The Catherine of Aragon Suite
If the legend is true, Catherine of Aragon might be the Lodge's most famous former resident. Her suite, we think you'll agree, does justice to her legacy. Perched on the first floor overlooking Ludlow's market square, it's a splash of Andalusian sunshine set in the heart of the 'loveliest town in England'. Spend the day exploring. Return to your very own Spanish palace. Perfect.
The inspiration
Catherine of Aragon's life in Ludlow was marked by young love and an untimely death. In 1501, at the age of 15, she married the 16-year-old Prince Arthur. Before long, the budding couple had moved to Ludlow Castle to hold court as Prince and Princess of Wales.
But as spring bloomed, tragedy struck. Catherine and Arthur fell ill from 'a malign vapour that proceeded from the air'. Catherine recovered. But her husband – the man she had married mere months earlier – died. Catherine, of course, would go on to marry Arthur's brother, the future King Henry VIII.
Catherine's suite at Castle Lodge takes inspiration from a local legend. The princess, it's said, was sent here to be quarantined as Prince Arthur fought his illness in vain.
The design
There are references to Catherine and Arthur's marriage throughout the Lodge. Sections of wood panelling, for instance, sport carved feathers and pomegranates – emblems often associated with our doomed prince and his homesick Spanish bride.
But Catherine's suite is pure Catherine. The wallpaper is rust red, like the grand marble manors of her native Andalusia. There are Spanish tiles in the bathroom. And wherever you look, there are birds and botanicals – reminders of the lush gardens surrounding the Alhambra palace.
These Castilian themes are intentional. Designer Libby Lord sought to restore what Catherine left behind when she emigrated to England. Her sense of royalty. The playfulness of childhood. A little Andalusian sunshine. In Libby's hands, Catherine's losses are your gains.
The crowning feature
Catherine's suite is a feast of Spanish flavours. While keen-eyed guests might spot subtle references to Ludlow, it feels more like a Mediterranean boudoir than a Tudor bedroom.
Case in point: the splendid Spanish balcony that rests against the eastern wall. Now rehomed and repurposed as a bar and kitchenette, it begs to be stocked with sangria and shared with friends.
