Ledbury is one of the prettiest market towns in Herefordshire, with a remarkable concentration of black-and-white timber-framed buildings lining its streets. Church Lane, a narrow cobbled passage running from the high street up to the church, is the most photographed spot — a tunnel of overhanging medieval buildings that looks like it has not changed in centuries.
The Market House, a 17th-century timber-framed structure raised on oak pillars, still stands in the middle of the high street. The town has a strong literary connection: Elizabeth Barrett Browning grew up at nearby Hope End, and John Masefield, the Poet Laureate, was born here.
Ledbury sits in the heart of cider country. The Malvern Hills rise to the east, offering excellent walking with views across to the Welsh mountains, and the surrounding orchards produce some of England's best cider and perry. The town hosts a poetry festival each July that draws visitors from across the country.