Berkeley, Gloucestershire: Royal Mynster or Antiquarian Folly?

This paper examines the archaeological evidence for a mynster foundation at Berkeley, Gloucestershire and considers the reasons for its establishment at this location. It investigates the form the mynster would have taken and its relationship with the surrounding area as a centre for Christian worship and administrative control. The study concludes that Berkeley was a high-status ecclesiastical centre of the Early Medieval period, which finally lays to rest antiquarian arguments over the nature and status of the site.