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In 1338 June 8, Galfridus le Scrop (Geoffrey Le Scrope) was granted, by Edward III, (In year 12 of his reign) a Royal licence to crenellate Burton Conestable (Constable Burton Hall)
Licence for Geoffrey le Scrope to impark his woods of Burton Conestable, Coverham and Caldebergh, if they be not within the metes of the forest, and to build a crenellated fortalice at his manor of Burton Conestable. By p.s. (CPR)

Galfridus le Scrop .... quoddam fortalicium apud manerium suum de Burton Constable de novo construere et forticium illud muro de petra et calce firmare et kernellare. (Turner and Parker)

Granted at Lopham. Grant by privy seal.

Comments

A younger son of Sir William Scrope, trained as a lawyer 'about Easter 1315 he was appointed one of the king's serjeants. From 1317 he was regularly summoned to councils and parliaments among the justices. Although in 1313–14 he was among the lawyers retained by Thomas, earl of Lancaster, Scrope's political sympathies seem always to have been with the crown' (Vale). He was knighted in 1323.

Scrope had obtained the manor, from Sir Roald Richmond, before 1321. At this stage in his life he was doing diplomatic service for the king. However the experience of having his London house pillaged by a mob in 1326 may have influenced the wording of this licence and the nature of the subsequent building, although it should be noted that he was also a very rich man with many debtors.

Original source is;

(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. Licentia is best translated as 'freedom to' not 'permission'.)

Significant later sources are;

Scrope, Sir Geoffrey (d. 1340)
A younger son of Sir William Scrope, trained as a lawyer 'about Easter 1315 he was appointed one of the king's serjeants. From 1317 he was regularly summoned to councils and parliaments among the justices. Although in 1313–14 he was among the lawyers retained by Thomas, earl of Lancaster, Scrope's political sympathies seem always to have been with the crown' (Vale). He was knighted in 1323.

Scrope had obtained the manor, from Sir Roald Richmond, before 1321. At this stage in his life he was doing diplomatic service for the king. However the experience of having his London house pillaged by a mob in 1326 may have influenced the wording of this licence and the nature of the subsequent building, although it should be noted that he was also a very rich man with many debtors.

Biographical source include;

More information about licences to crenellate can be found here.

Please do inform Gatehouse if you see any errors, can add information or can otherwise help to improve this resource. Please contact Gatehouse.

Record created by Philip Davis. This record last updated on Sunday, October 4, 2015.


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