Where is Berkeley Castle?

Berkeley Castle is in Gloucestershire, the West Midlands, United Kingdom (postcode GL13 9BQ), in the parish of Berkeley.

How do I get to Berkeley Castle?

The nearest railway station is Lydney, about 5.8 km away. Drivers can use postcode GL13 9BQ.

Is Berkeley Castle a listed building?

Berkeley Castle is officially recognised as Grade I listed building listed.

Is Berkeley Castle a protected site?

Yes — Berkeley Castle is part of the Severn Estuary SSSI Site of Special Scientific Interest and the Severn Estuary Ramsar wetland.

Does Berkeley Castle charge admission?

Berkeley Castle typically charges admission. Check the official site for current ticket prices and opening hours.

How do I get to Berkeley Castle?

The nearest railway station is Lydney, about 5.8 km away. Drivers can navigate to postcode GL13 9BQ.

Castles · South West England

Berkeley Castle

Also known as: Castell Berkeley, Caisleán Berkeley

In or near Sharpness.

Norman & medievalPaid admission♿ Wheelchair: limited★ 4.7 · 1,745 Google reviews£££

Berkeley Castle — castle in the town of Berkeley, Gloucestershire, England, UK.

Berkeley Castle, castles in Gloucestershire — Wikimedia Commons contributors — see linked file page for photographer and licence licence

Plan your visit

Typical visit: 1.5 h–3 h
Nearest railway station: Lydney · 5.8 km

Paid entry
Family-friendly
Limited wheelchair access

Getting there & planning your visit

To visit Berkeley Castle, the nearest railway station is Lydney, located 5.8 km away. The postcode for sat-nav is GL13 9BQ. Please note that wheelchair accessibility is limited.

Directions on Google Maps →

Berkeley Castle is a castle in the United Kingdom — fortified architecture from the medieval, Tudor, or Victorian-revival period. Records date its origin to 1067. Heritage designation: Grade I listed building. Wikidata describes it as: "castle in the town of Berkeley, Gloucestershire, England, UK". Coordinates: 51.6886°, -2.4569°.

Photo gallery

Heritage listing

From the Historic England List Entry under OGL v3.

Official information

Berkeley Castle is a historic fortress dating back to the 11th century, located in the town of Berkeley. Visitors can explore the castle's rich history, guided tours, and beautiful gardens, which have been preserved for centuries.

Protected designations

Site of Special Scientific Interest: Severn Estuary SSSI
Ramsar wetland: Severn Estuary

Designations sourced from Natural England open data under OGL v3.

From the Wikipedia article

Berkeley Castle ( BARK-lee; historically sometimes spelled as Berkley Castle or Barkley Castle) is a castle in the town of Berkeley, Gloucestershire, England. The castle's origins date back to the 11th century and it is a Grade I listed building. The castle, traditionally believed to have been the scene of the murder of King Edward II in 1327, has remained in the possession of the Berkeley family since they reconstructed it in the 12th century, except for a period of royal ownership under the Tudors. The Berkeley barony having separated from the earldom in 1882, the 8th and last Earl of Berkeley (1865–1942) bequeathed the ancestral seat to his 13th cousin, Captain Robert Berkeley, of Spetchley Park in Worcestershire (1898–1969), whose grandson, Charles Berkeley (born 1968), High Sheriff of Gloucestershire for 2019/20, inherited the castle and estate from his father, Major John Berkeley (1931–2017). Since 1956, Berkeley Castle has been open to visitors (for a fee) and remains open from April to November (in 2023) on certain days of the week. The property has also been available for rent for private events.

Excerpt from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0. See the source article linked in Sources below.

Background

Architecture

The first castle at Berkeley was a motte-and-bailey, built around 1067 by William FitzOsbern shortly after the Norman Conquest. This was subsequently held by three generations of the first Berkeley family, all called Roger de Berkeley, and rebuilt by them in the first half of the 12th century. The last Roger de Berkeley was dispossessed in 1152 for withholding his allegiance from the House of Plantagenet during the conflict of the Anarchy, and the feudal barony of Berkeley was then granted to Robert Fitzharding, a wealthy burgess of Bristol and supporter of the Plantagenets. He and Eva fitz Harding were the founders of the Berkeley family which still owns the castle. In 1153–54, Fitzharding…

Sourced from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Coordinates: 51.6886, -2.4569
County: Gloucestershire
District: Stroud
Parish: Berkeley
Postcode: GL13 9BQ
Parliamentary constituency: Stroud
Phone: 01453 810 303
Established: 1067
Nearest railway station: Lydney — 5.8 km
Opening: Sunday – Wednesday, 11am – 5pm; last admission 4pm
Official site: www.berkeley-castle.com

Sources

wikidata: Q4891993 (CC0)
wikipedia: Berkeley Castle (CC BY-SA 4.0)
commons: Berkeley Castle - geograph.org.uk - 1440403.jpg (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Other places nearby

Nearby

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Castles · South West England

Gatehouse To West At Berkeley Castle

Gatehouse To West At Berkeley Castle — a Grade I-listed castle in england-west-midlands, United Kingdom.

