338 ANTIQUITIES OF SELBORNE. 



it. About the year 1759 it was again in the utmost danger by 

 the failure of a borrower ; but, by prudent management, has 

 since been raised to one hundred pounds stock in the three per 

 cents reduced. The trustees are the vicar and the renters or 

 owners of Temple, Priory, Grange, Blackmore, and Oakhanger- 

 house, for the time being. This gentleman seemed inclined to 

 have put the vicarial premises in a comfortable state ; and began, 

 by building a solid stone wall round the front-court, and another 

 in the lower yard, between that and the neighbouring garden ; 

 but was interrupted by death from fulfilling his laudable inten- 

 tions. 



April, 1680, Barnabas Long became vicar. 



June 1681. This living was now in such low estimation in 

 Magdalen College, that it descended to a junior fellow, Gilbert 

 White, M. A. who was instituted to it in the thirty-first year of 

 his age. At his first coming he ceiled the chancel, and also 

 floored and wainscoted the parlour and hall, which before were 

 paved with stone, and had naked walls ; he enlarged the kitchen 

 and brewhouse, and dug a cellar and well : he also built a large 

 new barn in the lower yard, removed the hovels in the front 

 court, which he laid out in walks and borders ; and entirely 

 planned the back garden, before a rude field with a stone-pit in 

 the midst of it. By his will he gave and bequeathed " the sum 

 of forty pounds to be laid out in the most necessary repairs of 

 the church ; that is, in strengthening and securing such parts as 

 seem decaying and dangerous." With this sum two large but- 

 tresses were erected to support the east end of the south wall of 

 the church ; and the gable-end wall of the west end of the south 

 aisle was new built from the ground. 



By his will also he gave " One hundred pounds to be laid out 

 on lands ; the yearly rents whereof shall be employed in teaching 

 the poor children of Selborne parish to read and write, and say 

 their prayers and catechism, and to sew and knit : and be under 

 the direction of his executrix as long as she lives ; and, after her, 

 under the direction of such of his children and their issue, as 

 shall live in or within five miles of the said parish : and on failure 

 of any such, then under the direction of the vicar of Selborne for 

 the time being ; but still to the uses above named." With this 

 sum was purchased, of Thomas Turville, of Hawkeley, in the 

 county of Southampton, yeoman, and Hannah his wife, two 

 closes of freehold land, commonly called Collier's, containing by 



