Beverston Castle Beverston Castle , also known as Beverstone Castle , was originally constructed as a medieval stone fortress and is situated in the village of Beverston , Gloucestershire , England . The castle was founded in 1229 by Maurice de Gaunt . Much of the castle is presently in the state of ruin as of 2011 , but a portion of the structure is occupied , and an expansive handsome garden is part of the estate . The castle is situated in the centre of Beverston village , approximately 200 metres north of the A4135 road transecting Beverston . Description . The original castle design was in an approximately pentagonal form ; later in the early 14th century , a small quadrangular stronghold was added along with a twin - towered gatehouse . Beverston Castle is situated approximately three kilometres west of the town of Tetbury and about two kilometres east of the medieval abbey annex , Calcot Manor . The castle is situated in the Cotswolds , a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty ( AONB ) , which is an area of countryside with significant landscape value in England , Wales or Northern Ireland , that has been specially designated by the Countryside Agency . History . Early Roman remains have been found in the near vicinity at Calcot Manor , indicating habitation of this area as early as the 5th century , although it is likely that earlier Iron Age peoples would have also been in this locale . Historically in medieval times the site is known as Beverstone , but in the earlier Middle Ages it was called Beverstane . Another early label for this site was Bureston , derived from the large number of blue stones found here . The site itself is known to have been the location of an important circa 1140 AD battle between the opposing English armies of King Stephen and Empress Matilda . Apparently Maurice de Gaunt constructed the original castle somewhat prior to 1229 without a royal licence , but was granted a licence to crenellate . This early castle was fortified by a T - shaped ditch , part of which is still intact in the appearance of a partial moat on the south side of the castle . In the early 14th century , Thomas , Lord Berkeley , the rich ( 1293 – 1361 ) , modified Beverston Castle , erecting a small quadrangular stronghold , with a twin - towered gatehouse . A smaller square tower was added in the late 15th century . In the 16th century , it is known that Sir Michael Hicks ( son of from London and Julia Arthur ) owned Beverston Castle and passed the Beverston holding to his son Sir William Hicks , 1st Bart of Beverston . The estate remained in the Hicks family through at least the early 19th century . From military outfall of the Civil War ( mid - seventeenth century ) , much of Beverston Castle was destroyed . Roundhead forces attacked the castle twice during the Civil War , but the greatest blow may have been an order from Parliament to dismantle its defensive works . The western and southern ranges along with the gatehouse with one of its original D - shaped towers have survived . Architecture . The massive extant west range of Beverston Castle is flanked on its angles with square towers , and it contains a solar above a vaulted undercroft . The pentagon - shaped masonry castle has two surviving , albeit ruined , round towers from the original 13th - century construction of de Gaunt . The dressed bluish limestone appears to be of the same quarry source as nearby Calcot Manor . The two - storey gatehouse , with one extant D - shaped tower , was added by Lord Berkeley in the 1350 – 1360 era . The gatehouse arch , totally intact as of 2006 , would have originally been protected by an immense portcullis . Above the archway was a sizable first floor ( second story in American vernacular ) chamber . The ruined northwest square tower dates to the 14th century ( Lord Berkeley ' s work ) , further modified in the late 15th century . The southern domestic range , occupied as of 2006 , was built by the Hicks family in the early 17th century , reflecting an age of growing security for large manor houses . This range was originally occupied by a medieval great hall from either the de Gaunt or Berkeley era . In the year 1691 a fire damaged this southern range , which was restored soon thereafter . Present aspect . As of the year 2006 , Beverston Castle is in private ownership . The ancient moat has been incorporated into the expansive and well - cared - for garden . The gardens are considered a good site for viewing orchid s . The southern entrance to the castle is by way of a bridge over the vestigial moat . Vehicle access to the north side of the castle is through the ancient gatehouse arch .