Beverston Castle, Including Gazebo and Bridge

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

Legacy

The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.

Legacy System number:

130343

Legacy System:

LBS

Sources

Books and journals
Verey, D, The Buildings of England: Gloucestershire 1 The Cotswolds, (1970)
Country Life in 18 February, Vol. 95, (1944), 288-291
Country Life in 25 February, Vol. 95, (1944), 332-335

End of official list entry

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