AN important piece of Ludlow’s history dating back to the reign of Elizabeth I has been secured for the town and is about to go on display.

Now an appeal is being launched to raise £10,000 to pay for it and a linked educational programme.

The scroll will be on public display at Ludlow Assembly Rooms between 12noon and 3pm on Tuesday, March 14.

In the morning, Hugh Wood from the Ludlow Heraldic Group and Rosalind Caird, former archivist at Hereford Cathedral will present a lecture about the scroll and its importance.

A very important stage in the future of the Ludlow Castle Heraldic Roll was reached when the Friends of Ludlow Museum agreed to become the owners of this important document.

The roll was spotted in an antique shop in London and so began a process that has led to it being purchased for the town. Part of this was getting it looked at by experts to determine its condition and suitability for display.

This has been made possible through a loan from the Ludlow Civic Society and there will be fundraising in the town to pay for the roll.

After expert examination it has been decided that the roll, which dates back to the 16th century, is in too poor a condition to be put on display.

Because of its poor condition the Heraldic Scroll has been purchased for just £2,400.

However, two high quality copies will be made, one of which will be put on permanent display in the town and the other will be used to take to schools and colleges as part of an education programme.

To pay for this a public appeal will be launched to raise £20,000 including the repayment of the loan to the Civic Society.

Hugh Wood said that the roll would have been lost to the town but for the support and loan from the Ludlow Civic Society.

The Heraldic Roll was created in 1576 on the orders of Sir Henry Sidney, Lord President of the Council of Wales and the Marches and is just four inches wide, but 15 feet long when unrolled.

Sir Henry was a great showman and he filled the round chapel with the coats of arms of many of the people associated with the castle. He then commissioned this roll to provide an enduring record of the display.

It contains the coats of arms of 11 previous owners of the castle from Walter de Lacy in the 11th century down to Queen Elizabeth I, including the infamous Roger Mortimer with his wife, Joan de Geneville; Richard Plantagenet, Duke of York with Cecily Neville; King Edward IV with Elizabeth Woodville and King Henry VIII with Ann Boleyn.

The roll also records the arms of nine previous Presidents of the Council and all the 22 members of the council who were appointed by Queen Elizabeth I in 1570.

The original roll will be kept at the Ludlow Museum Resource Centre.