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In 1448 Dec 10, Thomas Browne, king's squire was granted, by Henry VI, (In year 27 of his reign) a Royal licence to crenellate Tonford (Tonford Manor, Thanington Without)
Grant, of special grace, to Thomas Browne, king's squire, that he may make a ditch (fossare) and enclose with walls of stone and mortar, crenellate and provide with battlements his manors of Tonge, Egethorne, Tonford, Kyngesnoth, and Bettisworth cos. Kent and Surrey, and make of them towers and fortresses, and so hold them to them to him and his heirs; grant also that he may inclose 1,000 acres or less of his demense lands in each of the said manors, and hold the same as parks to him and his heirs; and that he and his heirs may have free warren in all their demense lands and lands thereto belonging:
grant also to the said Thomas that he and his heirs, shall have in each of the said manors, view of frank-pledge of all their men, tenants and residents, with all that belongs thereto; notwithstanding that there is here no express mention etc. (CChR)

Granted at Westminster. Grant by privy seal and of the said date etc. {by authority of parliament}.

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;

Sir Thomas Browne (1402-1460)
Sir Thomas Browne (1402-1460) Controller and treasurer to the household of King Henry VI. MP for Dover 1439-40 Kent 1445-6. Sheriff of Kent in 1444 and 1459. Under-Treasurer of England 1447-49. Record as Exchequer clerk in 1444 and probably one before this. Granted licence to export wool in 1440 and recorded as citizen and grocer of London in 1458. Loyal Yorkist, sentenced and hanged, drawn and quartered in July 1460.

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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