In 1306 Sept 16, Walterus de Langton, Coventr. et Lych., Episcopus (Bishop Walter de Langton) was granted, by Edward I, (In year 34 of his reign) a Royal licence to crenellate Beudesert (Beaudesert Hall)

"domos quas fieri fecit apud Beudesert et Asheby David et alibi per omnia loca quae idem episcopus habet in Anglia"

Granted at Blenkinsop, by privy seal.

The current ruins are of a late C15 house and may represent a new site the original bishops house may have been a rebuild of the C11-C12 Royal hunting lodge at Cannock. Thompson writes "Bishop Langton received, in 1306, a licence to crenellate Beaudesert, Staffs and Ashby, Northants and all episocopal palaces in England." This licence is often identified with Beaudesert Castle, Warwickshire, but, as far as I am aware, this castle was not a property of the bishop's and I trust Thompson's more recent scholarship with regard to this licence. Beaudesert Hall is in the Bishop chase of Cannock, close to Lichfield.

Original source is

• Calendar of Patent Rolls (1301-7) p462

(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;

• Thompson, M.W., 1998, Medieval bishops' houses in England and Wales (Aldershot: Ashgate Publishing) p167
  King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol2 p487n8 [Beadesert Castle, Warwickshire]
  Turner, T.H. and Parker, J.H., 1859, Some account of Domestic Architecture in England (Oxford) Vol3 pt2 p405

More details about licences to crenellate can be found here.

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