Thornbury Castle was originally a 14th century fortified manor house, founded by the Stafford family. In 1510, Edward Stafford, duke of Buckingham founded the stone castle, when he was a granted licence to crenellate. Sadly the Tudor manor house, with its inner and outer quadrangular courts, survives unfinished, after King Henry VIII had the duke executed, in 1521, on the grounds of high treason. 7 miles north-east is Berkeley Castle.