310 ANTIQUITIES 



LETTER X. 



THE Priory at times was much obliged to Gurdon and his 

 family. As Sir Adam began to advance in years he found 

 his mind influenced by the prevailing opinion of the reason- 

 ableness and efficacy of prayers for the dead ; and, therefore, 

 in conjunction with his wife Constantia, in the year 1271, 

 granted to the prior and convent of Selbome all his right and 

 claim to a certain place, placea, called La Pleystow, in the 

 village aforesaid, " in liberam, puram, et perpetuam elemosi- 

 nam." This Pleystowf locus ludorum, or play-place, is a level 

 area near the church of about forty-four yards by thirty-six, 

 and is known now by the name of the Plestor* 



It continues still, as it was in old times, to be the scene of 

 recreation for the youths and children of the neighbourhood ; 

 and impresses an idea on the mind that this village, even in 

 Saxon times, could not be the most abject of places, when the 

 inhabitants thought proper to assign so spacious a spot for the 

 sports and amusements of it's young people. d 



As soon as the prior became possessed of this piece of 

 ground, he procured a charter for a market e from king Henry 



b In Saxon Plesej-top, or Plesjcop j viz. Pleyestow, or Plegstow. 



c At this juncture probably the vast oak, mentioned p. 5, was planted 

 by the prior, as an ornament to his new acquired market place. Accord- 

 ing to this supposition the oak was aged 432 years when blown down. 



d For more circumstances respecting the Plestor, see Letter II. to Mr. 

 Pennant, 



e Bishop Tanner, in his Notitia Monastica, has made a mistake respect- 

 ing the market and fair at Selborne : for in his references to Dodsworth, 

 cart. 54 Hen. III. m. 3. he says, " De mercatu, etferia de Seleburn" But 

 this reference is wrong ; for, instead of Seleburn, it proves that the place 

 there meant was Lekeborne, or Legelorne, in the county of Lincoln. This 

 error was copied from the index of the Oat. MSS. Angl. It does not ap- 

 pear that there ever was a chartered fair at Selborne. For several parti- 

 culars respecting the present fair at Selborne see Letter XXVI. of these 

 Antiquities. 



