The castle, the palace of the Prince of Wales, in right of his principality, is now entirely in ruins, except Mortimer’s tower, which was repaired by Sir Henry Sidney, during his presidency: it is now inhabited by an old servant of Lord Powis’s, a very civil and intelligent man, who related, with the utmost concern, the sad vicissitudes this castle had experienced; he insisted on our entering the tower of his habitation, and ascending the crumbling stairs, for a full display of the various beauties in the vicinity of Ludlow, he expatiated much on a valuable diamond ring, which he had discovered _himself_, when attempting to drain a cellar; the inscription of Hebrew characters, round the gold, within the ring, was interpreted by the _larned_, “A good heart;” this, and several coins of silver and gold, which were found at the same time, are now in the possession of Lord Powis: near the same spot, a number of skeletons were likewise dug up. He next conducted us to a small room in this tower, to observe an old stone placed over the fire-place, with a cross; the letters W. S. and the date 1575, engraven on it. Over the South-east gateway, leading into the interior of the castle, are the arms of Elizabeth, Queen of England, and beneath, those of the Sydney family, with the following inscription: HOMINIBUS INGRATIS LOQUIMINI LAPIDES—ANN, REGNI REGINÆ ELIZABETHAE 23.—THE 28 YEAR COPLET OF THE RESIDENCE OF SYR HENRY SYDNEY KNIGHT OF THE MOST NOBLE ORDER OF THE GARTER, 1581.