In 1410, Ralph de Eure, knight (Sir Ralph Eure; Ewer) was granted, by Cardinal Langley, Bishop of Durham, (In year 5 of his reign) a Durham Pardon licence to crenellate Witton' (Witton Castle, Witton-le-Wear)

"Has pardon for enclosing and fortifying his manor of Witton' without licence, and permission to complete the same.
fortallicium"

The document is actually a pardon for unlicensed crenellation. In 1433 Ralph's son William was discontent with Langley's administration but it is unclear if this pardon represents unusual interference by the bishop into Ralph's building or a joint recognition by two leading men in the north of their status.

Original source is

• 1872, Report of the Deputy Keeper Public Records Vol33 p91

(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) p159
  King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol1 p141n18
  Bates, C.J., 1891, Border Holds of Northumberland (London and Newcastle: Andrew Reid) p. xv
  Hutchinson, Wm, 1785-94, The History and Antiquities of the County Palatine of Durham Vol3 p305, notes
  Grose, Francis, 1787, The Antiquities of England and Wales (London) Vol2 p112

Langley, Thomas (c.1360–1437)

Ralph Eure (c.1346-1421), Sheriff of Northumberland (1389-97), Sheriff of Yorkshire 1396, Governor of the Castle of Newcastle, Constable of York Castle, Commisioner of Array.
Bishop Langley, royal diplomat and councillor, but spent considerable time in the north and undertook reorganization of the palatinate powers of the bishops of Durham.

Biographical source include;

• C. M. Fraser, ‘Langley, Thomas (c.1360–1437)’, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004 [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/16027, accessed 1 Feb 2008]
  

More details about licences to crenellate can be found here.

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