Licences To Crenellate - Philip Davis
Licences To Crenellate - Philip Davis
Licences To Crenellate - Philip Davis
The 1482 ‘Licence to crenellate’ in which Edward IV gave Sir Edmund Bedingfield permission to build a battlemented
house at Oxburgh Hall. Reproduced by kind permission of the Bedingfield family; from The Bedingfield Collection (The
National Trust), ©NTPL/John Hammond.
In 1482 July 3, Edmund Bedyngfeld, esquire was granted, by Edward IV, (In year 22 of his reign) a Royal licence to crenellate
Oxburgh: The wording of this licence is:
"Licence to Fortify... Edward, by the grace of God, King of England and France, and Lord of Ireland, to all whom these presents shall
come, greeting. Know ye, that we, considering the good and gracious services which our dearly beloved subject, Edmund Bedingfeld,
Esq., hath before these times rendered to us from day to day, and which he still continues inclinded to render; of our special favours
have granted and given licence, and by these present do grant and give licence, for us and out heirs, as far as in us lyeth, to the said
Edmund, that he, at his will and pleasure, build, make, and construct, with stone, lime, and sand, towers and walls in and about his
manour of Oxburgh, in the county of Norfolk, and that manour with such towers and walls to inclose, and those towers and walls to
embattle, kernel, and machecollate; and that manor so inclosed, and those walls and towers aforesaid so embattled, kernell'd, and
machicollated, built and contructed, to hold for himself and his heirs for ever, without perturbation, impeachment, molestation,
impediment, or hindrance from us or our heirs or others whomsoever. And beside, of our abundent grace, we pardon, remit, and
release to the aforesaid Edmund, all transgressions, offences, misprisions, and contempts, by him the said Edmund before these times,
however done or perpetrated, on account of his inclosiing such walls and towers, embattled, kernelled, machecollated, and built as
aforesaid, in and upon his said manour. And further, of our more adundent grace, we have granted and give licence, for ourselves and
our heirs aforesaid, to the aforesaid Edmund, that he and his said heirs for ever may have and hold one market in every week on
Fridays, at his town of Oxburgh aforesaid, in the county aforesaid. To be held with a Pye Powder Court of the same place by the
seneschall of the same Edmund and his heirs aforesaid, to be held during the said market, with all exits, profits, and merciaments to
such market and court appertaining, and with all tolls, profits, and emoluments to the said market appertaining or in any way
belonging; provided such market be not detrimental to the neighbouring markets. Wherefore we will and strictly ordain, for ourselves
and our heirs aforesaid, that the said Edmund and his heirs aforesaid have and hold a market and court and other things as aforesaid,
at his said town, in the form aforesaid; and with all liberties and franchises to such market and court belonging, so that such market
be no detriment to the neighbouring markets, as has been said, - for ever. So that express mention of the true annual value, or the
certainty of the premises, or any of them, or of other gifts or grants by us before these times made to the said Edmund, before the
making of these (these presents not being made) exists, or any statue, act, ordinance, provision, or restriction, to the contrary
notwithstanding. In testimony of which we have caused these our letters patent to be made. Witness myself at Westminster, the 3rd
day of July, in the 22nd year of our reign.
By Writ of Privy Seale and of the date aforesaid by Authority of Parliament
Granted at Westminster, by privy seal.
[From a copy of the Patent Roll, the original not found by Parker].
NB. There is some duplication of these Other ranks given in the licences:
descriptions, i.e. buildings which have been · 11 Yeomen (10 individuals), most of
described both as castles and fortified manor these are significant persons with
houses (e.g. Eccleshall Castle). However, this direct access to the king such as
does not significantly distort these figures. Edward III treasurer John Molyns.
Whilst there may be some 'lost' · 3 Citizens of London.
licences it is inconceivable that 60% for fortified
manor houses are lost and the argument that · 18 Esquires (including 'armiger' and
licences to crenellate were a 'requirement' for 'squire').
fortifications does not stand up to examination. · 64 Knights (in 57 licences, 4 also
Clearly most fortified buildings were built called lord, 1 other lord is also ranked)
without the owner applying for a licence to
crenellate. Of the 114 fortifications in · 2 Barons.
Northumberland enlisted, possibly for Henry V, · 18 Earls (15 individuals, 1 acting on
in 1415, just 23 had licences although most behalf of a knight).
were buildings built after 1300. So even among
· 4 Dukes (3 Individuals, 1 acting on
4 Abbeys, Cathedral Closes, Churches but not bishop’s behalf of a knight).
palaces, rector’s tower etc. which are private
residences. 6 Matilda, widow of William Ferrars; Matilda [Maud]
5 Dertemuth’, probably Gommerock, - John Corp widow of Sir John Marmion; Joan, late the wife of
1402, ‘le Camber’ - Richard Guldeford 1487, William de Sancto Quintmo and Matilda de Well. Joan,
Tynemouth in 1536 where a group of citizens had widow of Gwilym ap Gruffudd may have been granted
permission to build and fortify 2 lighthouses and a licence for Penrhyn castle Wales, but this possible
William Paulett 1547 Letley. The licence to the abbot licence is not part of the general analysis. Alice de
of Quarr in 1365 seems also have been intended to Leygrave, the king’s wet nurse, has been attributed
produce coastal artillery forts at Fishhouse and with a grant but this seems to actually be for Adam le
elsewhere on the Isle of Wight. Bret, at her request.
