The Gatehouse website record of a licence to crenellate for Jordan Castle, Wellow granted on 1264 March 9

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In 1264 March 9, Ricardus Foliot was granted, by Henry III, (In year 48 of his reign) a Confirmation licence to crenellate Grimestone (Jordan Castle, Wellow)

Licence for Richard Foliot and his heirs, to enclose his manor of Grimeston, co. Nottingham, with a ditch and wall of stone and lime and to fortify and crenellate it. (CPR)

Ricardus Foliot ... mansum manerii sui ... Grimestone, Nott. (Turner and Parker)

Comments

Not identified by Parker who felt it might be Grimston Norfolk. However Grimston is a lost medieval village next to Wellow and this appears to be a licence for Wellow Castle. A repeat entry for the licence of Feb 28; presumably just a clerical oversight although the Barons' War, just about to start, meant there were high levels of anxiety and caution. (see repeated licenses for Sedgewick and Perching at this time)

Original source is;

Lyte, H.C. Maxwell (ed), 1910, Calendar of Patent Rolls (1258-66) p. 307 online copy

(In fact, the original source given is usually a transcription/translation of what are precious medieval documents not readily availably. It should be noted that these transcription/translations often date to the nineteenth or early twentieth centuries and that unwitting bias of transcribers may affect the translation. Care should also be taken to avoid giving modern meaning to the medieval use of certain stock words and terms. Licentia is best translated as 'freedom to' not 'permission'.)

Significant later sources are;

Turner, T.H. and Parker, J.H., 1859, Some account of Domestic Architecture in England (Oxford) Vol. 3 part 2 p. 402 online copy

Sir Richard Foliot (c.1215-1299)

Sir Richard Foliot (c.1215-1299) of Norton, Cowesby, Fenwick (Yorks.), Grimston & Wellow (Notts.) In 1263 he was granted permission to restock his Grimston Park property and a year later was permitted to crenellate the manor house here. In 1264, Richard had sided with Henry III serving in the king's army at the seige of Kenilworth (1266) and he helped to restore order in Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire and Yorkshire. Richard Foliot held lands as a tenant of the De Laci family of Pontefract (Holt p. 98)
Jordon Foliot was his father, so either the castle was founded by Richard and named after his father, a most unusual medieval occurrence, or the licence was for an existing building, although possibly one being altered. Alternatively the name Jordon Castle is of later origin and attributed to the Foliot with the more unusual name. The possibility is that the licence was a mark of favour granted to a knight showing loyalty to the embattled king.

Biographical source include;

Holt, J.C. 1982, Robin Hood (Thames and Hudson)

More information about licences to crenellate can be found here.

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