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 1440 Oct 13, Laurence Hammerton (Laurence Hamerton) was granted, by Henry VI, (In year 19 of his reign) a Royal licence to crenellate Helefeld (Hellifield Peel)
Grant to Laurence Hammerton of licence to enclose, crenellate and furnish with towers and battlements his manor of Helefeld, co. York, with stone and mortar, and so hold it to him and his heirs without impediment. (CChR)

Granted at Westminster. Grant by privy seal.

Comments

If Laurence was building a new and grand house then something stopped the project as the original Hellifield was a small tower and the family's prime residence remained Wigglesworth Hall. Otherwise this would be a licence for a fairly common form of building which only very rarely gets a licence to crenellate.

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;

Laurence Hamerton (b.c. 1380 - d.c. 1449)
Laurence Hamerton (b.c. 1380 - d.c. 1449) of Wigglesworth. The Hamertons were a long standing local family, lords of Hammerton, but seemingly not knights, Laurence's grandfather married Katherine de Knoll in c. 1370 and obtained wealth, Wigglesworth Hall and Hellifield Manor.

Laurence's mother was Elizabeth Radcliffe, relative of James Radcliffe (who obtained a licence in 1403)

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.


¤¤¤¤¤