"Licence for Thomas, bishop of St. Davids, to strengthen with a wall of stone and lime, and crenellate his dwelling-house (mansum) of Plesele, co. Derby."
Granted at Bristol,
Thomas (I) Bek (d. 1293), bishop of St David's, Younger brother of John Bek, who was granted licence to crenellate his house at Eresby in 1276. Pleasley was an odd holding of the see of St David, a possible retreat in time of revolt in Wales so the licence may have had some function in confirming the ownership of what must have been a little used house.
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 source are;
Thomas (I) Bek (d. 1293), bishop of St David's, Younger brother of John Bek, who was granted licence to crenellate his house at Eresby in 1276. Pleasley was an odd holding of the see of St David, a possible retreat in time of revolt in Wales so the licence may have had some function in confirming the ownership of what must have been a little used house (The house was close to the Bek family seat in Lincolnshire). Thomas did royal service and was keeper of the wardrobe but concentrated on his episcopal duties after 1280, although involved in the organisation of troops against Llywelyn ap Gruffudd.
Biographical source include;
More details about licences to crenellate can be found here.
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