288 THE ANTIQUITIES 



LETTER X 



The Priory at times was much obliged to Gurdon and his 

 family. As Sir Adam began to advance in years he found 

 his mind influenced by the prevailing opinion of the reason- 

 ableness and efficacy of prayers for the dead ; and, therefore, 

 in conjunction with his wife Constantia, in the year 1271, 

 granted to the prior and convent of Selborne all his right 

 and claim to a certain place, placea, called La Pleystow, in 

 the village aforesaid, " in liberam, puram, et perpetuam 

 elemosinam." This Pleystow,^ /ockj ludorum, or play-place, 

 is a level area near the church of about forty-four yards by 

 thirty-six, and is known now by the name of the Plestor.^ 



It continues still, as it was in old times, to be the scene 

 of recreation for the youths and children of the neighbour- 

 hood ; and impresses an idea on the mind that this village, 

 even in Saxon times, could not be the most abject of places, 

 when the inhabitants thought proper to assign so spacious 

 a spot for the sports and amusements of its young people.^ 



As soon as the prior became possessed of this piece of 

 ground, he procured a charter for a market* 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 



1 In Saxon Plejej-zo)', or Plejfzo]?; viz. Plegestow, or Plegstow. 



'At this juncture probably the vast oak, mentioned p. 6, was planted 

 by the prior, as an ornament to his new acquired market place. Accord- 

 ing to this supposition the oak was aged 432 years when blown down. 



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

 Pennant. 



* Bishop Tanner, in his Notitia Monastica, has made a mistake respect- 

 ing the market and fair at Selborne; for in his reference to Dodsworth, 

 cart. 54 Hen. III. m. 3, he says, " De mercatu, et feria 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. 



