In 1443 July 7, Andrew Ogard, knight, John Clyfton, knight, John Fastoff, knight and William Oldehall, knight, Robert Whityngham, esquire, and William Roys (Andrew Aagard; Ogart, John Clifton, Sir John Fastolf; Sir William Oldhall, Robert Whittingham, William Royce) was granted, by Henry VI, (In year 21 of his reign) a Royal licence to crenellate Rye, otherwise called the Isle of Rye in Stanstead Abbots (Rye House, Stanstead Abbots)

"Grant, of special grace, to Andrew Ogard, knight, John Clyfton, knight, John Fastoff, knight and William Oldehall, knight, Robert Whityngham, esquire, and William Roys that they may impark the site of their manor of Rye, otherwise called the Isle of Rye in Stanstead Abbots, co. Hertford, and fifty acres of land, ten acresof meadow eighty acres of pasture and sixteen acres of wood within the said isle, and may enclose the site of the manor with stone and mortar and provide it with turrets, battlements and machicolations, and so hold it to them and their heirs for ever; provided that the foregoing be not within the metes of the king's forest; and the said grantees shall have free warren in all their demense lands in Stanstede Abbots, Amwell, Hoddesdon, Ware and Wydford in the same county."

Granted at Westminster, by privy seal and of the said date by authority of parliament.

This group of men, mainly old friends and associates of the Duke of Bedford (1389-1435) may have desired a hunting lodge reasonable close to Westminister and the court, dressed up with the symbols of their noble and martial status.

Original source is

• Calendar of Charter Rolls Vol6 p38

(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;

• King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol1 p222n18
  Page, Wm (ed), 1912, 'Parishes: Stanstead Abbots' VCH Hertford Vol3 p366-73
  Turner, T.H. and Parker, J.H., 1859, Some account of Domestic Architecture in England (Oxford) Vol3 pt2 p281

Sir Andrew Ogard (d. 1454) was by birth a Dane, who received letters of denization in England in 1436. He was a 'knight, chamberlain, and councillor' of John Duke of Bedford, the regent of France. His wife was Margaret Clifton (d.b 1447), daughter of Sir John Clifton.
Sir John de Clifton, (b.c. 1394 - d. 1447) Knight of Buckenham Castle.
Sir John Fastolf (1380–1459), soldier and landowner, he, with other professional captains, formed a group under the command of the regent, John, duke of Bedford. Chief steward of Bedford's household.
Sir William Oldhall (d. 1460), soldier and speaker of the House of Commons
Robert Whittingham (d. 1471) I think this most probably the elder son of Sir Robert Whittingham (d. 1452) merchant and financier, Bedford's receiver-general in England as he was a knight by this time and had his own estates in Hertfordshire and elsewhere.
William Royce - I can not identify this individual.

Biographical source include;

• G. L. Harriss, ‘Fastolf, Sir John (1380–1459)’, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004 [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/9199, accessed 7 Feb 2008]
  Anne Curry, ‘Oldhall, Sir William (d. 1460)’, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, Sept 2004; online edn, Jan 2008 [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/20684, accessed 7 Feb 2008]
  Jenny Stratford, ‘Whittingham, Sir Robert (d. 1452)’, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004 [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/52228, accessed 7 Feb 2008]

More details about licences to crenellate can be found here.

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