789. The date can be checked from John Wesley’s diary. Family tradition was recorded by Nelson Ludlow in a pedigree published in 1990. This has been updated by Tony Ludlow in 2003 and a pedigree of 430 descendants can be downloaded (Downloading the databases).
In addition, the many lateral branches of this family have been included bringing the total to just over 800 individuals in the families of Ludlow, Atkinson, Couch, Hargreaves, Teire and Woods.
George Ludlow of Hill Deveril (died 1580) married Edith Windsor (or Wyndsore) and she was descended from Edward I, King of England. As a result everyone descended from George Ludlow is also descended from Edward I, and earlier kings of England. Edith was also descended from numerous Norman magnates, including Earls of Oxford, Devon, Lincolnshire and Essex. The evidence for this is very strong and was presented by [4, 23] so I have entered these ancestors into the database ‘keithplus.ged’..
Just for fun, I have gone further. The Guinness Book of Records (1971)[14] gives the 49 Ascendants of H.R.H. The Prince Charles, Prince of Wales, extending back to the 5th Century, AD. Why shouldn’t some of us trace back the same distance? So I have added the 28 generations before Edward I to the database ‘keithplus.ged’. Click on (Downloading the databases).
One of our contributors, Bob Amos, is definitely descended from this line and his 50 generation chart of ancestors is available by clicking on: www.ludlowfamilytree.org/royallinks/amos.htm.
Or you can browse through the pedigree by clicking on: Royal links. You will start with Edward I and you can navigate down to George Ludlow and Edith Windsor, or up from Edward I to find his ancestors. Then you can browse up the other branches of the family.