Ludlow is a small historic trading town whose city leaders in 1857 thought it should have a Crimean Trophy, but is first contender for arms in Marche region . it appears not to have been Ludlow but Hereford, June 20, 1857, in an article in The Hereford Times asking:

Why shouldn't Hereford, metropolis that did so much for Crimean army and whose heroic sons now sleep on this war-torn peninsula, be awarded a trophy?

We don't really understand "why", and respected mayor thinks so too. He therefore made a declaration to that effect to Lord Panmurray, and his lord, by complying with demands, implied that he relied on public spirit and wisdom of people of Hereford that these captured weapons would be duly set up and carefully preserved.

Hence subscription was opened to pay for installation, town clerk is registered and any donations received from citizens are used to store trophies, and it is calculated that if Great Western Railway transports guns from London to Hershey for free. Rifford came to locate city and company was able to cover all costs for about £25, as elsewhere.

August 21, 1857, shops of Hereford were closed for half a week as a civic procession led by mayor, local councilors and aldermen moved from town hall to railway station to collect newly arrived trophies.

From there, to music of Herefordshire militia band, they marched through town and down Castle Green, where 'thousands' watched as cannons were set up 'in south-east corner of Green, with muzzles pointed at Castle 'Mill Garden and River'.

As a festive ceremony, only three shots were fired. This lack of enthusiasm for celebration disappointed viewers. This was followed by release of a "very elegant and well-made" tricolor balloon. Later, nobility of city Gathered in Council Hall for a festive dinner.

This event was published almost a full page in Hereford Times, including a poem written for occasion, and many other Crimean winning cities in other parts of country celebrated with similar pomp and circumstance. Rituals mark their arrival.

Other local towns of March followed example of Hereford, Leominster received Crimean gun, as did Wrexham and Monmouth.

The hopes of those who did not acquire guns, however, were not met: a letter to Hereford Times lamented that Brecon, although garrisoning city, had not yet sought its own trophy, and stated that it would. , but to no avail.

About same time, Shrewsbury Chronicle, indignant at lack of cannons in Shrewsbury, noted that it was "somewhat surprised that, although other cities received cannons, easily acquired in later stages of Crimean War, city authorities did not did nothing to provide a similar trophy from such eminent people of Shropshire."

In fact, neither Shropshire Regiment was part of Crimean "Eastern Regiment", nor Shrewsbury received cannons.

However, honor of these people from Shropshire in Black Sea was saved by Bridgnorth and Ludlow, who did this, and in Ludlow, Mayor Francis Richard Southorn took initiative to apply for Russian trophy from Ministry of Army: a positive answer was announced to Ludlow City Council on August 6, 1857 .

The councilors "unanimously agreed that council approved course of mayor, who accepted gift on behalf of residents and treated him with care and protection he deserved. Pay for its installation and maintenance.

Meanwhile, former mayor, Mr. Valentine, and stationmaster, Mr. Allen, persuaded Shrewsbury and Hereford Railway to "deliver guns from Croydon to Ludlow free of charge."

The patriotic decision of railway company was largely in line with what was done in other countries of country, but then owner of company, railway entrepreneur Thomas Brassey, played a major role in construction of Eastern Building in Crimea. fact that it is main contractor for Crimean Railway may have contributed to this decision.

November 25, 1857, Edward Shrewsbury's journal reported that Ludlow's gun, "that great national trophy of valour," weighing two tons, was struck at one o'clock last Saturday afternoon. Arrival in city and transportation by freight train.

"Many people came to space station wanting to see mighty machine of destruction..." Unlike Hereford, Ludlow's council doesn't seem to consider cannon's arrival a cause for lavish celebration, but question of where to put it has sparked much discussion .

The decision was initially delayed to allow consultations on "other interests" and then city council "decided to make space on castle walk south of castle entrance available as same site for Russian arms subscribers. ".

However, three weeks after arriving at Ludlow, gun was "carried from station by two strong horses and displayed in market place."

This initial placement seemed to hamper market, and in February 1858 committee made another decision to "displace Russian artillery from its present position and place it on previously proposed castle walk." Two months later, artillery acquired in Russia was officially handed over.

According to Hereford Daily, at "the western end of Castle Street, near Castle Walk" "is raised a solid stone platform on which guns are mounted, surrounded by an iron fence and connected to an ornamental fence." ropes from six standard or iron poles with a cannonball on them.

