The Gatehouse website record of a licence to crenellate for Edington Priory [Edington College] granted on 1359 Oct 9

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Oct. 9. Sandwich. Licence, at the asking of William, bishop of Winchester, for the rector and brethren of the house of the order of St. Augustine, Edyngdon, founded by the bishop, to crenellate their manse. By p.s. (CPR)

Oct. 9. Sandwich. Pardon, at the asking of William de Edyndon, bishop of Winchester to him and the rector and brethren of the house of the order of St. Augustine, Edyndon, founded by him, for crenellating the manse of the rector and brethren without the king's licence and licence for them to retain the manor crenellated. By K. and bill of p.s. (CPR)

Rector et frates de Edyndon ... mansum ... Edyndon, Wilts. (Ad rogatum venerablilis patris Willielmi de Edyndon, episcopi Winton., perdonavimus eidem episcopo ac, &c. Rectori et fratribus domus ordinis Sancti Augustini de Edyndon per ipsum episcopum de novo fundatae transgressionem quam fecerunt, mansum eorundem Rectoris et fratrum ibidem, muro de petra et calce firmando et kernellando, licentia nostra super hoc non obenta. Et concedimus &c. mansum tenere possint.) (Turner and Parker)

Comments

The pardon is on membrane 15 (p297-8), and a straight forward licence to crenellate, of the same date, is entered on membrane 20 (p290). This appears to be a duplication, perhaps by an over officious scribe, although it may be there was some discussion over the terminology to be used. The pardon seems to be the fuller entry

Original source is;

Lyte, H.C. Maxwell (ed), 1911, Calendar of Patent Rolls (1358-61) p. 290 online copy, 297-8 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
Coulson, C., 1994, 'Freedom to Crenellate by Licence - An Historiographical Revision' Nottingham Medieval Studies Vol. 38 p. 92n17
Coulson, C., 1982, 'Hierarchism in Conventual Crenellation' Medieval Archaeology Vol. 26 p. 83, 94 online copy
Turner, T.H. and Parker, J.H., 1859, Some account of Domestic Architecture in England (Oxford) Vol. 3 part 2 p. 416 online copy

William Edington (d. 1366)

William Edington (d. 1366), titular bishop of Winchester was a long time royal counsellor and servant, was treasurer 1344-56 and chancellor 1356-63. He transformer the church of birthplace Edington, first as collegiate (1351), then as a house of bonshommes (a passing fashion with the king and his family which found no popularity) for a dean and twelve clerks in 1358. Building work there dates from 1352-61. The surviving church is extensive decorated with crenellations but the Rectors house may well have been built by the bishop as a suitable grand retirement home, as he was about to end his long years of royal service, although he, in fact, died at Bishop's Waltham.

Biographical source include;

R. G. Davies, 2004, ‘Edington, William (d. 1366)’ Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (Oxford University Press) online copy (subscription may be needed)

More information about licences to crenellate can be found here.

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