The Gatehouse website record of a licence to crenellate for Lichfield Cathedral Close granted on 1299 April 20

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Grant to W. bishop of Coventry and Lichfield of pavage for seven years for paving his city of Lichfield, and building a wall round the houses of him and the canons within the precinct of the cathedral. By K. (CPR p. 408)

Licence, in honour of the cathedral church of Lichefeld and of the saints whose bodies rest there, and for the security and quiet of the canons and ministers of the church residing there, for Walter de Langeton, bishop of Coventry and Lichfield, to enclose the precinct of his and the canons' houses within the close of the church with a stone wall, and to crenellate the wall. By K. (CPR p. 409)

W. Coventr. et Lych., Episcopus ... procinctum domorum suarum et canonicorum infra lasusum Cathedral. Lichefeld. muro lapideo includere et murum illum kernellare ... Lichef., Staff. (Turner and Parker)

f. 164. Letters patent of Edward I. to bishop W{alter Langton} granting him "in auxilium civitatis paviande" a variety of customs and other dues, of which a tariff is given, at Lichfield for seven years. 18 April, a. 27 {1299}. (HMC)

Comments

Grant of pavage for seven years with permission to build wall around precinct issued on 18 April; a more formal licence to crenellate the precinct granted of 20 April. The close was also licensed in 1348.

Original source is;

Lyte, H.C. Maxwell (ed), 1895, Calendar of Patent Rolls (1292-1301) p. 408, 409
Historical Manuscripts Commission, 1895, 'The Dean and Chapter of Lichfield', The Manuscripts of Lincoln, Bury. St Edmunds etc.: Fourteenth report, Appendix; part VIII p. 205-236 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;

Thompson, M.W., 1998, Medieval bishops' houses in England and Wales (Aldershot: Ashgate Publishing) p. 167
Greenslade, M.W. (ed), 1990, VCH Staffordshire Vol. 14 p. 60-1
Coulson, C., 1982, 'Hierarchism in Conventual Crenellation' Medieval Archaeology Vol. 26 p. 77-9, 93 online copy
Turner, T.H. and Parker, J.H., 1859, Some account of Domestic Architecture in England (Oxford) Vol. 3 part 2 p. 404 online copy

Langton, Walter (d. 1321)

Langton, Walter (d. 1321), administrator and bishop of Coventry and Lichfield. Edward I's treasurer and chief minister.

Biographical source include;

Roy Martin Haines, 2004, ‘Langton, Walter (d. 1321)’ Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (Oxford University Press) online copy (subscription may be needed)

More information about licences to crenellate can be found here.

Please do inform Gatehouse if you see any errors, can add information or can otherwise help to improve this resource. Please contact Gatehouse.