548 
THE ANTIQUITIES 
[LETT. 
probably some on its other several manors. ^ 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. 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 aban- 
don 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. Por the reason 
of this assertion, see Letter XXIX. to Mr. Barrington. 
Occasional mention has been made of the many privileges 
and immunities enjoyed by the convent and its priors ; but a 
more particular statement seems to be necessary. The author 
therefore thinks this the proper place, and before he concludes 
these antiquities, to introduce all that has been collected by the 
judicious Bishop Tanner, respecting the Priory and its advan- 
tages, in his " Notitia Monastica," a book now seldom seen, on 
account of the extravagance of its price ; and being but in a few 
hands cannot be easily consulted/^ He also adds a few of its 
many privileges from other authorities : — the account is as 
follows (Tanner, page 166) : — 
SELEBUKNE. 
A Priory of black canons, founded by the often- mentioned 
Peter de Eupibus, Bishop of Winchester, a.d. 1233, and dedi- 
cated to the Blessed Virgin Mary : but was suppressed — and 
granted to William Wainfieet, Bishop of Winchester, wdio made 
it part of the endowment of St. Mary Magdalen College in Ox- 
ford. The Bishops of Winchester Avere patrons of it. [Pat. 17. 
^ Thomas Knowles, president, &c. ann. Hen. 8vi xxiii.° [viz. 1532.] demised 
to J. Whitelie their mills, &c. for twenty years. Rent xxiiis. iiiid— Ac- 
cepted Frewen, president, &c. ann. Caroli xv. [viz. 1640.] demised to Jo. 
Hook and Elizabeth, his wife, the said mills. Eent as above. 
^ A few days after this was written a new edition of this valuable work 
was announced, in the month of April of the year 178 7, as published by Mr. 
Nasmith. 
