A talk by Jane Handoll on 12 May 2026. Report by Stan Morrissey.
Our last talk for the season was a fascinating overview of the history of Berkeley Castle and the family that has continually lived there for the past 800 years, the longest family tenure of a castle in the UK. Jane Handoll, our speaker, has been a guide at the Castle for 20 years and is very familiar with the intricacies of who lived when and did what.
The Romans built a fort on a mound overlooking the Severn, to control river transport to the Forest of Dean. Then the Saxons built a Minster; the present church Is built on its footprint, and excavations have found an early settlement under the Jenner House.
The land belonged to Earl Godwin and was allocated after the Conquest to William FitzOsborn who built a wooden Norman castle in 1087, one of 28 in Gloucestershire. It was then inherited by Roger de Berkeley. Roger supported Stephen in the Anarchy, but Henry II later transferred the property to Robert FitzHarding, a Matilda supporter who, after marrying into the Berkeley family, took their name. After this complex beginning the Berkeleys are still there.
In 1153 a stone shell keep was built, protected by the water meadows. In 1216, King John seized the castle, but it was returned to the Berkeleys when he died soon after. In 1327, following rebellion by his wife Eleanor and her partner Roger Mortimer, King Edward II was imprisoned in the castle, chosen as being far from the country’s centre, and subsequently died rather mysteriously (reputedly with a hot poker in his nether regions but this is not proven). He was buried in Gloucester Abbey, later the Cathedral. Berkeley was let off by Eleanors son, Henry III, and later married into the Mortimer family.
In 1340, the castle was expanded to become a private residence – the Berkeleys were by now a very wealthy and influential family. In 1470, during the Wars of the Roses, came our very own local battle at Nibley Green. In the last private battle between barons in England, William Berkeley fought Thomas Lisle, a neighbouring Baron. William won and Lisle was killed.
In 1492 William died without heirs and cannily left the castle to the Tudors; it was returned to the family later.
Then came the Civil War. George was created 8th Baron Berkeley. He supported the King but also sat in parliament. At this time the castle keep wall was breached during a Parliamentary attack. After the war the castle stayed with the family, but on condition that the breach was not repaired so it was indefensible. Strikingly, it has still not been rebuilt and can be seen today.
In 1697, after the Restoration, the first Earldom of Berkeley was created. John Berkeley bought land in London, now Piccadilly. Then came Berkeley House and, later, Berkeley Square.
Soon after came scandal. Frederick, the 5th Earl, a libertine and womaniser, paired off with Mary Cole, the daughter of a butcher in Gloucester, They had thirteen children. They claimed to have married in 1785, but in an illegal ceremony not recognised by the Church. They had seven children, who were declared illegitimate and married again in 1796. The title and castle went to the first child of this legal marriage, who became the 6th Earl. After several generations the 8th Earl died in 1942 with no heirs and the Earldom died with him. Around then the Berkeley estate was merged with another estate, Spetchley Park near Worcester. There were now two Lord Berkeleys in the House of Lords, Charles at Berkeley and Henry at Spetchley. Although the Earldom could be inherited only through the male line and had died out, the old Barony could be inherited via the female line and has survived.
Through all this the castle continued largely unchanged after a burst of restoration and refurbishment to provide modern amenities. Captain Robert Berkeley inherited in 1969 and his son John opened it to the public in 1956.
It was said that the Berkeleys could travel to London without leaving their own land; maybe an exaggeration but their holdings were expansive and they could hunt over wide areas, including running packs both on the Cotswolds and in the Chilterns; they now have 6500 acres, including many tenancies, but are said to have once had 60,000 acres. Tourists are now big business and the Castle buildings and grounds are well used. A visit is strongly recommended.