344 THE ANTIQUITIES 



mill at 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 distressing, 

 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 extravagance of 

 its price ; and being but in few hands cannot be easily 

 consulted. 1 He also adds a few of its many privileges 

 from other authorities : the account is as follows. 

 Tanner, page 166. 



SELEBURNE 



A priory of black canons, founded by the often- 

 mentioned Peter de Rupibus, bishop of Winchester, A.D. 

 1233, and dedicated to the blessed Virgin Mary : but was 

 suppressed and granted to William Wainfleet, bishop of 

 Winchester, who made it part of the endowment of St. 

 Mary Magdalene College in Oxford. The bishops of 

 Winchester were patrons of it. [Pat. 17. Edw. II.] Vide 

 in Man. Angl. torn. II. p. 343. " Cartam fundationis ex 



1 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. 



