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In 1462, Alan [Adam] Morland, parson of the church of Redmershulle was granted, by Bishop Lawrence Booth, (In year 5 of his reign) a Durham Pardon licence to crenellate Redmershulle (Redmarshall Rectors Tower)
The wording of this licence is;

"Has pardon for having built a tower to his rectory house and begun to crenelate it as a fortalice, without licence; and has licence to fortify the same."


Rectors tower retrospectively granted episcopal licence to crenellate, in 1462, Alan Morland, parson.
If Alan was related to William Morland (an up and coming royal clerk) then obtained to reflect the status of the Morland family.


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;


Alan Morland

I can find no biographical details for Alan Morland. A William Morland, clerk, was probably master of the Rolls in 1471.
Lawrence Booth (c. 1420 – 1480) was Bishop of Durham. Became Chancellor to Queen Margaret and, in about 1456, he became Keeper of the Privy Seal, and in that same year on January 28 he was also appointed one of the tutors and guardians of the Prince of Wales. He was Lord Privy Seal until 1460. Although a Lancastrian, after the fall of Henry VI Booth adapted himself to the new status quo. He submitted to Edward in April of 1461, and at the end of June beat back a raid led by the Lords Ros, Dacre and Rougemont-Grey who brought Henry VI over the border to try and raise a rebellion in the north of England. Edward named him his confessor.


Biographical source include;


More details about licences to crenellate can be found here.

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This record last updated on Thursday, December 17, 2009

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