It is not possible to accurately date the beginnings of Berkeley as a community, but it can, with some degree of certainty, be traced back to Roman times when several battles were fought nearby - and lost - by the ancient Britons guarding the river crossings to Wales.

More recent are the recorded events of the barbaric torture and slaying of  Edward II at Berkeley Castle in 1327 whose cries of agony, it is said, were heard as far away as the town's centre. On a more favourable note, however, is the courage of George Thorpe who led a party of pilgrims to the New World. To this day, it is believed as far away as Virginia, U.S.A,  that this party held the first Thanksgiving at the Berkeley Plantation there in December 1619. About a year before the Pilgrim Fathers made the journey aboard the Mayflower.

While it is said that William Shakespeare lived for a short time in the area, the most famous personage is almost certainly Edward Jenner, the founder and father of immunology. His most important contribution, to this day blessed by millions, is the global eradication of Smallpox. The Edward Jenner Museum, close to the town's centre - you can visit its page in this site - gives an excellent insight into his workings and the times in which he lived.

Berkeley Castle, the most famous landmark for many miles around, also has its own page on this site, so suffice to say, the history begins there and moves through almost every building around the town centre. It is recommended that those with a wish to know more about Berkeley - and there is plenty of interest to follow up - could do worse than visit the local library and pick up a small booklet, "Berkeley" a half-hour read, and learn of many of these buildings, in particular, St Mary's Church, which has some parts dating back as far as 910 AD when it was destroyed by the Danes.