Yate Court

Has been described as a Certain Fortified Manor House

There are masonry ruins/remnants remains

NameYate Court
Alternative Names
Historic CountryGloucestershire
Modern AuthoritySouth Gloucestershire
1974 AuthorityAvon
Civil ParishYate

Ruins of the great hall, chambers and service rooms of Yate Court. Early - mid C16, for the Berkeley family, possibly incorporating parts of an earlier mediaeval manor. Tall rubble walls survive, in places, up to 18/20 feet high. Moulded string course at first floor level on exterior. Ruins consist of part of a gatehouse and part of the hall. 2 storey section at north east with the remains of an ashlar fireplace which has a moulded jamb and part of a 4-centred lintel with carving in the spandrel. To the south west are 3 walls of a tower (gatehouse) with part of a moulded jamb. A section of freestanding wall survives at the south-west. Part of an important manorial complex, dating from the late C13 and belonging to the Berkeley family and the Crown. Razed in 1644. (Listing report)

Ruins of Yate Court. The gateway of 1299 was removed recently to Berkeley Castle. Only a few walls of the great mediaeval house remain. Burnt down during the Civil War (Listed Building Report 1947).

Yate Court has an oval moat, now drained, c.80 by 100 yds. The buildings were arranged round a courtyard. Licence to crenellate was granted in 1299. The house was rebuilt and enlarged by Henry VII's family. Occupied by Parliament forces in 1644 and burnt shortly afterwards. (TBGAS 1898; )

The ruins of Yate Court are in poor condition. Part of an angle tower 2.0 m. high is at ST 71258593, otherwise the remains are in the N.E. quadrant of the enclosure, centred at ST 7129 8599.

The moat which encloses the site is partly waterlogged and averages 2.0 m. deep. Except for the S.E. quadrant it has an external bank of upcast (F1 NVQ 10-JUL-62).

Listed as a strong house by Cathcart King. An oval moated area of some strength with remains of walls. Said to have had a portcullis gate. Licenced in 1299 (King 1983). (PastScape)

Gatehouse Comments

Does the gateway still survive at Berkeley Castle? The gatehouse is said to have a portcullis groove. Licence to crenellate granted to John Wylington in 1299.

- Philip Davis

Not scheduled

This is a Grade 2 listed building protected by law

Historic England Scheduled Monument Number
Historic England Listed Building number(s)
Images Of England
Historic England (PastScape) Defra or Monument number(s)
County Historic Environment Record
OS Map Grid ReferenceST712859
Latitude51.5718612670898
Longitude-2.41578006744385
Eastings371280
Northings185970
HyperLink HyperLink HyperLink

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Books

  • Emery, Anthony, 2006, Greater Medieval Houses of England and Wales Vol. 3 Southern England (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press) p. 132
  • Salter, Mike, 2002, The Castles of Gloucestershire and Bristol (Malvern: Folly Publications) p. 39
  • King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol. 1 p. 185
  • Johnson, L.J.R., 1971, The History of Yate
  • Rahtz, Philip et al, 1969, Medieval sites in the Mendip, Cotswold, Wye Valley and Bristol Region (Bristol Archaeological Research Group 9) p. 22
  • Cox, J.C. and Stratton Davis, H., 1949, Gloucestershire - The Little Guides (London: Methuen & Co) p. 174
  • Turner, T.H. and Parker, J.H., 1859, Some account of Domestic Architecture in England (Oxford) Vol. 3 Part 2 p. 404 online copy
  • Rudder, S., 1779, A new history of Gloucestershire p. 854 online copy (large file)

Journals

  • Iles, 1979, Avon Past p. 9-10
  • Lindley, E.S., 1966, 'The Manor of Yate' Transactions of the Bristol and Gloucestershire Archaeological Society Vol. 85 156-63 online copy
  • 1938, Proceedings of the Somerset Archaeological and Natural History Society Vol. 84 p. 207
  • 1898, 'Transactions at the Spring Meeting at Yate, and Excursion to Iron Acton, Yate Court, Horton, and Little Sodbury' Transactions of the Bristol and Gloucestershire Archaeological Society Vol. 21 p. 8-12 online copy
  • Fox, F., 1898, 'The Description of the Manor Place of Yate' Transactions of the Bristol and Gloucestershire Archaeological Society Vol. 21 p. 22-24 online copy
  • Kennedy-Skipton, H.S., 1898, 'The Berkeleys at Yate' Transactions of the Bristol and Gloucestershire Archaeological Society Vol. 21 p. 25-31 online copy

Primary Sources

  • Maxwell Lyte, H.C. (ed), 1895, Calendar of Patent Rolls Edward I (1292-1301) Vol. 3 p. 430 online copy