A storied hotel where history meets distinctive hospitality
Nestled in the black and white charm of Ledbury, the Feathers Hotel stands as a splendid testament to Jacobean craftsmanship and has welcomed travellers since the 16th century. With creaking oak beams and storied timbers, it evokes a golden age of English Inns. You can trace the footsteps of poets and prime ministers alike, in a setting that brims with character. It’s not merely a hotel, it’s a proud chapter in the living history of Herefordshire, lovingly preserved and warmly presented for the modern traveller.
Take a walk with us, back in time
The Feathers Hotel in Ledbury lies nestled along the charming High Street, this magnificent timber-framed beauty looks as though it’s waltzed straight out of a storybook, with gables that prance and windows that twinkle with tales. Dating back to around 1560, the building began as a private home for a prosperous clothier, but like all the best adventures, it wasn’t long before transformation came knocking.
By the late 1600s, the property had evolved into the Plume of Feathers Inn, and in 1698 a local cutler named Thomas Pantall took the reins. By 1702, he had merged the original house with the neighbouring Booth Hall, a medieval building once used for manorial court proceedings creating what we now know and adore as the Feathers Hotel. Some say the inn’s name nodded to the Prince of Wales, others whisper of quiet Jacobite sympathies, how deliciously mysterious!
In the early 18th century, the hotel caught the eye of none other than Jacob Tonson, London’s eminent publisher and friend to Dryden and Milton. We can imagine literary conversations swirling in the air like pipe smoke by the hearth. Later, the hotel was owned by William Baker, a merchant and MP, who gave the exterior a Georgian facelift cloaking its Tudor bones in the height of fashionable brick and plaster.
Then came the coaching era, and the Feathers blossomed into a social hub, post office, market, ballroom and all. There was even a scandalous 1837 New Year’s ball where waltzing, of all things, caused an uproar! By the 20th century, the façade was lovingly peeled back to reveal its original black-and-white glory, like the unveiling of a national treasure.
Today, the Feathers Hotel remains a beacon of hospitality and heritage, an Elizabethan heart beating proudly in this picturesque market town.
Ledbury & The Malvern Hills
Ledbury dazzles with Tudor timber framed charm, the 17th century market hall and poet Elizabeth Barrett Browning. Nestled beneath the Malvern Hills and close to Eastnor Castle, it’s a place where heritage and countryside walk hand in hand.
