Beverston Castle
Encyclopedia
Beverston Castle, also known as Beverstone Castle, was originally constructed as a medieval stone fortress and is situated in the village of Beverston, Gloucestershire
, England
. The castle
was founded in 1229 by Maurice de Gaunt
. Much of the castle is presently in the state of ruin as of 2011, but a portion of the structure is occupied, and an expansive handsome garden is part of the estate. The castle is situated in the centre of Beverston
village, approximately 200 metres north of the A4135 road
transecting Beverston.
. Beverston Castle is situated approximately three kilometres west of the town of Tetbury
and about two kilometres east of the medieval abbey
annex, Calcot Manor
. The castle is situated in the Cotswolds
, a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty
(AONB), which is an area of countryside with significant landscape value in England
, Wales
or Northern Ireland
, that has been specially designated by the Countryside Agency
.
Early Roman
remains have been found in the near vicinity at Calcot Manor
, indicating habitation of this area as early as the 5th century, although it is likely that earlier Iron Age
peoples would have also been in this locale. Historically in medieval times the site is known as Beverstone, but in the earlier Middle Ages
it was called Beverstane. Another early label for this site was Bureston, derived from the large number of blue stones found here.
The site itself is known to have been the location of an important circa 1140 AD battle between the opposing English armies of King Stephen
and Empress Matilda
http://homepage.mac.com/philipdavis/Indexs/EngCounty/Gloucestershire.html. Apparently Maurice de Gaunt constructed the original castle somewhat prior to 1229 without a royal licence, but was granted a licence for the purpose of adding crenellation. This early castle was fortified by a T-shaped ditch, part of which is still intact in the appearance of a partial moat
on the south side of the castle. In the early 14th century, Thomas, Lord Berkeley
, the rich (1293–1361), modified Beverston Castle, erecting a small quadrangular stronghold, with a twin-towered gatehouse
. A smaller square tower was added in the late 15th century.
In the 16th century, it is known that Sir Michael Hicks (son of from London and Julia Arthur) owned Beverston Castle and passed the Beverston holding to his son Sir William Hicks, 1st Bart of Beverston. The estate remained in the Hicks family through at least the early 19th century. From military outfall of the Civil War (mid-seventeenth century), much of Beverston Castle was destroyed. Roundhead forces attacked the castle twice during the Civil War, but the greatest blow may have been an order from Parliament to dismantle its defensive works. The western and southern ranges along with the gatehouse with one of its original D-shaped towers have survived.
above a vaulted undercroft
. The pentagon-shaped masonry
castle has two surviving, albeit ruined, round towers from the original 13th-century construction of de Gaunt. The dressed bluish limestone
appears to be of the same quarry
source as nearby Calcot Manor. The two-storey gatehouse, with one extant D-shaped tower, was added by Lord Berkeley in the 1350–1360 era. The gatehouse arch
, totally intact as of 2006, would have originally been protected by an immense portcullis
. Above the archway was a sizable first floor (second story in American vernacular) chamber
. The ruined northwest square tower dates to the 14th century (Lord Berkeley's work), further modified in the late 15th century.
The southern domestic range, occupied as of 2006, was built by the Hicks family in the early 17th century, reflecting an age of growing security for large manor houses. This range was originally occupied by a medieval great hall
from either the de Gaunt or Berkeley era. In the year 1691 a fire damaged this southern range, which was restored soon thereafter.
. The gardens are considered a good site for viewing orchids. The southern entrance to the castle is by way of a bridge over the vestigial moat. Vehicle access to the north side of the castle is through the ancient gatehouse arch.
Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire is a county in South West England. The county comprises part of the Cotswold Hills, part of the flat fertile valley of the River Severn, and the entire Forest of Dean....
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. The castle
Castle
A castle is a type of fortified structure built in Europe and the Middle East during the Middle Ages by European nobility. Scholars debate the scope of the word castle, but usually consider it to be the private fortified residence of a lord or noble...
was founded in 1229 by Maurice de Gaunt
Maurice de Gaunt
Maurice de Gaunt was the founder of Beverston Castle in Gloucestershire, England. He began the construction circa 1225 without royal licence, and completed the project in 1229 with the granting of a licence for the final crenellation. Beverston Castle was further enlarged in the mid...
. Much of the castle is presently in the state of ruin as of 2011, but a portion of the structure is occupied, and an expansive handsome garden is part of the estate. The castle is situated in the centre of Beverston
Beverston
Beverston is a village and civil parish in the Cotswold district of Gloucestershire, England. According to the 2001 census it had a population of 132. The village is about two miles west of Tetbury. Beverston is an example of a typical unaltered Gloucestershire Cotswold village...
village, approximately 200 metres north of the A4135 road
A4135 road
The A4135 road is a road in Gloucestershire connecting the town of Tetbury with the M5 motorway and the A38 road to the west, passing through Beverston, Dursley and Cam en route to Slimbridge,...
transecting Beverston.
