Coventry (Coventre) was given a grant of murage dated 20/11/1363.
This was in the form of:-
Wording
Licence for the mayor, bailiffs, citizens and good men of Coventre to crenellate their city. {Foedera.} By p.s.
Granted by Edward III. (Regnal year 37). Granted at Westminster. Granted by p.s..
Primary Sources
Lyte, H.C. Maxwell (ed), 1912, Calendar of Patent Rolls (1361-64) p. 417
online copyRymer, Thomas (ed), (Record Edn),
Foedera Vol. 3 part 2 p. 715
Secondary Sources
Joan C. Lancaster and Margaret Tomlinson, 1969, in Stephens, W.B.(ed),
VCH Warwickshire Vol. 8 p. 1-23
online copyTurner, T.H. and Parker, J.H., 1859,
Some account of Domestic Architecture in England (Oxford) Vol. 3 pt 2 p. 240, 416 (as licence to crenellate)
online copy
Comments
Murage first granted 1329 but work probably didn't start until 1364. A licence to complete the work was issued in 1385. Circuit was only finally completed in 1540. Clearly, since murage had been already granted, there was no requirement for a licence to crenellate. Was this licence sought more to motivate and encourage those citizens who thought the wall was a needless financial burden? The unusual inclusion of bailiffs in a licence to crenellate may well be significant. If so then it had some limited success and the technique was repeated in 1385 with rather less success, despite the 'Peasant's revolt'.
Record created by Philip Davis. This record created 09/02/2009. Last updated on 05/01/2013. First published online 5/01/2013.
