372 ANTIQUITIES OF SELBORNE. 



compelling his vassals to bring their corn to be ground at his mill 

 according to an old custom. He had also, according to Bishop 

 Tanner, secta molendini de strete ; but the purport of strete, we 

 must confess, we do not understand. Strete, in old English, 

 signifies a road or highway, as Wat ling Strete, etc., therefore the 

 prior might have some mill on a high road. The priory had only 

 one mill originally at Selborne ; but, by grants of lands, it came 

 possessed of one at Durton, and one at Oakhanger, and probably 

 some on its other several manors.* The mill of the priory was in 

 use within the memory of man, and the ruins of the mill-house 

 were standing within these thirty years : the pond and dam, and 

 miller's dwelling still remain. As the stream was apt to fail in 

 very dry summers, the tenants found their situation very distress- 

 ing, for want of water, and so were forced to abandon the spot. 

 This inconvenience was probably never felt in old times, when 

 the whole district was nothing but woodlands : and yet several 

 centuries ago there seem to have been two or three mills between 

 Well Head and the priory. For the reason of this assertion, see 

 Letter XXIX. to Mr. Barrington. 



Occasional mention has been made of the many privileges and 

 immunities enjoyed by the convent and its priors ; but a more 

 particular state seems to be necessary. The author, therefore, 

 thinks this the proper place, before he concludes these antiquities, 

 to introduce all that has been collected by the judicious Bishop 

 Tanner, respecting the priory and its advantages, in his " Notitia 

 Monastica," a book now seldom seen, on account of the ex- 

 travagance of its price, and being but in few hands cannot 

 be easily consulted.t He also adds a few of its many privileges 

 from other authorities : the account is as follows. Tanner, 

 page i 66. 



* Thomas Knowles, president, etc. aim. Hen. 8vi. xxiii . [1532] demised to 

 J. Whitelie their mills, etc., for twenty years. Rent xxiiLr. iiiu/. Accepted 

 Frewen, president, etc. ann. Caroli xv. [viz. 1640.] demised to Jo. Hook and 

 Elizabeth his wife, the said mills. Rent as above. 



f A few days after this was written a new edition of this valuable work 

 was announced, in the month of April of the year 1787, as published by 

 Mr. Nasmith. 



