The Berkeley Buttress - Autumn edition.

This has now been dispatched to members, with news of Friends activities and details of 

forthcoming Friends events in September, October, November and December.

Details are also on the Events page of this website.

The Events order form is available for download on the Friends home page.

A highlight will be the American Thanksgiving Supper taking place on THURSDAY 28 November, 

when we will hear from those who are joining the FoBC trip to Virginia for the 400th Anniversary, earlier in November.

Thursday 12 September:  Date for your diaries.

Tracy Borman

Thanks to the Friends of Berkeley Castle from The Trustees of the Berkeley Castle Charitable Trust:

Extracts from a recent letter from the Chairman of the Trustees:  

"I think it is now quite noticeable what impact the cumulative work of the Friends has had on the Castle and its contents.  

In most rooms there is an item or items that have benefited from the generosity of the Friends and this, 

of course, extends outside of the main Castle building too.  

"In addition to the financial donations made towards tapestries, paintings, the sundial, gun carriages and other chattels, we are also enormously grateful for the voluntary work (undertaken by Friends) .......

"So much progress has been made in so many areas with Berkeley Castle in recent years and we Trustees are indebted to you, your committee and your members for the part that the Friends have played in that.   Please pass on my thanks."

FoBC Members-only visit to Frampton Court: Thursday 4th July

Almost fifty FoBC members enjoyed a warm, sunny afternoon at Grade I listed Frampton Court, 

an early C18 house in the Baroque and Palladian styles, by kind permission of Mr & Mrs Rollo Clifford.

We were first shown round the grounds, which include a fantastical Gothick orangery and a contemporary dovecote.  

Inside, the house was a mixture of formal architecture, Country Chippendale and  ‘mouseman’ furniture and family photos. 

The afternoon was rounded off with a delicious tea in the Grade I listed Wool Barn.

Photographs by David Bowd-Exworth

Visit to the Bristol University Archaeological Site in Berkeley

The 6th June FoBC visit to the Dig site in the Paddock was hosted by Professor Mark Horton 

who updated us on their discoveries:

a very deep ditch was found, possibly 4 metres deep and running north/south, 

which raises the issue of whether there was a Roman fort here, possibly 1^st Century AD;

a sump or well that is probably 13^th Century plus a rubbish tip from the same era 

in the south west corner of the site;

a “D” shaped buckle of indeterminate age;

a die made of bone that is possibly Tudor;

the vertebra of a porpoise, which was a high class example of Anglo-Saxon food.

This is the last year that Bristol University’s Archaeological team 

will be researching the Berkeley dig.

With thanks to Adam Waller for the photographs of Professor Mark Horton and team in action.

FoBC Projects:   Portrait of an Unknown Lady

The latest painting to have significantly benefited from funding raised by the Friends, 

recently returned from the restoration specialist and currently hanging near the foot of the Grand Staircase:

Portrait detail

Talk by Karen Davidson, Castle Archivist, 
on The Photography of Ellen Willmott.

Although famous as a horticulturalist, Charles Berkeley's great, great-aunt Ellen Willmott was also an enthusiastic photographer
and Karen gave us an intriguing insight into Miss Willmott's fascinating life.

The audience were particularly interested in the photographs showing before and after shots 

of the many changes to the Castle made by the eighth Earl.

Full report in the Autumn edition of the Berkeley Buttress.