PROCEEDINGS OF THE COTTESWOLD CLUB 251 



Had time permitted, I would have taken a plan myself; 

 but to j)lot such a structure as this with fair accuracy, and 

 to lay down the probable lines of the parts which have 

 wholly or partially disappeared is a considerable undertak- 

 ing, and one needing much careful research. I have only 

 a rough sketch plan for reference. 



For the following notes I am mainly indebted to Big- 

 land and other known authorities. 



The place does not appear to have been known in 

 history until " Earl God wine and his patriot host," 

 marched from here to Gloucester to meet Eustace of 

 Boulogne "in the autumn of 1051." Godwin did not 

 actually reach Gloucester, so it is said, and the difficulty 

 was got over, and Godwin reinstated in his position ; but 

 Sweyne, his son, was outlawed, and died at Beverstone, 

 which they are stated to have seized : it appears in Domes- 

 day Book in 1086 as crown property. 



There seems to be a doubt as to whether any Castle 

 actually existed here in 105 1, though Rudder says "some 

 " accounts expressly say that they (the Godwine's) seized 

 " upon the Castle of Beverstone ; " but he does not state 

 whence this information comes. 



It seems probable that there may have been a strong- 

 hold here before the present one ; and Blunt calls attention 

 to the fact that " the base of a circular towxr of solid 

 " rubble masonry, 24 feet in diameter, was discovered in 

 " 1873 in the Rectory kitchen garden, opposite the west 

 " fiice of the great tower of the Castle, and 37 yards dis- 



" tant from it and some large chamfered 



" stones were also found under the Rectory lawn, and 

 " their position seemed to indicate the presence of a gate 

 " of similar age." 



Could these have been the remains of an earlier build- 

 ing, or were they outlying defences of the present 

 structure ? 



