GATEHOUSE
The comprehensive gazetteer and bibliography of the medieval castles, fortifications and palaces of England, Wales, the Islands.
 
 
Home
The listings
Other Info
Books
Links
Downloads
Contact
 
Print Page 
 
Next Record 
Previous Record 
Back to list 
In 1348 April 7, Abbati et Conventui de Torre were granted, by Edward III, (In year 22 of his reign) a Royal licence to crenellate Torre Abbatiam (Torre Abbey)
Edwardus Dei gratia Rex Angliae et Franciae et Dominus Hiberniae omnibus ad quos presentes literae pervenerint salutem. Sciatis quod de gratia nostra specialiter concessimus et licenciam dedimus pro nobis et heredibus nostris dilectis nobis in Christo Abbati et Conventui de Torre quod ipsi Abbatiam suam predictam muro de petra et calce firmare et kernellare et eam sit firmatam et kernellatam tenere occasione vel impedimento nostri vel heredum nostrorum justiciariorum esceatorum vicecomitatum quorumcumque. In cujus rei testimonium has literas nostras fieri fecimus patentes. Teste me ipso apud Westmonasterio septimo die Aprilis anno regni nostri Angliae vicesimo secundo regni vero nostri Fraunciae nono.

Granted at Westminster.

Comments

Torre Abbey's (Devon) crenellation grant survives only in the cartulary of the abbey, and for some reason not in the rolls. (John Jenkins pers corr.)

Granted a month after Langdon Abbey received a licence to crenellate and two years after Langley Abbey's licence. All three house were Premonstratensian. Coulson suggest the motivation for the Langley and Landon licences was internal political concerns between the individual houses and the Premonstratensian commissary. This may also be true for Torre. At a broader level the Premonstratensian order is interesting as there is a conflict between its Cisterican ideals of isolation and the preaching outreach function of the canons who make up the order.

Original source is;

(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;

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.

Record created by Philip Davis. This record last updated on Sunday, October 4, 2015.


¤¤¤¤¤