Little Stretton
Little Stretton photos (5 available)
Little Stretton maps (2 available)
Map of Shropshire
Beautifully hand-drawn and coloured, dating from around 1840
See this old map of Shropshire
Personalised maps
Create an historic map centred directly on any postcode!
Little Stretton books (4 available)
Ludlow Photographic Memories
Paperback
Shrewsbury Photographic Memories
Paperback
- 2 photos on Little Stretton appear in 1 Frith books - View photos of Little Stretton
- Read extracts and see photos from these books on Little Stretton and Shropshire
Little Stretton memories
Ethel May Tantrum
My husband's Grandmother, Ethel May Tantrum, was born in Craven Arms in 1885, but by 1891 was living in Elms Cottage, Little Stretton. In 1910, she married Harold Ezard and in 1924 she died at White Birches Cottage, Little Stretton. Their son, Harold, was born in Little Stretton, but we are not sure where (possibly White Birches Cottage?) and we would love to hear from anyone who could help us find out more about the Tantrums and the Ezards of Little Stretton.
We recently visited Little Stretton, by chance, with some friends and found it a fascinating place and plan to return in the future.
Contributed by Judith Ezard
Shropshire memories
Ethel May Tantrum
My husband's Grandmother, Ethel May Tantrum, was born in Craven Arms in 1885, but by 1891 was living in Elms Cottage, Little Stretton. In 1910, she married Harold Ezard and in 1924 she died at White Birches Cottage, Little Stretton. Their son, Harold, was born in Little Stretton, but we are not sure where (possibly White Birches Cottage?) and we would love to hear from anyone who could help us find out more about the Tantrums and the Ezards of Little Stretton.
We recently visited Little Stretton, by chance, with some friends and found it a fascinating place and plan to return in the future.
A memory of Little Stretton contributed by Judith Ezard
Artists
Groups of artists would visit in summer and stay at The Feathers Hotel. After breakfast they would choose their locations, some at the church, some at the castle, others would be in the middle of Broad Street. They would set up their stools and easels and stay there all day (except for lunch of course!). There was very little traffic in 1955. One wonderful afternoon, I was invited to join them and I was able to draw the mud & wattle buildings with charcoal. At the age of 13, it was a great honour to be included in this wonderful group of people.
Does anyone remember Miss Grayfoot? She was head-mistress of Ludlow Girls Grammar School during the fifties. She ...read more here
A memory of Ludlow contributed by Charlotte Gatling
Dinham Weir
The Ludlow weirs were navigation Flash Lock weirs until the railways came to the Teme valley. Sailing Trows from the Severn worked up the river with wheat for the mills from Gloucester returning with flour for the villages and iron bar from Downton for blacksmiths downstream. An 1820's painting shows the old Dinham Bridge with four square rigged trows unloading at Dinham Mill now Mr Underwoods lovely restaurant and other trows at the opposite bank and under full sail up to the Downton Gorge.
A memory of Ludlow contributed by Max Sinclair
Extracts From Little Stretton & Shropshire books
Today the Gatehouse has been totally restored; it is available for renting as a holiday home through a company
called the Landmark Trust, which specialises in saving old buildings and restoring them for this purpose.
An extract from from"Ludlow Photographic Memories".
The Bell Inn with its ‘good
stabling’ is obviously for
visitors to the town (those
who cannot afford to stay at
the Feathers or the Angel),
while the Wheatsheaf
probably serves an even
poorer local clientele. The
carriage sitting on the left is
made of wicker-work.
An extract from from"Ludlow Photographic Memories".
Much of St Mary’s church, behind the mill, was used as a private house after the Dissolution; the ivy-covered
remains of part of it can be seen here, attached to the right of the church. It was finally restored as a church in the
mid 1600s.
An extract from from"Ludlow Photographic Memories".
Mr Sam Mattock was not only the
landlord here, but he also used the
building as a corn exchange; when
sales had been completed, farmers
would seal their deals with a noggin of
whisky! Notice also the Clock House –
so-called because of the clock
on the side of the building.
An extract from from"Ludlow Photographic Memories".
Around Ludlow
South Along The River Teme
Tenbury Wells, Teme Street 1898
Known in the past only as Tenbury, the Wells in its
name was added in the late 19th century as a
deliberate marketing ploy to promote the local mineral
water. The waters from the Malvern Hills nearby were
then, as now, much better known.
Tenbury Wells, The Church 1892
We are just across the border in Worcestershire here. St
Mary’s church sits overlooking the River Teme (also the
county boundary). Subject through the centuries to
frequent floods, the church we see today is really the
result of restoration work in the 19th century.
An extract from from"Ludlow Photographic Memories".