Description
The original castle design was in an approximately pentagonal form; later in the early 14th century, a small quadrangular stronghold was added along with a twin-towered gatehouseGatehouse
A gatehouse, in architectural terminology, is a building enclosing or accompanying a gateway for a castle, manor house, fort, town or similar buildings of importance.-History:...
. Beverston Castle is situated approximately three kilometres west of the town of Tetbury
Tetbury
Tetbury is a town and civil parish within the Cotswold district of Gloucestershire, England. It lies on the site of an ancient hill fort, on which an Anglo-Saxon monastery was founded, probably by Ine of Wessex, in 681. The population of the parish was 5,250 in the 2001 census.In the Middle Ages,...
and about two kilometres east of the medieval abbey
Abbey
An abbey is a Catholic monastery or convent, under the authority of an Abbot or an Abbess, who serves as the spiritual father or mother of the community.The term can also refer to an establishment which has long ceased to function as an abbey,...
annex, Calcot Manor
Calcot Manor
Calcot Manor is a historic building 3 miles west of Tetbury, Gloucestershire, England, near the junction of the A46 and A4135 roads . The original building was established in approximately 1300 AD by Henry of Kingswood as a tithe barn annex of Kingswood Abbey. The estate was expanded to include...
. The castle is situated in the Cotswolds
Cotswolds
The Cotswolds are a range of hills in west-central England, sometimes called the Heart of England, an area across and long. The area has been designated as the Cotswold Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty...
, a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty
Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty
An Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty is an area of countryside considered to have significant landscape value in England, Wales or Northern Ireland, that has been specially designated by the Countryside Agency on behalf of the United Kingdom government; the Countryside Council for Wales on...
(AONB), which is an area of countryside with significant landscape value in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
or Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
, that has been specially designated by the Countryside Agency
Countryside Agency
The Countryside Agency in England was a statutory body set up in 1999 with the task of improving the quality of the rural environment and the lives of those living in it. The Agency was formed by merging the Countryside Commission and the Rural Development Commission...
.
History
Ancient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
remains have been found in the near vicinity at Calcot Manor
Calcot Manor
Calcot Manor is a historic building 3 miles west of Tetbury, Gloucestershire, England, near the junction of the A46 and A4135 roads . The original building was established in approximately 1300 AD by Henry of Kingswood as a tithe barn annex of Kingswood Abbey. The estate was expanded to include...
, indicating habitation of this area as early as the 5th century, although it is likely that earlier Iron Age
Iron Age
The Iron Age is the archaeological period generally occurring after the Bronze Age, marked by the prevalent use of iron. The early period of the age is characterized by the widespread use of iron or steel. The adoption of such material coincided with other changes in society, including differing...
peoples would have also been in this locale. Historically in medieval times the site is known as Beverstone, but in the earlier Middle Ages
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
it was called Beverstane. Another early label for this site was Bureston, derived from the large number of blue stones found here.
The site itself is known to have been the location of an important circa 1140 AD battle between the opposing English armies of King Stephen
Stephen of England
Stephen , often referred to as Stephen of Blois , was a grandson of William the Conqueror. He was King of England from 1135 to his death, and also the Count of Boulogne by right of his wife. Stephen's reign was marked by the Anarchy, a civil war with his cousin and rival, the Empress Matilda...
and Empress Matilda
Empress Matilda
Empress Matilda , also known as Matilda of England or Maude, was the daughter and heir of King Henry I of England. Matilda and her younger brother, William Adelin, were the only legitimate children of King Henry to survive to adulthood...
http://homepage.mac.com/philipdavis/Indexs/EngCounty/Gloucestershire.html. Apparently Maurice de Gaunt constructed the original castle somewhat prior to 1229 without a royal licence, but was granted a licence for the purpose of adding crenellation. This early castle was fortified by a T-shaped ditch, part of which is still intact in the appearance of a partial moat
Moat
A moat is a deep, broad ditch, either dry or filled with water, that surrounds a castle, other building or town, historically to provide it with a preliminary line of defence. In some places moats evolved into more extensive water defences, including natural or artificial lakes, dams and sluices...
on the south side of the castle. In the early 14th century, Thomas, Lord Berkeley
Thomas de Berkeley, 3rd Baron Berkeley
Thomas de Berkeley , aka Thomas the Rich, was an English baron and the custodian of the Berkeley Castle.He was the son of Maurice de Berkeley, 2nd Baron Berkeley and Eve la Zouche.-Edward II:...
