BEVERSTON CASTLE,

Is of uncertain foundation, but undoubtedly prior to the conquest. Earls Godwin, Swane, and Harald met at this place, under the pretence of assisting Edward the Confessor against the Welsh, about 1048. Maurice, Lord Berkeley, or de Gaunt, fortified and repaired it, and was prosecuted by the King for doing so without royal permission, in 1227. It then became a military fortress, and was probably much dilapidated during the Barons' wars; for when purchased by Thomas Lord Berkeley, it was so much beautified and enlarged by the spoils and ransoms of the prisoners he took at Poictiers, in the reign of Edw. III. as to be almost a new structure. Soon after this period it was used only for a mansionhouse, till the great rebellion, when it was held for the King and besieged by Col. Massie, to whom it was surrendered by the Lieutenant then in command, at the first Soon after the siege the castle was destroyed by fire, and a large dwelling-house that was built within its walls was burnt down about a century ago. The present is a farm house.

summons.

The castle was originally a square building, moated round on all sides, with a tower at every corner, one only is now standing. The chapel still remains, and has a beautiful arched roof, a gothic window, and on the right side of the altar a shrine of two compartments of tabernacle work, with a lavatory, a closet in which is a confessional, and over it a prison, the floor of which was once covered with lead, as appears from some now inserted on the walls. In the uppermost story is an aperture of about two yards square, through which the prisoner was let down into the dungeon, which is only 9 feet square, and

has only one entrance by a dark passage, excavated thro' the wall.

The windows and chimney-pieces were altered to the style of the 16th century, when it became a private house.

The outer gate stood over the moat, which was 200 yards in circumference, and the ruins are still remaining. It is impossible to traverse these remains without shuddering at the unfeeling cruelty and unrestrained ferocity of ancient, Barons, and reflecting with sensations of gratitude on the improved state of society and manners, by which the inferior ranks are protected from oppression, and the superior indisposed, if it were in their power, to renew the tyranny of feudal times.

The barn mentioned in Big. Col. is in the parish of Rodmarton.

Two freeholders voted in 1776.

Population, 164-144-142. Houses inhabited, 30.

The benefice is a rectory in Dursley deanery, with the chapel of Kingscote annexed, in the patronage of the King, and Thomas Pettat, A. M. is incumbent. The impropriation and advowson anciently belonged to the monastery of Bristol, but at the suppression the advowson was retained by the crown, and the benefice endowed with the tythes. One hundred and eight acres of arable in Beverstone, thirty-two in Kingscote, and thirty-five acres inclosed in both parishes belong to the rectory.

The church, dedicated to St. Mary, consists of a nave, one narrow aisle, with a smaller one belonging to the lord of the manor, and an embatteled tower, with pinnacles. In P. N. tax. the church of Beverston, 107.

CCLIII. CAM,

Is one mile w. from Dursley, and fourteen s. w. from Gloucester, and contains 3000 acres, the chief part of which is in pasture, with fruitful and extensive orchards, and 280 acres of commonable lands.

The village is divided into Upper and Lower Cam, which are separated by a rivulet which rises at Owlpen, passes by Dursley, gives name to this parish and to Cambridge, and falls into the Severn at Frampton Pill. It is called Cam, from its winding course; that word in British signifying crooked.

The lower classes here and in the neighbouring parishes are generally employed in the different branches of the clothing business.

Cam was a member of the great lordship of Berkeley, and included in the original grant from Hen. II. to Robert Fitzharding, in whose noble descendants it has been vested ever since, with a very considerable property.

Down-house, with a competent estate, is vested in Thos. Morse, Esq. of Dursley.

Clinger-house and estate is the property of Dan. Weight,

Esq.

Other proprietors are, J. D. Matthews, Esq. (255) John Wallington, Esq. (264) J. Blagden Hale, Esq. (273) John Tyler, Esq. Mrs. Purnell (256), &c.

Lorenge-farm was anciently a member of this parish, and is still rated in the same assessment of land-tax: but in parochial rates it is joined with Leonard's Stanley. This estate was given in the reign of Hen. III. by Thomas Lord Berkeley to the priory of Leonard's Stanley, of which the abbot of Gloucester had the patronage. The monks of the last abbey procured it to be considered as a part of

Leonard Stanley parish, and it has so continued ever since, though separated from it by the intervening parishes of Coaley and Frocester.

UPPER CAM contains Upthorp, Ashmeads, and Hockerhill. LOWER CAM Contains Tilsdown, Clinger, and Bower Lye.

Longdowne and Pikedowne are two eminences on the eastern side of the parish. The former is a long plain or down running nearly north and south, and terminating abruptly on the north, but on the south separated by a hollow road from Pikedown or Camley, as it is sometimes called, which swells out of the vale in a conical form, terminating in a point. No vestiges of encampment appear upon it.

Twenty-eight freeholders voted in 1776.

Population, 800—1070—1285: Houses inhabited, 247. The benefice is a vicarage or rather curacy, endowed in Dursley deanery. The great tythes were appropriated to the abbey of Gloucester in 1361, and were continued to it after the dissolution. The Estcourt family have been lessees of the impropriation for many years. The curate receives 60l. per annum from the lessee, which was so settled by Bishop Goodman, in 1660. The Bishop of Gloucester is patron, and William Fryer, clerk, incumbent. The present lessee is Edmund Estcourt, Esq. of Lincoln's Inn (169).

The church, dedicated to St. George, consists of the nave and an aisle on each side, with a lofty and light tower, embatteled and pinnacled at the west end. The effigy of the saint, carved in wood, stood in the porch of the church, and was taken from thence by a clothier, and removed to Colnbrook, in the reign of Hen. VI. whence the inn there received its name.—(Atkyns).

The church, in some records of the reigns of Hen. IV. and V. is called the Blessed St. Mary.

CCLIV. COALEY, CowLEY, anciently CovELEGe,

Is a parish three miles N. from Dursley, and twelve s. from Gloucester. It contains 2280 acres of a deep clayey soil, the greater part of which is pasture, and very fertile.

The manor of Covelege belonged to the Honour of Berkeley, and has been constantly appendant to the proprietors of Berkeley castle down to the present time; nearly two thirds of the parish belong to the Earl of Berkeley. J. D. Matthews, Esq. is proprietor of a considerable estate (255).

Eleven freeholders voted in 1776.

Population, 500-598-800. Houses inhabited, 148. The benefice is a vicarage in Dursley deanery; the King is patron, and Meredith Jones, clerk, incumbent.

The impropriation was given by Roger de Berkeley, to the abbey of Gloucester, and continued in it till the dissolution, when it was granted to Sir Anthony Kingston, and after to Morris and Phillips, from whom it came to the Brownings, and of them was purchased by John Minett, by whose family it was sold to the Rev. John Golightly, M. A. the present impropriator.

The church, dedicated to St. Bartholomew, consists of a nave and north aisle, with a tower at the west end, embatteled and pinnacled, with handsome fret-work, probably the work of the convent of Gloucester.

Two escutcheons are on either side the door case; upon one the gothic D inclosing A, on the other a chevron defaced, part of the arms of Berkeley.