Comments
Reference seems originally to come from Pearce who quotes the Liber Albus of the Bishops of Worcester, f. 456, which contains an entry that Bishop Walter de Cantilupe had begun a castle; Bishop Godfrey Giffard was granted leave to crenellate. King also writes "It is to be noted that this licence is not entered in the rolls." This may be a misinterpretation based on a belief that castles had to have a licence. However note the licences granted to Bishop Godfrey in 1271 for "houses within his close of Worcester" and for his manor house at Withington, in Gloucestershire. Has there been some misinterpretation of the 'houses within .. Worcester{shire}? Clearly Giffard thought obtaining a licences for other properties was worthwhile (indeed for a man of his status and political connections it may well have been considered de rigour ) and he may well therefore of obtained a licence for his prime episcopal residence at Hartlebury and this may be a genuine 'ghost' licence.