, the rich (1293–1361), modified Beverston Castle, erecting a small quadrangular stronghold, with a twin-towered gatehouse
Gatehouse
A gatehouse, in architectural terminology, is a building enclosing or accompanying a gateway for a castle, manor house, fort, town or similar buildings of importance.-History:...
. A smaller square tower was added in the late 15th century.
In the 16th century, it is known that Sir Michael Hicks (son of from London and Julia Arthur) owned Beverston Castle and passed the Beverston holding to his son Sir William Hicks, 1st Bart of Beverston. The estate remained in the Hicks family through at least the early 19th century. From military outfall of the Civil War (mid-seventeenth century), much of Beverston Castle was destroyed. Roundhead forces attacked the castle twice during the Civil War, but the greatest blow may have been an order from Parliament to dismantle its defensive works. The western and southern ranges along with the gatehouse with one of its original D-shaped towers have survived.
Architecture
The massive extant west range of Beverston Castle is flanked on its angles with square towers, and it contains a solarSolar (room)
The solar was a room in many English and French medieval manor houses, great houses and castles, generally situated on an upper storey, designed as the family's private living and sleeping quarters...
above a vaulted undercroft
Undercroft
An undercroft is traditionally a cellar or storage room, often brick-lined and vaulted, and used for storage in buildings since medieval times. In modern usage, an undercroft is generally a ground area which is relatively open to the sides, but covered by the building above.- History :While some...
. The pentagon-shaped masonry
Masonry
Masonry is the building of structures from individual units laid in and bound together by mortar; the term masonry can also refer to the units themselves. The common materials of masonry construction are brick, stone, marble, granite, travertine, limestone; concrete block, glass block, stucco, and...
castle has two surviving, albeit ruined, round towers from the original 13th-century construction of de Gaunt. The dressed bluish limestone
Limestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
appears to be of the same quarry
Quarry
A quarry is a type of open-pit mine from which rock or minerals are extracted. Quarries are generally used for extracting building materials, such as dimension stone, construction aggregate, riprap, sand, and gravel. They are often collocated with concrete and asphalt plants due to the requirement...
source as nearby Calcot Manor. The two-storey gatehouse, with one extant D-shaped tower, was added by Lord Berkeley in the 1350–1360 era. The gatehouse arch
Arch
An arch is a structure that spans a space and supports a load. Arches appeared as early as the 2nd millennium BC in Mesopotamian brick architecture and their systematic use started with the Ancient Romans who were the first to apply the technique to a wide range of structures.-Technical aspects:The...
, totally intact as of 2006, would have originally been protected by an immense portcullis
Portcullis
A portcullis is a latticed grille made of wood, metal, fibreglass or a combination of the three. Portcullises fortified the entrances to many medieval castles, acting as a last line of defence during time of attack or siege...
. Above the archway was a sizable first floor (second story in American vernacular) chamber
Room
A room is any distinguishable space within a structure.Room may also refer to:* Room , by Emma Donoghue* Room, Nepal* Room for PlayStation Portable, a social networking service* Thomas Gerald Room , Australian mathematician...
. The ruined northwest square tower dates to the 14th century (Lord Berkeley's work), further modified in the late 15th century.
The southern domestic range, occupied as of 2006, was built by the Hicks family in the early 17th century, reflecting an age of growing security for large manor houses. This range was originally occupied by a medieval great hall
Great hall
A great hall is the main room of a royal palace, nobleman's castle or a large manor house in the Middle Ages, and in the country houses of the 16th and early 17th centuries. At that time the word great simply meant big, and had not acquired its modern connotations of excellence...
from either the de Gaunt or Berkeley era. In the year 1691 a fire damaged this southern range, which was restored soon thereafter.
Present aspect
As of the year 2006, Beverston Castle is in private ownership. The ancient moat has been incorporated into the expansive and well-cared-for gardenGarden
A garden is a planned space, usually outdoors, set aside for the display, cultivation, and enjoyment of plants and other forms of nature. The garden can incorporate both natural and man-made materials. The most common form today is known as a residential garden, but the term garden has...
. The gardens are considered a good site for viewing orchids. The southern entrance to the castle is by way of a bridge over the vestigial moat. Vehicle access to the north side of the castle is through the ancient gatehouse arch.
See also
- Castles in Great Britain and Ireland
- List of castles in England
- Calcot ManorCalcot ManorCalcot Manor is a historic building 3 miles west of Tetbury, Gloucestershire, England, near the junction of the A46 and A4135 roads . The original building was established in approximately 1300 AD by Henry of Kingswood as a tithe barn annex of Kingswood Abbey. The estate was expanded to include...