Details
BEVERSTON BEVERSTON VILLAGE
ST 8693
13/28 Beverston Castle, including
gazebo and bridge
6.9.54
I
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 remodelled 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: ST8616293949