Grade I👶↗ jennermuseum.com

📷 5

Historic churches · South West England

Church of St Mary the Virgin, Berkeley

Church of St Mary the Virgin, Berkeley — a Grade I-listed church in england-west-midlands, United Kingdom.

FreeGrade I↗ jennermuseum.com

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Memorials & monuments · South West England

John King And 2 Unidentified Monuments,About 0.5M East Of William Pearce Monument In Churchyard Of Church Of St Mary The Virgin

John King And 2 Unidentified Monuments,About 0.5M East Of William Pearce Monument In Churchyard Of Church Of St Mary The Virgin — Grade II listed building-listed memorial in england-west-midlands, Uni

Free🐕↗ jennermuseum.com

📷 3

Memorials & monuments · South West England

Ralph Pearce And 2 Unidentified Monuments,About 5M South-West Of South-West Corner Of Nave In Churchyard Of Church Of St Mary The Virgin

Ralph Pearce And 2 Unidentified Monuments,About 5M South-West Of South-West Corner Of Nave In Churchyard Of Church Of St Mary The Virgin — Grade II listed building-listed memorial in england-west-midl

Free🐕↗ jennermuseum.com

📷 3

Memorials & monuments · South West England

Group Of 5 Monuments,About 7M From South Side Of West End In Churchyard Of Church Of St Mary The Virgin

Group Of 5 Monuments,About 7M From South Side Of West End In Churchyard Of Church Of St Mary The Virgin — Grade II listed building-listed memorial in england-west-midlands, United Kingdom.

Free🐕↗ jennermuseum.com

📷 3

Memorials & monuments · South West England

Unidentified Monument,About 1M East Of Jones Monument In Churchyard Of Church Of St Mary The Virgin

Unidentified Monument,About 1M East Of Jones Monument In Churchyard Of Church Of St Mary The Virgin — Grade II listed building-listed memorial in england-west-midlands, United Kingdom.

Free🐕↗ jennermuseum.com

Where to eat & stay near Berkeley Castle

Places to stay

The Old White Hart, Berkeley - geograph.org.uk - 5643141

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Hotels · South West England

Berkeley Arms

Berkeley Arms — a hotel in england west midlands.

↗ camra.org.uk

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Caravan parks · South West England

Hogdown

Hogdown — a caravan park in england west midlands.

📷 5

Campsites · South West England

Hogsdown Farm

Hogsdown Farm — a campsite in england west midlands.

Free↗ hogsdownfarm.co.uk

📷 5

Caravan parks · South West England

Moorend Farm CL caravan site

Moorend Farm CL caravan site — a caravan park in england west midlands.

Free↗ moorendfarmcl.co.uk

📷 5

Hotels · South West England

Tortworth Court Hotel

Tortworth Court Hotel — a hotel in england west midlands.

📷 5

Campsites · South West England

Tudor Caravan Park

Tudor Caravan Park — a campsite in england west midlands.

Free↗ tudorcaravanpark.com

Free👶↗ meremuseum.org

Frequently asked questions

Where is Berkeley Castle?: Berkeley Castle is in Gloucestershire, the West Midlands, United Kingdom (postcode GL13 9BQ), in the parish of Berkeley.
What is Berkeley Castle?: Berkeley Castle — castle in the town of Berkeley, Gloucestershire, England, UK.
How do I get to Berkeley Castle?: The nearest railway station is Lydney, about 5.8 km away. Drivers can use postcode GL13 9BQ.
When was Berkeley Castle built?: Built or established in 1067.
Is Berkeley Castle a listed building?: Berkeley Castle is officially recognised as Grade I listed building listed.
Is Berkeley Castle a protected site?: Yes — Berkeley Castle is part of the Severn Estuary SSSI Site of Special Scientific Interest and the Severn Estuary Ramsar wetland.
Does Berkeley Castle charge admission?: Berkeley Castle typically charges admission. Check the official site for current ticket prices and opening hours.
How do I get to Berkeley Castle?: The nearest railway station is Lydney, about 5.8 km away. Drivers can navigate to postcode GL13 9BQ.