252 PROCEEDINGS OF THE COTTESWOLD CLUB 



Beverstone formed part of the Royal Manor of Berkeley 

 which was Crown land at the Conquest, and was granted 

 by the Conqueror to Roger de Berkeley of Dursley. 



The Berkeleys having got into trouble in the wars 

 between Stephen and Matilda, the property was granted 

 by Henry II. on his accession, in 1 154, to one Robert 

 Fitzhardinge, son of a Bristol worthy ; and Robert was 

 born in Bristol. 



The Manor passed to the 3rd son of Robert Fitzhard- 

 inge, who took the name of de Wearr, from a manor he 

 held in Somersetshire, and then to his son Maurice, who 

 assumed his mother's name of de Gaunt, and to him is 

 ascribed the building of the Castle of Beverstone in 1225. 

 There would appear, however, to have been great doubts 

 as to his loyalty and intentions ; and he was taken to 

 " task " for having fortified his Castle without Royal 

 permission. 



He seems to have overcome the difficulty, and to have 

 been allowed to complete the work; and Bigland says : "it 

 " then became a military fortress, and was probably much 

 " dilapidated during the Barons' wars." Blunt says : "the 

 " lower parts of the Castle are all of this date, massive 

 " Norman piers and groining still remaining in a perfect 

 " condition, with external walls many feet in thickness." 

 But nearly all appears to me to be of later date. 



Maurice de Gaunt was succeeded by his nephew, de 

 Gournay, and he again by his son, Anselm, and the latter 

 by his son, John, v,'hose daughter and heiress married 

 John Ap Adam : and their son, Thomas, sold Beverstone 

 to the 8th Lord Berkeley, in 1331, who is said to have 

 reconstructed the Castle, without however destroying all 

 the work of his predecessors. 



The necessity for reconstruction is explained by Big- 

 land's note as to the dilapidations during the Barons' wars. 



There is a curious point connected with this recon- 

 struction ; the funds are said to have come from the 



