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In 1397 Feb 20, Thomas Brook, chivaler was granted, by Richard II, (In year 20 of his reign) a Royal licence to crenellate Holdich (Holditch Court, Thorncombe)
Licence for Thomas Brook, knight, to strengthen with a wall of stone and lime his mansion-house within his manor of Holdich, co. Devon, and enclose and make a park of 200 acres of pasture and wood belonging to the manor, and hold the premises, including a deer-leap in the park, to him his heirs for ever. By p.s. (CPR)

Thomas Brook, chivaler ... mansum infra manerium suum ... Holdich, Devon. (Turner and Parker)

Granted at Westminster. Grant by privy seal.

Comments

also to impark 200 acres of pasture and wood belonging to the manor.

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 Thomas Brook (d, 1419)
Sir Thomas Brook (d, 1419) Sheriff of Somerset 1389. Sheriff of Devon 1394 & 1403. Knight of the Shire for Somerset several occasions between 1386 and 1413. Largest landowner in Somerset. Considerable royal service on commissions, particularly for Henry IV. Probably a Lollard. Did fight in Ireland and Wales but his 'career, however, was shaped more by his landed status than by military achievements' (Roskell et al p. 378)

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.


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