620 ANTIQUITIES 



power of compelling his vassals to bring their corn to 

 be ground at his mill, according to 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 13 . Strete, in old English, signifies 

 a road or highway, as Watling Strete, &c. 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 14 . The mill at the Priory was in use \\ithin 

 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 15 . 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 inconveni- 

 ence 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 16 . 



Occasional mention has been made of the many pri- 

 vileges and immunities enjoyed by the convent and its 

 priors; but a more particular statement seems to be 



13 If, however, it be borne in mind that in the Strete of Selborne there 

 existed another manor (Gurdon's), besides that of the Priory, it will ap- 

 pear probable that the privilege secta molendini de Strete extended the 

 power of the prior so far as to enable him to compel the vassals of that 

 manor, equally with his own vassals, to bring their corn also to be ground 

 at his mill. E. T. B. 



14 Thomas Knowles, president, &c. ann. Hen. 8vi xxiii. [viz. 1532.] 

 devised to J. Whitelie their mills, &c. for twenty years. Rent \\iii\. 

 iiiid. Accepted Frewen, president, &c. anil. Caroli xv. [viz. 1640.] 

 demised to Jo. Hook and Elizabeth, his wife, the said mills. Rent as 

 above. 



14 The miller's dwelling has since disappeared ; and the Mill-field, 

 now cultivated as a hop-ground, in name only commemorates the former 

 use of the spot. E. T. B. 



16 For the reason of this assertion, see Letter XXIX. to Mr. Bar- 

 rington. 



