Beverston Castle

Beverston Castle stands in the village of Beverston, Gloucestershire, within the Cotswolds National Landscape. Built in 1229 by Maurice de Gaunt, it began as a medieval stone fortress and later became a fortified manor house. The castle occupies a pentagonal plan with later additions, including a quadrangular stronghold and a twin-towered gatehouse. Extensive gardens and medieval ruins surround the surviving structures, while five cottages and a 17th-century seven-bedroom house remain in use. The site includes remnants of a moat and a partial T-shaped ditch from its earliest defences. The castle’s history reflects its strategic importance. In 1140, it was the site of a battle between King Stephen and Empress Matilda during The Anarchy. Maurice de Gaunt built the fortified manor without royal permission, later receiving a licence to crenellate from King Henry III in 1229. The Berkeley family later remodelled the castle in the 14th century, adding a quadrangular stronghold and gatehouse. During the English Civil War, Parliament ordered its slighting, damaging much of the structure. Surviving elements include the western and southern ranges and one D-shaped tower. Visitors find a mix of medieval ruins and later buildings. The massive west range contains a solar above a vaulted undercroft, while two ruined round towers date to the 13th century. The gatehouse, with its intact archway and former portcullis, leads to a first-floor chamber. The southern domestic range, built by the Hicks family in the early 17th century, replaced a medieval great hall. Nearby, an 18th-century bridge and gazebo add to the estate’s layered history. The castle’s blueish limestone, quarried locally, ties it to Calcot Manor and the surrounding landscape.