Berkeley Castle
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Image:Berkley Castle by Jan Kip 1712.jpg Image:Berkeley Castle lithotint.jpg Image:Berkeley Castle.jpg Berkeley Castle (historically sometimes spelled Berkley Castle) is a castle in the town of Berkeley, Gloucestershire, UK, constructed from 1117 on the orders of Henry II with the aim of defending the Severn estuary and the Welsh border.
King Edward II of England was held in the castle for 18 months before being murdered there in 1327; the cell where he is supposed to have been imprisoned can still be seen. The castle has remained within the same family since its construction, with many areas now open to the public. It is the oldest continuously-occupied castle in England.
The castle is surrounded by a small but beautiful terraced garden.
During the English Civil War it still held sufficient significance for it to be captured in 1645 by Colonel Thomas Rainsborough for the Parliament side.
In 2005, the remains of an Iron Age settlement were found at Berkeley Castle, adding 1,000 years of history to the area. [1]
Two ships of the Royal Navy have been named Berkeley Castle after the castle.