Art Galleries And Exhibitions In Bristol & Bath

Join me for a look around the monthly farmers' market, LEGO brick exhibition depicting pivotal moments in history & lovely gardens, with stunning peonies and other spring flowers, at Berkeley Castle. We'll start by looking around the farmers' market (which opens a bit earlier than the castle) and maybe buy something there there to have later for lunch/refreshments). Then, depending on the weather, we'll go on to look at the gardens, or LEGO brick art. All are included in the admission price.

**Please don’t buy a ticket yet, so we can make sure the weather forecast stays OK. **
**Please look at the event webpage the evening before and the morning of the event in case of updates**
Cost Berkeley Castle: adults: £17 (includes self-guided look through the farmers market, gardens, LEGO brick exhibition and castle). If you choose to gift aid your ticket, you can visit again for free for a year. **Please don’t pay for a ticket if you’ve visited within the last year and gift aided. If so, look at their website and get a free “free for 1 year” ticket.**
Free with Historic Houses membership (see below).
Optional guided tour of the castle: £2.50, to have a self-guided look is free.

Meet near the entrance to the farmers' market. If you’re late, you’ll need to come and find us in the market. We don't use a meet up sign. I carry a silver backpack handbag and will be wearing a yellow sun hat.

Free with Historic Houses membership (as are Sudeley Castle, the Bishop’s Palace at Wells and many others): https://www.historichouses.org/why-join/?campaignid=19580387687&adgroupid=144895859163&keyword=historic%20houses&device=c&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjwjLGyBhCYARIsAPqTz19T4snsAc7w-ahm051a5x-_6DOkd6wNYpM_r6WYJWjgKScwsEsKZFUaAtVhEALw_wcB

**Meet near the entrance to the farmers' market. If you’re late, you’ll need to come and find us in the market. I carry a silver backpack handbag and wear a yellow sun hat.**

From their website:
What makes the Castle truly extraordinary is that, for nine centuries, the building, the Berkeley family, the archives (dating back to the 12th century), the contents, the estate, and the town have all endured and evolved together.
Its place in history is significant, not just because it is still intact, but because the Berkeley family and their home have played an important part in the power struggles of so many centuries.

In the beginning, the walls of the Castle dropped sheer to the surrounding levels to the South.
Quite early in its history, the water from the River Severn (nearer the Castle in those days) was channeled and managed to create defensive stretches of water on this side of the Castle, and later a ditch was dug to the North side, between the Castle and the church.
The approach to the Castle was via a slope to the West, leading to what is now the Gatehouse, all that remains of the double-drawbridge and huge octagonal towers through which men had to pass to enter the Outer Bailey and approach the present Great Doors.

### The Planting

Over time, successive generations have softened the stern aspect of the Castle walls with flowers, until finally the present planting of the terraces was carried out with the help of Gertrude Jekyll at the turn of the last century.
The gardens specialise in scent and the roses in particular are a delight in June. Rare plants, shrubs and trees are to be enjoyed.

## “A calm oasis in a busy world”

… as one recent visitor wrote in our visitor’s book.
Evidence of earlier times can still be seen: below the sloping approach to the present gatehouse is a long “bowling green,” thought to be where Queen Elizabeth I played bowls during her stay at the Castle.