The Gatehouse website record of a licence to crenellate for Athelhampton Hall granted on 1495 Nov 5

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In 1495 Nov 5, William Martyn (William Martin) was granted, by Henry VII, (In year 11 of his reign) a Royal licence to crenellate Adlampston in the parish of Pidelton (Athelhampton Hall)

Licence to William Martyn, gentleman, and his heirs, to enclose and fortify their manor at Adlampston in the parish of Pidelton, co. Dorset, with walls of stone and lime, and to build towers within the said manor and crenellate the same; and to impark and inclose with pales 100 acres of their lands called 'Adlampston Parc' and 60 acres called 'le Est' and 'le Mydell Closes' belonging to the said manor and make a park thereof so than none shall enter the said park or warren to course or take anything which belongs to park or warren under a forfeiture of 10l. (CPR)

Granted at Westminster.

Comments

Hall is unfortified (although gatehouse, said to have been added in c. 1550, has been demolished).
No suggestion of royal service or connection, although may have been loaning the Crown money before (and possible after) 1470.

Original source is;

Lyte, H.C. Maxwell (ed), 1916, Calendar of Patent Rolls (1494-1509) p. 43 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, 2006, Greater Medieval Houses Vol. 3 (Cambridge) p. 489n1, 696

William Martyn (c. 1446 – 14 January 1503)

William Martyn (c. 1446 – 14 January 1503) Mayor of London in 1492. Merchant, recorded as trading in wool in 1493-4. The Martyn's were an old gentry family, said to have held Athelhampton since 1350. A number of the members of the family are given the title 'sir' in various sources, including William himself, although in official documents he is recorded as esquire. Presumably the money made in trade was being reinvested into the family estate.

Biographical source include;

Wedgewood, J.C., 1936, History of Parliament Biographies of the Members of the Commons House 1439-1509 (HMSO) Vol. 2 p. 579-80

More information about licences to crenellate can be found here.

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