The Gatehouse website record of a licence to crenellate for Slingsby Castle granted on 1344 Jan 28

In 1344 Jan 28, Randulphus de Hastyngs (Ralph Hastings) was granted, by Edward III, (In year 18 of his reign) a Royal licence to crenellate Slyngesby (Slingsby Castle)

Granted at Westminster. Grant by privy seal.

Comments

Licence to crenellate granted to Ralph Hastings in 1344 and to William, Lord Hastings in 1474.

Original source is;

Lyte, H.C. Maxwell (ed), 1902, Calendar of Patent Rolls (1343-45) p. 190 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;

Emery, Anthony, 1996, Greater Medieval Houses Vol. 1 (Cambridge) p. 421
King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol. 2 p. 539n92
Turner, T.H. and Parker, J.H., 1859, Some account of Domestic Architecture in England (Oxford) Vol. 3 part 2 p. 414 online copy

Sir Ralph (i) Hastings (d. 1346)

Sir Ralph (i) Hastings (d. 1346). By 1332 he had established himself in the service of Henry, third earl of Lancaster (d. 1345), acting as constable and steward of the earl's honour of Pickering and serving with the earl's eldest son, Henry of Grosmont (d. 1361), on a series of successful military campaigns—in Scotland (1336), Brittany (1342), and Aquitaine (1344, 1345–6). The substantial rewards of this service (a fee of £20 as steward of Pickering and an additional £40 retaining fee) enabled Sir Ralph to expand the Hastings family estates, both in the North Riding, where he purchased the manors of Slingsby, Howthorp, and Colton, and in Leicestershire, where he acquired estates at Newton Harcourt and Welford. A series of royal privileges, including free warren in all his lands (1329) and a licence to crenellate and impark his new residence at Slingsby (1344), underlined his increased status and prosperity, ... Appointed a keeper of the peace in the North Riding in 1332, Sir Ralph served as sheriff of Yorkshire between March 1337 and October 1340 and was closely involved, during his tenure of the shrievalty, in implementing Edward III's schemes for the regulation and financial exploitation of the wool export. He died in November 1346, less than a month after he had led the rearguard of the army that defeated the invading Scots at Nevilles Cross. (Walker)

Biographical source include;

Simon Walker, 2004, ‘Hastings family (per. c.1300–c.1450)’ Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (Oxford University Press) online copy (subscription may be needed)