The Gatehouse website record of a licence to crenellate for Kettlewell in Craven granted on 1405 Feb 24

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In 1405 Feb 24, Ralph de Nevill, Earl of Westmorland (Ralph Nevill) was granted, by Henry IV, (In year 6 of his reign) a Royal licence to crenellate Ketelwell in Craven (Kettlewell in Craven)

Grant, of special grace, to Ralph de Nevill, earl of Westmoreland, and his heirs, of free warren in all their demense lands in Ketelwell in Craven, co. York; grant also of licence to impark 300 acres of land in the samer town and hold the same park to him and his heirs, and that he may build a lodge or fortalice in the park, when made, and fortify it with a wall of stone and mortar and crenellate the wall and make battlements (batellare) on it and hold the same to him and his heirs without impediment. By K. (CChR)

Granted at Westminster. Grant by King.

Comments

The park was recorded as 'le Scaleparke' in 1484 and was licensed by a grant given to Ralph, Earl of Westmorland in 1405-6 and 1411 to enclose 300 acres of land for a park and to build a lodge within it. The northern boundary corresponded with a 'deep and broad trench' (Tor Dike - SD 97 NE 1) and the southern boundary with the area around 'Dove Cove'. The park is now divided into two large enclosures (presumably the area of land belonging to West Scale Park at SD 977745 and East Scale Park at SD 985746 on OS 6" 1909). (The place-name element 'Park' occurs at several places in the area, but the boundaries of Scale Park cannot be accurately defined).

Original source is;

Lyte, H.C. Maxwell (ed), 1916, Calendar of Charter Rolls Vol. 5 p. 427 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;

Emery, Anthony, 1996, Greater Medieval Houses Vol. 1 (Cambridge) p. 422

Neville, Ralph, first earl of Westmorland (c.1364–1425)

Neville, Ralph, first earl of Westmorland (c.1364–1425), magnate. He was created 1st Earl of Westmorland in 1397 by Richard II but sided with Henry Bolingbroke, his brother in law, in 1399. This licence to crenellate a minor building is part of a block of royal rewards given to Westmorland for his support of the King against the rebellion of the traditional Neville rivals, the Percys, in 1403.

Biographical source include;

Anthony Tuck, Sept 2004, ‘Neville, Ralph, first earl of Westmorland (c.1364–1425)’ Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (Oxford University Press) online edn, Jan 2008 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.