Berkeley Castle Berkeley Castle Berkeley Castle ( ; historically sometimes spelt "Berkley Castle" or "Barkley Castle") is a castle in the town of Berkeley, Gloucestershire, UK (). The castle's origins date back to the 11th century and it has been designated by English Heritage as a grade I listed building. The castle has remained within the Berkeley family since they reconstructed it in the 12th century, except for a period of royal ownership by the Tudors. It is traditionally believed to be the scene of the murder of King Edward II in 1327. The first castle at Berkeley was a motte-and-bailey, built
Thomas de Berkeley, 5th Baron Berkeley to that of his contemporary Sir Maurice Russell (d.1416) at Dyrham, who was the father-in-law of Gilbert Denys, one of Berkeley's feoffees. Having died without male progeny the succession to the vast Berkeley estates became disputed, and eventually resulted in the Battle of Nibley Green (1469/70), the last battle fought in England entirely between the private armies of feudal magnates, fought near Berkeley Castle on 20 March 1469/70 between the troops of Thomas Talbot, 2nd Viscount Lisle and William Berkeley, 2nd Baron Berkeley, later 1st Marquess of Berkeley. Lisle and William Berkeley had long been engaged in a dispute over