My Cotswold favourites: Charles Berkeley
Charles Berkeley owns and runs Berkeley Castle, a 60-room historic attraction dating back to the 11th century.
Charles, what would be your ultimate Cotswold concierge service?
Oh gosh – it would be a private chef to prepare our favourite food for a small dinner to celebrate the best of the Cotswolds. I do like my fish so I’d have Bibury trout, followed by some good local lamb from Cam Butchers. I’m very partial to shepherd’s pie.
We have lots of apples on the estate so an apple and blackberry crumble or pie would be the perfect finish.
My father remembered, when he was a young boy, being waited on hand and foot. Butlers would carry silver trays down to the family on the lawns. Nowadays, it’s my mother and us doing all our own cooking – there aren’t servants! I wouldn’t want to be surrounded by staff, but it would be nice to go back in time just to see how everything worked. The fires being lit; the game larders being used; preparations for banquets and dinners.
We know Henry VIII and Elizabeth I came here. Elizabeth stayed for two or three days and shot rather more deer than she was meant to. Lord Berkeley, who was away at the time, came back and found his deer park had been decimated.
Even today, the castle can be hired for banquets in the Great Hall, and for weddings.
What sort of luxury services would you enjoy?
Other than the private chef we’ve just mentioned, then a house-sitter. Someone who would stay while you were away, to look after the dogs and the house. My family and I live in a farmhouse on the estate, about a mile-and-a-half from the castle. If we were to get a castle-sitter, we’d look for someone who didn’t mind the odd ghost!
[We’ll look into this! Ed.]
Which attraction do you most recommend to visiting friends?
Well, of course I’m going to say Berkeley Castle! I do love taking friends up onto the roof. There are lovely windows and doorways you can go through to see the fantastic chimneys; the different levels of the castle. You get a wonderful view from up there.
My brother and I would play on the roof as children: my parents probably got used to it, but it must have been worrying at times! As well as a tour round the castle, I love taking people into the garden: the Grove – the wooded area; and the terraces – always a favourite area of mine.
What’s your favourite thing to do for free in the Cotswolds?
There are some great walks via public footpaths over the estate, both across the water meadows in front of the castle, and up through the deer park, which has around 300 red and fallow deer. Then you’re up on the escarpment, with views of the River Severn. You’ll pass a folly as you go – an 18th century turreted hunting lodge.
A lot of the landscape hasn’t changed all that much over centuries. There are still the marshlands. There are still these unique anthills – hundreds of them on the deer park with 30 different types of ant.
When you have visitors from other countries, what most surprises them – or catches them out – about the Cotswolds?
A lot of people know Gloucestershire as the royal county because several of our royal family have houses in the area: Highgrove and Gatcombe.
Yet there’s so much more to the Cotswolds: they’re rich in talent, innovation, energy, small businesses, and people who’ve done amazing things.
Yes, we have big houses and castles: but we also have a lot of knowledge and untapped brilliance that should be more widely known - in terms of artisans, food producers, and those with real understanding of the countryside.
There’s so much going on.
Berkeley Castle is at Berkeley GL13 9PJ.
For more information including opening hours and details of private tours with Charles go to berkeley-castle.com
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