The Wall Street Journal opined that position of cannon facing market was "perhaps most ideal location one could have chosen" and cannon has remained there ever since.

If leading citizens of Brecon and Shrewsbury were not inspired by search for an official trophy, what motivated Ludlow? The answer can be found in local politics.

Ludlow is a typical "pocket town" with two seats in council, which for a long time was dominated by Earl of Powis, one of whose members was a hero of Crimean conflict.

Lt. Col. Percy Egerton Herbert, second son of 2nd Earl of Powys and grandson of Robert Clive (India), also known as "Hellfire Herbert", made a very good war.

For his services in Crimea, Herbert became a full colonel, aide-de-camp to Queen Victoria, a Commander of Order of Bath (CB) and received additional awards from governments of Turkey, Sardinia and France.

In line with Codrington's suggestion that senior officers should have their own Russian booty, he also owns a small captured cannon now on display in courtyard of Powys Castle.

After returning from Crimea, Herbert was warmly welcomed by public with a procession accompanied by artillery fire and militia, on August 6, 1856, upon arrival at nearby castle of Powis in Welshpool band, and a public dinner was given, followed by dancing and supper two days later.

Not to be outdone, Ludlow organized a procession on August 23 in a "balaclava tent" on greenery of castle through decorated streets to luxurious déjeuner.

The cannon was brought from Burlington, near Lord Rodney's estate, and Herbert was presented with a jeweled souvenir sword, specially made and paid for by subscription (now on display at Powys Castle); in a speech, Earl of Powys delivered an acceptance speech.

"Patriotic indulgence granted to my brother (Herbert as Ludlow's councilor) by citizens and earls of Ludlow so that he may serve his country in Crimea, let's raise our glasses together, I. They should be grateful for their wise understanding of what a soldier could have served at that time, and having decided after all sorts of combat that Sevastopol is better than Westminster, salute this great moment.”

The holiday ended with music and dancing.

Following these "bright examples", in September, Shrewsbury held an equally elaborate "demonstration" for returning heroes and local Crimean officers: another parade and public subscription to fireworks launch uniform were completed, and Herbert was also respected by other cities of Marki from -for his own accomplishments.

The following spring, in April 1857, four months before Ludlow City Council approved mayor's application to Lord Panmore, a general election was held for council.

The two candidates for Ludlow (no opposition) were Herbert and local coal magnate Beria Butterfield. At a formal nomination meeting chaired by mayor at end of March, Herbert in Kerry Mia's distinguished service is a big topic: mayor has done a lot for it, and Butterfield has nothing but praise for courage of his colleagues.

Thus, Crimean theme remains important in local civic discourse, and although there is no direct evidence, Herbert's aristocratic presence as one of Ludlow's newly elected MPs and his impressive military record prompt Mayor Ludlow to seek a Crimean trophy for city. .

While most contemporary references indicate that public and population supported new Ludlow monument, not everyone agreed, and in 1860 travel book All Round Wrekin appeared in Shropshire.

Visiting Ludlow, writer Walter White is outraged that he considers Russian artillery in bad taste:

The main entrance to castle is an arched portal, and in front of it stands one of stupid trophies of Sevastopol - a Russian tool that does not produce any picturesque effect.

It seems to me a mistake to scatter these outrages on ground, calluses on eye in quiet streets of provincial towns, as I read in various books that Greeks put wooden trophies instead of former food trophy gun, this is already a change, I think memory of such quarrels is not will last a long time.

White actually echoes Panmore's point above that "to show fruits of our conquest" means "to keep plagues of war alive after healing hand of world has been applied."

But Pan Murray clearly understood better than White that firearms boosted morale of a society after a chaotic and bloody war and reflected Victorian nationalist patriotism.

Crimean captured guns remained throughout 19th century, and after First World War, similar trophies from captured German artillery pieces were returned to many English cities: Ludlow acquired a German field gun, which was placed in Walker Castle, like its Russian predecessor.

During Second World War, many Crimean guns fell victim to state collection of scrap metal, Bath, Cheltenham, Derby, Glasgow, Lichfield, Portsmouth, Woottonbass. So Crimean trophy of a special place was lost.

The prize guns of Hereford, Leominster, Bridgnorth and Wrexham suffered same fate.

Ludlow also answered call to contribute to national rescue effort, but decided not to sacrifice his Russian cannon, general committee of Ludlow Council decided that German guns and other surplus metal objects should be disposed of, which was done. , Crimean cannon was not mentioned in report on the rescue program.