BERKELEY, (Gloucestershire) 18 m. fr. Glocester, and 89 cm. and 111 mm. from London, is the largest p. in the Co. being 24
m. in compass. 'Tis governed by a mayor, and ald. and gives title of E. as well as surname to the ancient family of the
Berkeleys, who have a castle here, where the room in which K. Edward II. was imprisoned, is still to be seen. The Severn,
for almost 6 m. runs by this p. which lies so low, that it is reckoned neither pleasant nor healthy, but 'tis famous for
producing good cheese. This manor, which is termed in old records, the honor of Berkeley, is one of the largest in
England, most of the Ts. in its H. and many other places in the Co. being in all near 30 ps. depending upon it; and the
lands that are held of it are reckoned worth 30000 l. a year. Here was a famous nunnery, to which the manor did bel. 'till
a little before the conquest, when Godwin E. of Kent, sending a beautiful youth, who debauched the nuns, and even the Lad.
abbess, prevailed with the devout K. Edward to take it from them, and give it to him, William the Conq. no sooner obtained
the crown, but he gave this manor to Roger, a Norman, who thereupon assumed the name of Berkley; but having no children,
it descended to William his nephew, whose son Roger was violently ejected out of the castle and honor, and the manor was
given in the R. of Henry II. to Robert Fitzharding, whose posterity have enjoyed it ever since, they having changed their
name to Berkley, when they came to reside here. The impropriation of the ch. which is a very large handsome structure,
reckoned worth 300 l. a year, was the possession of the abby of St. Austin in Brifrol, till the ref. when K. Henry VIII.
granted it to the dean and chapter there; but it is now become the estate of the E. of Berkeley by exchange. Here is a ch.
s. and the Mt. is on W. and the Fairs May 3, and July 20.