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Tamworth. Manor houses embattled and crenellated by 
virtue of licenses from the Crown, which licenses ‘extended 
“ from the middle of the thirteenth century A.D. 1256 to 
A.D. 1483. Amongst these was the Manor house of Astley, 
often but erroneously called Astley Castle, the license 
granted to fortify which bears date the 50th of Henry III., 
~ A.D., 1266. This was garrisoned during the civil war. 
Maxtoke, fortified by a license to crenelate, granted the 
19th Edward III., also garrisoned during the civil wars, 
and erroneously called a castle. Other mansion houses, for 
which licenses to fortify had been granted and were now 
destroyed or dilapidated, were those at Beaudesert, Fillong- 
ley, Caledon, and Langley, the latter in the parish of 
Sutton Coldfield. There had been also other ancient 
castles at Fillongley, Newbold-on-Avon, Brandon, and 
Fulbroke, the sites of which may be clearly discerned, 
although the buildings have long since been demolished, 
and had been at this period. Then there were numerous 
manor houses, amongst the principal of which I may 
enumerate Compton Wyniate, the residence of the Earl of 
Northampton, which was garrisoned, and underwent more 
than one attack during the civil wars. Aston Hall, near 
Birmingham, which was likewise garrisoned and attacked; 
Coughton House, near Alcester, the same; Milcote House 
and Wormleighton, both burnt down; Shuckburgh Hall, 
garrisoned and attacked, and of those of which I find no 
record of transactions I may enumerate that very curious 
fifteenth century house at Stoneythorpe, near Southam, 
the residence of Mr. Chamberlain, one of our county 
magistrates, the history of which mansion is a desideratum. 
It must, I think, have been occupied during the civil wars, 
though perhaps only temporarily; New Hall, near Sutton 
Coldfield; Charlecote House, Baddesley Clinton, Pooley 
