Save the White Ensign of HMS Ludlow
This year, 2025, marks the 80th anniversary of the Allied victory in World War Two. A triumph for freedom over oppression. For much of that time, the White Ensign of HMS Ludlow has been laid up at St Laurence’s church in Ludlow but before that, the flag ‘sailed’ with the officers and crew of the ship, named after the town, as they protected convoys in the Atlantic and North Sea. The flag is a tangible link to the ship and its crew who, whilst performing their duty for the nation, would not have known each morning, if they would survive to the next. It is also a direct link to the people of Ludlow in war torn Britain. Now, the White Ensign of HMS Ludlow is in a very poor condition; it can be saved but to do so, we need help.
The White Ensign was recognised as being in a poor condition in 2016 when a conservator described the ensign as being “in a very poor condition” and estimating a cost of more than £4,000 to save it. When efforts were made to raise funds for its conservation donations were made towards the £4,000 then needed but due to various circumstances and then Covid, the project was not seen through. Now, in 2025, urgent action is required if the flag is to be saved.
Encouragingly, a National Trust conservator has recently advised the flag can be saved… provided action is taken soon.
We are now likely to need more than £6,000 to conserve and then maintain this and other historic textile artefacts. It may be more but we have to start somewhere, if we are to start at all.
The church building of St Laurence in Ludlow is over 800 years old and presents a mammoth task to maintain. There is no ‘spare cash’ to preserve textiles and thus, in the case of the White Ensign of HMS Ludlow, we must seek help from the public and interested groups.
There are a number of ways to make a donation
By clicking on the button in the banner above which will take you to the Crowd Funding page.
By BACS – Payable to Ludlow PCC. Reference ‘Ensign Appeal’ at CAF Bank Sort Code 405240 Account 00016766.
By cheques payable to Ludlow PCC. Please mark it ‘Ensign Appeal’.
By a contribution placed in a yellow Gift Aid envelope marked ‘Ensign Appeal’ available in St Laurence’s church.
If you are UK taxpayer, providing your name and address with any type of contribution, will allow us to claim Gift Aid from His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs, enhancing your gift by 25% at no extra cost to you.