· 6 individuals are identified as royal Quarrera 1365, Chidiok 1370, Bodyham 1385,
relatives. Herewiche 1405, Malberthorpe 1459 and Letley
1547.
the others, not ranked in the licences are
probably mainly knights. The expression in or by the marches of
Scotland (marchia Scocia) is used in 9
Licences for Dodyngton (1403), Wodhall (1410),
licences; Dromburgh 1307, Dunmalloght 1307,
Rykmersworth (1426), Wycroft (1427) and Rye
Scaleby 1307, Blemansoppe 1340, Treuermane
(1443) are granted to groups of named men;
1340, Harcla 1353, Wirkington 1380, Penreth
some of these may have been trustees, acting
1397 and 1399.
on behalf of another, that for Wycroft, was
actually for Thomas Brooke supported by his The expression 'the marches of Wales'
allies after he had been attacked. occurs once, Leomynstre (1402).7
Royal grants by reign are; 31 licences use the term ‘castle’
John - 10; Henry III - 39; Edward I - 46; Edward (castrum), seven are for pre-existing castles
II - 61; Edward III - 152; Richard II - 39; Henry the others are to make manors into castles. 12
IV - 10; Henry V - 2; Henry VI - 24; Edward IV licences use the term fortalice (fortalicium) -
- 14; Henry VII - 5; Henry VIII - 10; Edward VI three using both terms.
- 2, Elizabeth I - 2. Licences were granted at Westminster
These numbers refer to the number of licences, (206), Berwick-on Tweed (9), Canterbury (4),
not the number of properties. Lincoln (4), Northampton (6), Nottingham (6),
Roxburgh (5), Tower of London (5), Windsor
There is a marked drop in the granting (11), Woodstock (14), York (19) and 70 other
of licences after 1348, presumably due to the places (3 or less licences). There seems to me
effects of the Black Death. (4 in 1343, 4 in 1344, to be little relation between the place of the
4 in 1345, 5 in 1346, 4 in 1347, 5 in 1348, none grant and the location of buildings licensed. For
in 1349, 2 in 1350, 1 in 1351, 4 in 1352, 2 in instance, of the 4 licences granted at Roxburgh
1353, none in 1354. That is 26 in the six years in 1335, three were for buildings in Cornwall
to the end of 1348 and just 9 in the next six and one for a building in York. The location of
years). the 21 buildings of the 19 York licences are;
Conventual licences (to abbeys, Yorkshire (6), Shropshire (3), Norfolk (2), Kent
cathedral chapters etc) are particularly (2), Sussex, Devon, Lincolnshire, Bedfordshire,
concentrated from 1280 - 1380. There is no Oxfordshire, Durham, Gloucestershire and
evidence of a drop in these licences from the Wiltshire.
Black Death, indeed there may be a slight As the practice of the Chancery
increase in the couple of decades after 1348. became gradually systematised, a custom was
Clearly the troubles throughout the fourteenth developed of entering on Letters Patent, and on
century may have affected a desire from such the enrolment of them, a note of the authority
communities to cut themselves off from the under which the Great Seal had been affixed to
secular world, or at least symbolically defend them. For these later licences the relevant
themselves from it. However, I would speculate numbers are; 223 by Privy Seal (Per breve de
that an increase in income, resulting from private sigillo), 103 by King (Per ipsum Regem)
increased beneficiaries after the plague, allowed + 1 by Queen, 4 by King and Council (Per ipsum
a funding of buildings. Regem et Concilium), 7 by Council (Per
52 licences are combined with licences Concilium) and 2 by Petition in Parliament (14
to impark land. These are mostly fifteenth and of the previous also by authority of parliament).
sixteenth century licences and nearly all later A fee or fine is mentioned in 7 licences;
private licences to crenellate are part of more
complex grants, including park enclosure. Some · burgesses of Harwich, 1405 - 20
licences to crenellate are clearly for hunting shillings.
lodges, such as that for Lewis Johan, 1414. · Thomas Hungerford, 1383, a pardon -
Increasingly the country house with park, rather 1 mark.
than the castle, became the symbol of lordship
and lordship came be be displayed through its 7 This licence, issued during the Glendower revolt, does appear
to have missed notice. It is doubtful that much action was taken
privileges rather than its duties.
on it but the town of Leominster did have defensive ditches
probably dating from before this time but both these ditches
The expression 'on the sea coast' (juxta
and this licence have missed attention from the usually studies
mare) is used in 7 licences; Flaynburgh 1351, of town defences.
Licences to Crenellate: The distribution map shows the tendency for municipal licences granted to build town
walls to be mainly a feature of coastal towns. Distribution is fairly random and there is certainly no evidence of a
concentration of licenced 'fortifications' in the Scottish March or the coast.
0
8
1200-09
1
1210-19
2
3
1220-29
1230-39
1240-49
3
5
1250-59
1
1260-69
1 1
8
1270-79
Municipal
2
5
1280-89
1
1290-99
2
1300-09
1310-19 3
3 3 3 3
2
1320-29
4
7
1330-39
3
1 1
6
1340-49
3
2
8
1350-59
2
7
8
1360-69
4
1370-79
1 1
3
1380-89
1390-99
3
1 7
Conventual
1400-09
1
4
1410-19
1420-29
3 3
4
1430-39
1
1440-49
7
1460-69
9
1470-79
6
1480-89
4
1490-99
1500-09
Private
4
1510-19
1520-29
3
1530-39
5
1540-49
1550-59
233
2
1560-69
Licences to Crenellate 1199 - 1264