History

The Olive Branch has been a restaurant since the 1960’s.It achieved national fame, of a literary sort, when Bill Bryson, in 1992 described it as a ‘pleasant little salad bar restaurant’.
This timber framed building was originally called The Prince Rupert Inn, after a Royalist commanding officer and a cousin of Charles I. He came to Ludlow during the 1642-1646 Civil War. The prosperous landlord of this large inn was a Rice Prickett who together with his wife, provided for the basic needs of townsmen and travellers alike.

The Prince Rupert kept fifteen feather beds ranging from a humble truckle bedstead to one with ‘Blew hangings, rail and tester.’
Pictures abounded forty nine in all. There were eight spits for roasting meat, a toaster for cheese and a roaster for apples.
In the storage room known as The Hose were twenty two candle sticks, twelve chamber pots and forty two pairs of sheets. Outside was provision for the stabling, feeding and harnessing of the travellers’ horses.

Like many innkeepers of the time, Rice Prickett pushed boundaries and in 1727 was called to court for keeping shuffle board tables and for serving drinks during divine service. St.Lawrence was too close to allow this! Rice Prickett died in 1729, leaving possessions amounting to £406 10s 9d.

Today the building is still renowned for hospitality, good wholesome food and drink and an atmosphere of friendly conversation.