The Gatehouse website record of a licence to crenellate for Stonehouse Town Defences granted on 1515 June 30

Comments

It is somewhat unclear if this licence was to build fortifications for the manor (ie an urban defence) or for the manor house. It is also possible that an artillery blockhouse may have been part of the building works. Additionally the licence would have confirmed ownership this property obtained through his marriage.

Original source is;

Brewer, J.S. (ed), 1864, Letters and Papers, Foreign and Domestic, of the Reign of Henry VIII Vol. 2 part 1 p. 172 No. 642 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. 695
Higham, R. A., 1988, 'Devon Castles: an annotated list' Proceedings of the Devon Archaeological Society Vol. 46 p. 142-9

Edgcumbe , Sir Richard (c.1443–1489)

Sir Peter Edgcumbe (1477–1539), son and heir of Sir Richard and his wife, Jane, was a student of Lincoln's Inn, London, in 1488, and aged only twelve at his father's death in 1489. As well as Cotehele, he inherited the castle, manor, and borough of Totnes, along with the manors of Bodrigan, Tregrehan, and Tremodret in Cornwall, and holdings in Huish, Loddiswell, and North Molton in Devon. On 24 February 1497 he had licence to enter his father's lands without proving his age. He was already a squire of the king's body, holding his father's offices of escheator and feodary of the duchy of Cornwall and constable of Launceston Castle. Knighted in 1494, he was sheriff of Devon four times between 1494 and 1522, and of Cornwall four times between 1498 and 1534; he was knight of the shire for Cornwall in 1515 and 1529. In 1513 he took part in the battle of the Spurs and was present at the Field of Cloth of Gold in 1520. By his marriage, to Jane, daughter and heir of James Derneford, and widow of Charles Dynham of Nutwell, Devon, he greatly enlarged his holdings, securing the manors of West Stonehouse in Devon and Rame in Cornwall. (Kirby)

Biographical source include;

J. L. Kirby, Sept 2004, ‘Edgcumbe , Sir Richard (c.1443–1489)’ 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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