Berkeley Church, Cannon Ball Holes

Holes in the West Door was done in the Civil War 1642–1651
Though it stands in a peaceful wooded glade beside the entry to Berkeley Castle, St Mary's has not always been a peaceful place; during the English Civil War the Royalist forces defending Berkeley Castle used the church as an outer defensive perimeter for their defense of the castle. The marks of bullets fired by the attacking Parliamentary forces can be seen in the west door. The defenders of the church were eventually overcome, and the Parliamentary army raised cannon to the church roof, overlooking the castle, and the castle was forced to surrender.