ANTIQUITIES OF SELBORNE. 



221 



assign so spacious a spot for the sports and amusements of its young 

 people.* 



VILLAGE PLEYSTOW. 



As soon as the prior became possessed of this piece of ground, he 

 procured a charter for a market t from King Henry III., and began to 

 erect houses and stalls, " seldas," around it. From this period Selborne 

 became a market town ; but how long it enjoyed that privilege does 

 not appear. At the same time, Gurdon reserved to himself, and his 

 heirs, a way through the said Plestor to a tenement and some crofts at 

 the upper end, abutting on the south corner of the church-yard. This 

 was in old days the manerial house of the street manor, though now 

 a poor cottage, and is known at present by the modern name of Elliot's. 

 Sir Adam also did, for the health of his own soul and that of his wife 



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

 t Bishop Tanner, in his " Notitia Monastica," has made a mistake respecting 

 the market and fair at Selborne ; for in his references to Deris-worth, 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 Legeborne, in the county of Lincoln. This error was copied from 

 the index of the Cat. MSS. Angl. It does not appear that there ever was a 

 chartered fair at Selborne. For several particulars respecting the present fair at 

 Selborne, see Letter XXVI. of these Antiquities. 



