In 1294 Dec 6, Abbas de Hales [abbot and convent] was granted, by Edward I, (In year 22 of his reign) a Royal licence to crenellate Hales (Halesowen)

"quasdam cameras quas infra eandem Abbatiam de novo construxerunt kernellare"

Granted at Westminster, by petition of Council.

Parker transcribed as in Salop. The PRO transcription gives no county, but the index suggests Hailes, Gloucestershire; did the PRO omit the county as an 'error' or did Parker put it in?Halesowen was part of Shropshire until 1843/4 when it was moved into Worcestershire. Coulson recorded this as Hailes, Gloucester, and, given the relative sizes and incomes, this might seem possilble but he now accepts this identification is wrong. The abbot of Halesowen was attacked by his tenants in 1279.

Original source is

• Calendar of Patent Rolls (1292-1301) p55

(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.)

Significant later source are;

• Coulson, C., 1982, 'Hierarchism in Conventual Crenellation' Medieval Archaeology Vol26 p93 [As Hailes, Gloucester - although he now accepts this identification as wrong]
  Turner, T.H. and Parker, J.H., 1859, Some account of Domestic Architecture in England (Oxford) Vol3 pt2 p404

More details about licences to crenellate can be found here.

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