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 1389 Nov 10, Radulpho de Lomley Milit. (Sir Ralph Lumley) was granted, by Bishop Skirlaw, (In year 2 of his pontificate) a Durham licence to crenellate Lomley (Lumley Castle)
Has licence to rebuild, crenelate, and embattle his castle of Lomley. (Rep. Dep. Keeper)

Rot. A A. Skirlaw, ep. Dunelm. in dorso, No 37.
Walterus Dei gratia Dunelm. Episcopus. Omnibus Ballivis et Fidelibus suis Salutem. Sciatis quod de gratia nostra speciali concessimus & licentiam dedimus pro nobis est successoribus nostris quantum in nobis est dilecto nobis Radulpho de Lomley Milit. quod ipse Castrum suum de Lomley de novo aedificandum infra nostram regiam libertatem Dunolm. muro de Petra et Calce batellare et kernellare et Castrum illud sic batellatum et kernellatum tenere possit sibi et heredibus suis imperpetuum sine vec'cone vel impedimento nostri vel successorum nostrorum Justic. Escaetor Vicecomitu aut aliorum Ballivorum seu Ministrorum nostrorum quorumcunque. In cujus rei testimonium has literas nostras fieri fecimus Patentes. Dat. per manus Hugonis de Westwyk Cancellarii nostri x die Novemb, anno Pontificatus nostri secundo. (Hutchinson)

Comments

Lumley was to obtain a royal licence for the castle in 1392.

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;

Sir Ralph Lumley (1362-99)
RALPH DE LUMLEY, brother and heir, was aged 13 or 14 at his brother's death, John de Neville (Lord Neville) of Raby being his guardian. He had order for livery of his lands 20 August 1383. He was summoned to Parliament from 15 September 1384 to 30 September 1399, by writs directed Radulpho de Lomley, whereby he is held to have become LORD LUMLEY. Certain French prisoners, taken by Ralph Lumley, then chivaler, in September 1384 had leave to return home to arrange their ransom. In January 1385 he was in the retinue of Henry de Percy, Earl of Northumberland, in Scotland, and in 1387 and 1388 associated with him in the defence of Berwick-on-Tweed. In 1388 he was also a commissioner of array in Chester Ward, co. Durham. At the battle of Otterburn ("Chevy Chase," 19 August 1388) he was taken prisoner by the Scots, but was at liberty by October 1389, when he was under orders for Berwick, then in the keeping of the Earl of Nottingham, a service on which he appears not to have proceeded. In the autumn of 1391 he was appointed captain of Berwick under the Earl of Northumberland. In October 1392 he obtained from the King permission to build and crenellate a castle at (Little) Lumley. He was on the commission of the peace in the North 'Riding of Yorkshire, 1394 and 1397. He was in the Parliament at Westminster, September 1397, when all the prelates, lords, and commons were sworn on the shrine of Edward the Confessor to maintain their proceedings in support of King Richard's coup d'état, and also sat in the first Parliament of Henry IV (1399), and with all the other prelates and peers assented to the imprisonment of the late King; but at Christmas 1399 he joined the unsuccessful conspiracy of Richard's half-brother, the Earl of Huntingdon, to murder Henry IV and restore Richard. He was taken, with others of the conspirators, by the townsfolk of Cirencester, and beheaded in January 1399/1400. He was attainted of treason in Parliament in March 1400/1 whereby his peerage was forfeited, his possessions having been granted already on 22 January 1399/1400 to John, Earl of Somerset, brother of Henry IV.
He married Eleanor, daughter of the above said John (NEVILLE), LORD NEVILLE of Raby (by his ist wife, Maud PERCY), and sister of Ralph (NEVILLE), 1st EARL OF WESTMORLAND, and of Thomas (NEVILLE), LORD FURNIVALLE. She was still living in 1441. (Complete Peerage VIII:269-70)

Bishop Walter Skirlaw (d. 1406) Not just bishop but had been Lord Privy Seal until 1386 and important royal advisor.

Biographical source include;

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.


¤¤¤¤¤