New Armistice memorial tree to be planted in Ludlow

The original was planted to mark the Armistice by the town's then-mayor Alderman Edward Sheldon, as a lasting tribute to the town’s soldiers who sacrificed their lives.

But the tree did not survive being moved, and for many years all that remained was a weathered plaque on the wall of the castle next to where it once stood.

Its replacement will be planted at a ceremony in the Castle Gardens next week, and Alderman Sheldon's great-grandson will be doing the honours.

Paul Sheldon, whose late father William was Alderman Sheldon's grandson, will be joined by his mother Margory and other family members at the ceremony.

Margory said: "He was the mayor so many times he had to give it up. He was 72 when he died.

"He owned a lot of property in the town and was very well known. He was a very great man and did a lot for the town."

Paul is the eldest descendant of Alderman Sheldon, and his daughter Jessica, 15, is the youngest. She planted another tree earlier this year at Ludlow CE School to mark the centenary.

Margory said the family was asked to be part of the ceremony by sisters Margaret Edwards and Jean Parker of Poyner’s Drapers, who are among the organisers and have raised thousands over the last few years towards a string of remembrance events in the town.

Margory added: "It will be nice to have a tree there again."

The re-planting of the Armistice Tree has been years in the making, after the Town Council agreed in 2014 to seek permission from English Heritage.

It was hoped that the new tree could come from the Somme – the battle which claimed the lives of many of the town's soldiers.

But it was not possible due to the site of the tree being too close to the walls of the historic castle.

Town councillor Graeme Perks, who is on the war memorial committee, said: "We wanted to put an oak tree there from the trenches in Flanders.

"When they said we couldn't we decided to get a tree from our French twin town, La Ferté-Macé, which is near to the site of the D-Day landings."

A sapling was donated, and is now being cared for by Graeme ahead of the planting ceremony on Tuesday.

The date – the 23rd – has been chosen as July 23 was the date the first soldier from Ludlow died in the Great War.

The committee is also in the process of making 143 plywood soldiers to commemorate each man from Ludlow who lost his life in the war, some of whom will also be featured on a series of six new beer mats being launched at Ludlow Brewery later on Tuesday.

Graeme added: "These young men gave a lot for us 100 years ago, it is the least we can do to remember them in any way we can."