OF bELBOENE. 513 



almanack that there had been a fair here in former days on the 

 1st of August; and were desirous to revive so joyous a 

 festival. Against this innovation the vicar set his face, and 

 persisted in crying it down, as the probable occasion of 

 much intemperance. However the fair prevailed ; but was 

 altered to the 29th of May, because the former day often 

 interfered with wheat harvest. On that day it still con- 

 tinues to be held, and is become a useful mart for cows and 

 calves. Most of the lower housekeepers brew beer against 

 this holiday, which is dutied by the excisemen ; and their 

 becoming victuallers for the day without a license is over- 

 looked. 



Monasteries enjoyed all sorts of conveniences within 

 themselves. Thus at the Priory, a low and moist situation, 

 there were ponds and stews for their fish : at the same place 

 also, and at the Grange in Culver Croft, 1 there were dove- 

 houses ; and on the hill opposite to the Grange the prior 

 had a warren, as the names of The Coney Crofts and Coney 

 Croft Hanger plainly testify. 2 



Nothing has been said as yet respecting the tenure or 

 holding of the Selborne estates. Temple and Norton are 

 manor farms and freehold ; as is the manor of Chapel near 

 Oakhanger, and also the estate at Oakhanger House and 

 Blackmoor. The Priory and Grange are leasehold under 

 Magdalen College, for twenty-one years, renewable every 

 seven : all the smaller estates in and round the village are 

 copyhold of inheritance under the college, except the little 

 remains of the Grurdon manor, which had been of old leased 

 out upon lives, but have been freed of late by their present 

 lord, as fast as those lives have dropped. 



Selborne seems to have derived much of its prosperity 

 from the near neighbourhood of the Priory. For monas- 

 teries were of considerable advantage to places where they 

 had their sites and estates, by causing great resort, by pro- 

 curing markets and fairs, by freeing them from the cruel 

 oppression of forest laws and by letting their lands at easy 



' Culver, as has been observed before, is Saxon for a pigeon G. W. 

 2 A warren was an usual appendage to a manor. G, W. 



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