The Gatehouse website record of a licence to crenellate for Greenhalgh Castle granted on 1490 Aug 2

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In 1490 Aug 2, Thomas Stanley, earl of Derby was granted, by Henry VII, a Lancaster licence to crenellate Green Hall in the parish of Garstang (Greenhalgh Castle)

Comments

Duchy licence to crenellate of 1490 granted to Thomas Stanley, earl of Derby with licence to impark and free warren. Stanley was step father to Henry VII.
The position as high steward of the duchy of Lancaster may be the reason for this unusual duchy licence. Was the Earl hoping to make the position a hereditary one, with a suitable house, in the duchy, to reflect the position?

Original source is;

Chetham Library, Towneley MS, CC, no. 580 (possible AKA Dodsworth MSS., vol. lxxxvii., fol. 346.)

(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. 263
King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol. 1 p. 250n9
Farrer, W. and Brownbill, J. (eds), 1912, VCH Lancashire Vol. 7 p. 319n58 online copy

Stanley, Thomas, first earl of Derby (c.1433–1504)

Stanley, Thomas, first earl of Derby (c.1433–1504), magnate. Henry VII showed his gratitude to his ‘right dearly beloved father’ on 27 October 1485 by creating him earl of Derby. Early in 1486 he confirmed him as constable of England and high steward of the duchy of Lancaster, and granted him other offices and estates. Even so, at the time of the Lambert Simnel rising of 1487, there may have been concern that the Stanleys were again hedging their bets, and there was relief in the royal host when the Stanleyites came in at Nottingham. The victory at Stoke (16 June 1487) brought further rewards for Stanley, notably lands forfeited by Viscount Lovell, Sir Thomas Pilkington, and Sir Thomas Broughton in Lancashire and elsewhere. In 1489 the Stanleys again made a notable contribution to the army raised by the king to suppress a rising in Yorkshire. (Bennett)

Biographical source include;

Michael J. Bennett, Sept 2004, ‘Stanley, Thomas, first earl of Derby (c.1433–1504)’ 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.

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