Raglan Duke of Beaufort.
1706 5 Queen Anne Charles Earl of Berkeley.
1700 9 ,, James ,,
1736 8 George II. Augustus ,,
1755 27 ,, Norborne Berkeley Esq.
Lord Bottetourt.
1760 1 George III. Frederic Augustus Earl of
Berkeley.
1814 54 ,, Henry Somerset Duke of
Beaufort.
1838 Chief Commissioner of
Woods and Forests.

Judging from the architectural character of the remains of St. Briavel's
Castle, the whole of which seem to belong to the middle of the thirteenth
century, and closely to resemble in several features the neighbouring
castles of Chepstow and Goodrich, viz. in their entrances, angular-headed
arches, and three-cornered buttresses, the present building was probably
erected by John de Monmouth, at the cost of the Crown, paid out of the
increasing receipts which now accrued to it from the charges levied upon
the iron mines and forges at work in the district. The latter, being
itinerant forges, were ordered to cease until the King, Henry III.,
should command otherwise, which appears to have led to the Chief Justice
in Eyre directing that none should have an iron-forge in the Forest
without a special licence from the Sovereign.

[Picture: Entrance to St. Briavel's Castle from the North]

By royal permission the Abbot of Flaxley possessed both an itinerant and
a stationary forge; one of the former kind also belonged to the men of
Cantelupe. Henry Earl of Warwick had likewise forges in his woods at
Lydney, as well as others in the Forest, and these formed no doubt but a
small part of the whole number. The dimensions of these forges may be
judged of by the two at Flaxley consuming more than two oaks weekly, to
the destruction of much timber, in lieu of which the King gave the Abbey
872 acres of woodland, which still forms part of the property at the
present day, under the name of "the Abbot's Woods."

During the long reign of Henry III. pasturage was granted to the men of
Rodley, who also in common with the King's people might hun