3 o6 NATURAL HISTORY OF SELBORNE 



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. 1 The 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. 2 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 privi- 

 leges and immunities enjoyed by the convent and it's 

 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 

 it's price, and being but in few hands cannot be easily con- 

 sulted. 3 He also adds a few of it's many privileges from 

 other authorities : the account is as follows. Tanner, 

 page 1 66. 



SELBURNE. 



A priory of black canons, founded by the often-mentioned 

 Peter de Rupibus, bishop of Winchester, A.D. 1233, and 



1 Thomas Knowles, president, c., ann. Hen. 8vi. xxiii . [1532] demised to 

 J. Whitelie their mills. &c., for twenty years. Rent xxiiLr. \\\\d. Accepted 

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

 Elizabeth his wife, the said mills. Rent as above. [G. W.] 



2 The last remains of wooden planks which had formed the base of the mill 

 were swept away in the flood of November 1899. [R. B. S.] 



3 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. 

 -[G. W.] 



