In 1399 March 18, Abbas et Conventus monasterii Cestriae (abbot and convent of the monastery of Chester ) was granted, by Richard II, (In year 22 of his reign) a Royal licence to crenellate Sutton (Sutton Hall)

"Licence for the abbot and convent of the monastery of Chester, of royal foundation and in the king's patronage, to crenellate their manors (manerium) of Salghton, Sutton and Ins."

Granted at Westminster, by privy seal.

A licence to crenellate was obtained in 1399 and repeated in 1410, but probably not acted upon on either occasion.

Original source is

• Calendar of Patent Rolls (1396-99) p552

(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;

• King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol1 p71n18
  Ormerod, G., 1882 [2edn], History of the County Palatine and city of Chester (London) Vol1 p253
  Turner, T.H. and Parker, J.H., 1859, Some account of Domestic Architecture in England (Oxford) Vol3 pt2 p420

More details about licences to crenellate can be found here.

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