VOL. XX. (2) 
FIELD MEETINGS, 1919 
79 
the cross in order to restore it to its original position in the parish churchyard 
have not been successful. 
Charles Showell, Highlands Cottage, Minchinhampton, proposed by 
E. W. Fyfie, seconded by Walter Lucy, 
was elected to membership of the Club. 
BERKELEY MEETING. 
Thursday, August 14th, 1919. 
A large number of Members and visitors met at the station and proceeded 
to the Parish Church, where they were met by the President and the Vicar 
(Rev. H. C. Armour). The former first drew attention to the rather unusual 
position of the Tower (which is some distance from the Church on the north 
side), and explained that according to tradition it was so placed because the 
then Earl of Berkeley objected to its being at the west end of the Church as 
it would overlook the Castle ; but the President did not consider this a very 
probable story, for he pointed out that, as would be seen later, only the 
artizans’ and soldiers’ quarters were on that side of the Castle. 
The fine font and the south door (both late Norman) are the oldest parts 
of the Church, it having been practically rebuilt about 1.260. The stone 
screen was unfortunately much altered by Sir Gilbert Scott. Attention was 
directed to the beautiful sculptured capitals of the nave arcades, the “ Doom ” 
over the chancel arch, and the Sedile at the end of the south aisle. 
BERKELEY CASTLE. 
By the President. 
The story of the royal manor of Berkeley, apart from the Saxon monastery 
(which evidently was broken up in the Confessor’s reign through the violence 
of Earl Godwin and his sons, and was situated probably in the Parish of Hinton, 
yonder, near Sharpness), begins with the Conqueror handing it over (with so 
much else of strategic value), for the policy of mastering of the South Welsh 
and the protection of the Severn, to his powerful minister William Fitz- 
Osbem, whom he created Earl of Hereford. The solid, if small fortress which 
the latter at once raised ( c . 1068-70) was probably at no such distance from 
the river as is the present Castle (one and a half miles), for it was in direct 
military relation with Striguil Castle (or Chepstow) , and must have commanded 
the Severn both up and down for a very special purpose. The royal Vill of 
Berkeley with its church, 1 however, was no doubt where it now is ; and when 
presently it became plundered by William D’Eu and the Bishop of Coutances 
in the rebellion under Rufus (1088), no castle or fortress figured or is even 
mentioned by the chroniclers. King William, his father, together with the 
court, had visited Berkeley in 1080, and perhaps oftener, and he was received 
1 There is a possibly well-founded tradition that this stood nearer to the rebuilt bell tower. 
