HER 112 DESCRIPTION:-

Scheduled Monument Description:-

The monument includes a quadrangular castle set on level ground 50m south of St Mary's Church at Beverston, in an area of the Cotswold Hills. The castle includes medieval, post-medieval and modern components and is partially occupied. Some areas of the castle survive largely in their original medieval form, while others are now occupied by more recent structures. Those parts of the castle which survive as upstanding masonry are Listed Grade I.

The western wing which remains unoccupied constitutes the best surviving section of the original castle. This survives as a three storey building attached to a rectangular corner tower at each end. The southern range is now largely occupied by an 18th century house, built of rubble with a Cotswold stone roof, while in the east the only upstanding remains are those of the gatehouse. The former northern wing has been replaced by modern structures. The monument has a well recorded history of construction. The earliest surviving parts of the castle relate to the fortifications developed by Maurice de Gaunt who purchased the site in around 1225; by c.1229 a roughly pentagonal castle had been constructed without license. This structure was associated with round towers and a twin tower gatehouse. In 1873 the footings of a circular tower 8m in diameter were uncovered within the rectory garden outside the moat on the western side of the monument. These have not been located precisely, but are likely to relate to the fortifications of the early castle.

In 1330 Thomas Lord Berkeley is known to have purchased the site and redeveloped its fortifications. This period witnessed the addition of a large square south western tower with a vaulted basement and an integral chapel, together with the associated domestic block and the eastern gatehouse. The surrounding ditch was constructed during this period and there was an external drawbridge leading to the gatehouse. The smaller north western tower is, likely to have been constructed during the 15th century.

The redevelopment of the castle was completed during the 15th century and it eventually took a quadrangular form, with four corner towers, a barbican and a gatehouse arranged around a central courtyard and surrounded by an external ditch. The courtyard survives as an open area to the west of the gatehouse with dimensions of 28m by 15m. The surrounding ditch remains visible on the western and southern sides of the monument. On the western side the ditch is an earthwork 10m wide and up to c.4m deep and on the southern side it is visible as a terrace within a landscaped garden. Elsewhere the ditch has become infilled, although it survives as a buried feature c.10m wide.

The house which now occupies the southern range of the castle dates to around 1791. This overlies the site of the former 13th century hall which was destroyed by fire during the early 17th century and itself replaced by another farmhouse also destroyed by fire prior to 1791.

The castle does not occupy a particularly good defensive position and is likely to have been of strategic importance because of its proximity to the main Bristol to Gloucester road which lies c.100m to the south. The site was twice besieged in 1664, during the Civil War, before being taken by the Parliamentarians.

The structures comprising the western area of the castle, including the towers and the intermediate domestic block which are Listed Grade I, are included. All structures which are permanently occupied are excluded from the scheduling. These include the structure adjacent to the eastern side of the castle building and the structures to the north and south of the central courtyard; the underlying ground is, however, included. The metalled surfaces in the courtyard are also excluded, as is the footbridge, although the underlying round is included. {Source Work 2873.}

Listed Building Description:

BEVERSTON BEVERSTON VILLAGE ST 8693 13/28 Beverston Castle, including gazebo and bridge I 06/09/54

Ruined castle, and house adjoining, with small gazebo on south side on edge of moat with bridge. Castle built as fortified manor house c1225 by Maurice de Gaunt, enlarged c1350/60 by Thomas 3rd Lord of Berkeley including gatehouse, north west tower altered in C15, domestic range on south side added by Hicks family probably in early C17 on site of a former Great Hall and remodeled c1691 after a fire. Bridge and (possibly) gazebo of C18. Random rubble stone, partly dressed, stone slate roofs, large stone stacks including external stack, and lateral stack with 3 diagonally set square flues with moulded cornice, both on north side, and square stone flue from C16 fireplaces in west range, originally probably with decorative cap. Probably originally a rectangular courtyard with corner drum towers and moat, of which only west and south side remain, with additional outer moat now blocked in. West range only remains from C13 structure, with 4-bay chamfered quadripartite rib vault undercroft, originally with single great chamber above now with blocked windows to west and partial remains of inner corner stair towers. South-west corner greatly altered by Thomas Berkeley and new embattled tower added with chapel on first floor, chamber above with squints into adjoining private oratory formerly with rose window now filled in around single stone framed light and slightly later circular stair tower with some of original wood newel stair still surviving. Chapel has fine tierceron vault with carved stone bosses, pair of richly carved sedilia with crocketed ogee arches and pinnacles, trefoil piscina with credence shelf, and fragments of coloured plaster. Traceried remains of east window match east window in nearby Church of St Mary (q.v.). North west tower formed into square probably in C15 with chambers on each upper floor having fireplace and garderobe. Third storey added over great chamber in C15 or C16 and large moulded fireplaces inserted, the upper one now above the existing roof level. C20 lean-to kitchen on inner side of west range with arched openings into undercroft. South range of 2 storeys and attic with hipped east end, on chamfered plinth, 9 windows, 2-light stone mullions and transoms with deep hollow moulding but with 2 bays to left having wide flat section to mullion and transom and shallower hollow moulding. Continuous dripmould over similar ground floor, with ovolo moulded Tudor archway in bay 6 and C20 glazed door. Two end windows to right on ground floor have been lengthened, second one from end above is blind. All windows leaded casements, and relieving arches to all ground floor windows. Interior of south range has large early C17 chamfered stone fireplace in external stack, chamfered and stopped beams on ground floor, large 3-tier oak newel framed stair with flat newel posts, moulded wide handrail and widely spaced turned balusters, and timber-framed attic storey. Small square gazebo at west end of south terrace, with access below into moat, of rubble stone with pyramidal stone slate roof with ball finial. Small window to south and blocked to east, C20 door on north side into single small room. Bridge from south terrace across moat in thin coursed stone with central almost ogee pointed arch, about one metre wide pathway with flanking iron balustrades. The castle was besieged twice in 1644 and much damaged. Ancient Monument, Gloucestershire 75. (Country Life, Vol 95, 1944, 2 articles by Christopher Hussey; David Verey, Buildings of England - Gloucestershire: the Cotswolds, 1979). Listing NGR: ST 86162 93949. {Source Work 2386.}

