Augustus Berkeley, 4th Earl of Berkeley Augustus Berkeley, 4th Earl of Berkeley Lieutenant-Colonel Augustus Berkeley, 4th Earl of Berkeley, KT (18 February 1715 – 9 January 1755) was the son of Vice-Admiral James Berkeley, 3rd Earl of Berkeley, and the former Lady Louisa Lennox. He was made an ensign in the 1st Regiment of Foot Guards in November 1734, and succeeded his father on 17 August 1736 as 4th Earl of Berkeley, 12th Baron Berkeley and 4th Viscount Dursley. In 1737, he was created Lord Lieutenant of Gloucestershire and Constable of St. Briavel's Castle, offices which he held until his death, and was made lieutenant-colonel of
Lydford Castle but had little interest in Lydford, preferring Restormel and Lostwithiel; by his death in 1299 the castle had been left to decay and was in ruins. It reverted to the Crown, and when Edward II made his royal favourite, Piers Gaveston, the Earl of Cornwall in 1307, Lydford Castle was passed to him. The castle was repaired at the start of the century and was in use once again as a prison. Edward II and Gaveston fell from power in 1327 and Thomas le Ercedekne was temporarily entrusted with the castle and Dartmoor by the new regime. In 1329 the