In 1484, John Kelyng, clerk, rector of the parish church of Houghton was granted, by Bishop Dudley, (In year 8 of his reign) a Durham Pardon licence to crenellate (Houghton le Spring Rectory)

"Has pardon for having without licence begun to fortify a house within his rectory; and licence to continue the works."

A tower was built at Houghton le Spring without licence in 1483. A pardon was granted by the Bishop of Durham to John Kelyng, rector, in 1484. John Kelyng was Chancellor of Durham, keeper of the Great Seal, and Receiver-General of the Bishopric of Durham. Given the large number of rectory towers erected with no licence, or, indeed, no real requirement for a licence, this pardon and licence seems more a political statement of the bishops power rather than any real attempt to control the building of fortifications.

Original source is

• 1873, Report of the Deputy Keeper Public Records Vol35 p140

(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;

• Emery, Anthony, 1996, Greater Medieval Houses Vol1 (Cambridge) p160
  King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol1 p141n22
  Bates, C.J., 1891, Border Holds of Northumberland (London and Newcastle: Andrew Reid) p. xv
  Turner, T.H. and Parker, J.H., 1859, Some account of Domestic Architecture in England (Oxford) Vol3 pt2 p206
  Surtees, W., 1816 [1972 Reprint], History and Antiquities of Durham Vol1 p290
  Hutchinson, Wm, 1785-94, The History and Antiquities of the County Palatine of Durham Vol2 p540 and note
  Hutchinson, Wm, 1785-94, The History and Antiquities of the County Palatine of Durham Vol1 p364 and note

More details about licences to crenellate can be found here.

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