1899 - A description of the castle in 1899 is given in volume XXII of the Transactions of the Bristol and Gloucestershire Archaeological Society after members visited in May during their Spring meeting {Source Work 2720.}

Beverstone Castle, built c.1225, was added to in about 1360. There is a 14th century chapel in the south western tower. The foundations of a circular tower 8m in diameter were discovered in 1873 in the rectory garden, outside the castle moat. {Source Work 862.} Beverston Castle stands three stories high and is in a good state of preservation. {Source Work 862.}

Castle was probably originally quadrangular. The west range and a 14th century gatehouse survive. Various alterations in domestic accommodation in 14th century. Several notable features in chapel. Minor alterations in 16th and 17th century. Barn is dated to the 14th century, is made of stone, has five bays and is to E of the house {Source Works 290, 2721, 2976, 902.}

Chance find at the castle of a gold slater of "British Rennic" type is now lost {Source Works 92, 902.}

Medieval floor tiles at Beverstone Castle, private collection, not on view. {Source Work 2202.}

The paper record refers to an article by J Thompson in Archaeological Journal, 1932, Vol 87, p453-455. This reference could not be located. {Pers comm A Morris 24/09/2003.}

Cambridge AP cover {Source Works 3149, 3344}:-

Print 52 - Church and castle from south,

Print 53 - 4 - Church and castle south and southwest (Print 54 close up)

Print 70 - 1 - Beverstone village, view from north. No earthworks visible.

72 - Village from west.

73 - Castle and church. Castle Farm and Pilgrim's Farm, near vertical {pers comm S Brown}

Quotes from Source Work 8645:

Ordered, That the Town of Malmesbury, and the Castle of Beverston, as to the Government of them, shall be left wholly to the Disposal of Colonel of Massie. {pp. 511-13}

Quotes from Source Work 8644:

Resolved, &c. That the Garisons of Barkley, Sudeley, Beverston-Castle, Teuxbury, and Leechlade, in the County .. Gloucester, be presently slighted; and the Officers and Soldiers in them disbanded or reduced: And that this be effectually and speedily done. {pp. 628-29.}

Resolved, &c. That the Works and Gates, and some Part of the Walls, about the Castles of Berckley, Sudley, and Beverstone, be slighted and thrown down; that an Enemy, upon a sudden Surprize, may not take any Advantage thereby: It is not intended, notwithstanding, that any of the Buildings or Lodgings of the Houses be defaced thereby. {pp. 628-29.}

Resolved, &c. That the Works and Gates, and some Part of the Walls, about the Castles of Berckley, Sudley, and Beverstone, be slighted and thrown down; that an Enemy, upon a sudden Surprize, may not take any Advantage thereby: It is not intended, notwithstanding, that any of the Buildings or Lodgings of the Houses be defaced thereby. {pp. 628-29}

"Resolved, &c. That the Works and Gates, and some Part of the Walls, about the Castles of Berckley, Sudley, and Beverstone, be slighted and thrown down; that an Enemy, upon a sudden Surprize, may not take any Advantage thereby: It is not intended, notwithstanding, that any of the Buildings or Lodgings of the Houses be defaced thereby." {pp. 628-29}

2019 - This monument incorporates one for an archaeological findspot previously recorded within the Historic England National Record of the Historic Environment. That record, formerly held within the AMIE database, is quoted below:

Historic England UI - 209147, NMR - ST 89 SE 18 "(ST 861939) An uninscribed Dobunnic gold stater of the triple-tailed horse type (Evans type B.10: Mack 59) was found at Beverstone Castle. (1-2) " {Source Work 4249.}

Historic England UI - 209116, NMR - ST 89 SE 5