For more than 1500 years the land along the Welsh marches was important in the creation of an England that was becoming a nation to be reckoned with. From the days when the Roman legions extended control of the Empire to the west of this misty island, settlements, monasteries, churches and towns were established as England came out of the 'Dark Ages'. There were many changes, but also continuities. Because this has now been for centuries a comparatively untouched region there are still many places where we can see the story of England from Roman settlement to medieval city, with the spice of some battles with the Danes and the Welsh to give it its own character.

We start at Wroxeter-Roman Viroconium a municipia developed from the old tribal capital of the Cornovii whose great wall from the 2nd century bath house reflects its importance in Roman Britain. The story moves on to early Christianity, the Mercian kings, the Danelaw and the Normans. Sometimes there is a single legacy like Offa's Dyke, built by the great Mercian king Offa, contemporary of Charlemagne, to divide Saxon England from the still unconquered Britains. Wenlock Abbey tells a longer story; built in 680, rebuilt by Leofric, Earl of Mercia who was killed at Hastings, it became a wonderfully decorated Cluniac house under the Normans. The Anglo Saxon chronicles tell us about the Battle of Buttington (893) and we see where the Battle of Bryn Glas was won by Owen Glyn Dwr (1402). We discover the great power of the Marcher Lords. At Kilpeck we consider the power of the church and the changes in church architecture and look at rural, everyday life from strip farming to the Black Death. Finally Ludlow, a town that grew up beneath one of the first stone castles built in Norman England.

Our historian is Dr Michael Jones who leads many of our history tours. We will be staying at the splendid Feathers Inn, town house to the Clerk for the Council in 1528.

ITINERARY
Day 1 (Friday): Meet at the hotel by 1315. Introductory talk on the coach by Mike Jones. The Romans at Wroxeter.The wonderful ruins and gardens of Wenlock Abbey. Dinner and overnight at the Feathers (2 nights).
Day 2: The Welsh and Mercians join forces to beat the Danes at the Battle of Buttington. Offa's great Dyke – at Knighton. The Marcher Lords, Owen Glyn Dwr and the battle of Bryn Glas . To Hereford - a Motte and Bailey castle and life in medieval times including the wonderful church at Kilpeck.
Day 3: The story of Ludlow, mentioned in the Domesday book. A Norman planned town with many medieval buildings and great castle, seat of the Council of Wales and the Marches and stronghold of Richard, Duke of York in the Wars of the Roses. Group lunch at our hotel. Disperse after lunch.