The Gatehouse website record of a licence to crenellate for house in Beverley granted on 1366 Dec 27

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In 1366 Dec 27, Adam de Coppendale, de Beverlaco (Coppandale; Copandale) was granted, by Edward III, (In year 40 of his reign) a Royal licence to crenellate Beverlaco (house in Beverley)

Granted at Windsor. Grant by privy seal.

Comments

Flower suggests there was partisan conflict between the major merchants of Beverley, such as Adam, and minor merchants backed by the Archbishop of York and such conflicts may be a reason for a wealthy merchant to fortify his house, although the licence to crenellate presumably had more to do with social cachet.

Original source is;

Lyte, H.C. Maxwell (ed), 1912, Calendar of Patent Rolls (1364-67) p. 352 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;

Davis, Philip, 2010-11, 'Crenellated town houses in Medieval England' Castle Studies Group Journal Vol. 24 p. 270-91
Coulson, C., 1995, 'Battlements and the Bourgeoisie: Municipal Status and the Apparatus of Urban Defence' in Church, Stephen (ed), Medieval Knighthood Vol. 5 (Boydell) p161n175
Turner, T.H. and Parker, J.H., 1859, Some account of Domestic Architecture in England (Oxford) Vol. 3 part 2 p. 416 online copy

Adam de Coppendale (b. 1315)

An Adam de Coppendale is recorded as a wool merchant in 1322 (presumably the father of Adam) and Adam and his brother Stephen are given a licence in 1371 'to buy 400 quarters of divers kinds of corn in Yorkshire and to bring them to London to make their profit, provided that they find security that they will not take it anywhere other than to London.' (CPR 1370-74, 54)

Adam Coppandale was a merchant of York and Beverley, who had reached a ripe old age after filling many important offices in the later town. At one time he was joint leader of the men of Beverley in an array of arms; and by letters patent of October 9, 1383, the king, in consideration of his sixty eight years, specially exempted him from the necessity of taking office. (Flower p. 81)

Biographical source include;

Cyril T. Flower, 1905, 'The Beverley Town Riots, 1381-2' Transactions of the Royal Historical Society New Ser. Vol. 19, p. 79-99 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.