Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 5.djvu/178

 134 THE HALL OF OAKHAM. Edward III., and the other, Mary, wife to Henry, earl of Derby, (son of John of Gaunt,) afterwards Kmg Henry IV. These possessions therefore returned again to the crown, and in 4G Edw. HI., (1372,) Simon de Warde was ap- pointed to hold them in the kuig's name. This temporary reversion was immediately followed by an Inquisition into the actual state of the royal fief. Erom which enquiry it appears that William Elore of Oakham was allowed £10 per annum for the repairs of the houses, edifices, and walls of the castle, during the king's pleasure; 100-5. for the lodges within the royal park of Oakham, and for the palisades of 160 acres enclosed within the park of Elyterys, of materials belonging to the king within the forest of Rutland t. In the following year, 47 Edw. III., (1373,) William Hac- lut received the stewardship and custody of the royal forests in the county of Rutland, together with that of the manor of Oakham". William de Whaplode, valet to the king, was appointed constable of the castle in the 50th of Edw. HI. % (1376;) this was granted him for life; and upon the occasion of his first appointment, a commission was issued to John de Multon de Manton and John atte Hyde de Egelton, consti- tuting them conjointly and separately overseers of the afore- said houses, edifices, and walls of the castle of Oakham, to the same amount of expenditure authorized in the preceding year^. It is during the periods when military buildings are in the hands of the crown, that we are most likely to ascer- tain any facts respecting their condition, as official surveys were made at these particular times, and the results of such enquiries subsequently laid up among the national archives. But when these structures belonged to private individuals, the extents were rarely, most probably never taken, and there exists therefore a paucity of information regarding all those private castles. The direct value therefore of a survey made of a royal fortress during the reign of the Plantagenets, will be apparent when we come shortly to examine such an one re- lating to Oakham castle at the commencement of the reign we are now leaving. t Abhrev. Rot. Grig. v. ii. p. 326. an annuity of £100. per annum granted to " Inquis. 47 Kdw. III. him by the same king, issuing out of the y Rot. Pat. 47 Edw. III. p. 2. m. 22. the records in the chapter-house, West- 4 Ric. II. A release from Thomas Holland, minster. earl of Kent, to Ric. II., of the moiety of
 * Calend. Hot. Pat., p. 1!);3. castle and manor of Oakham, is amongst