346 A N T I Q U I T I E S
As Toon as the prior became poffeffed of this piece of ground, he
procured a charter for a markete from king Henry III and began to
erect houfes and flails, “ feldas," around it. From this period
Selborne became a market town : but how long it enjoyed that privilege
does not appear. At the fame time Gurdon referved to
himfelf, and his heirs, a way through the faid Plejlor to a tenement
and fome crofts at the upper end, abutting on the fouth comer of
the church-yard. This was, in old days, the manerial houfe of
the ftreet manor, though now a poor cottage; and is known at
prefent by the modern name of Elliot’s. Sir Adam alfo did, for the
health of his own foul, and that of his wife Conftantia, their pre-
deceflors and fucceflors, grant to the prior and canons quiet
poffeffion of all the tenements and gardens, “ curtillagia,” which
they had built and laid out on the lands in Selborne, on which he
and his valfals, “ homines,” had undoubted right of common : and
moreover did grant to the convent the full privilege of that right
of common •, and empowered tire religious to build tenements and
make gardens along the king’s highway in the village of Selborne,
From circumftances put together it appears that the above were
the firft grants obtained by the Priory in the village of Selborne,
after it had fubfifted about thirty-nine years: moreover they
explain the nature of the mixed manor ftill remaining in and about
the village, where one field or tenement {hall belong to Magdalen-
« B'lfhop fanner, in his NotitiaMmaJHca, has made a miifake rdpefting the market and
fair at Selborne: for in his references to Dodfvoorth, cart. 54. Hen. I l l . m. 3. he fays, “ De
mercatu, et feria de Seleburn," Belt this reference is w r o n g fo r , inftead o f Sdehurn, it
proves that the place there meant was Lekeborne, or Legelyorne, in the county of J.incoln.
T h is error was copied from the index o f the Cat. MSS. A n g l. It does not appear that
there ever was a chartered fair at Selborne. For feveral particulars refpefting the prefent
fair at Selborne fee Letter XXVII o f thele Antiquities.
college
college in the univerfity of Oxford, and the next to Norton Powlet, efq.
of Rotherfield houfe; and fo down the whole ftreet. The cafe was,
that the whole was once the property of Gurdon, till he made his
grants to the convent; fince which fome belongs to the fucceffors
of Gurdon in the manor, and fome to the college ; and this is the
occafion of the ftrange jumble of property. It is remarkable that
the tenement and crofts which Sir Adam referved at the time of
granting the Pleftor Ihquld ftill remain a part of the Gurdon-manor,
though fo delirable an addition to the vicarage that is not as yet
poflefled of one inch of glebe at home : but of late, viz. in January
1785, Magdalen-college purchafed that little eftate, which is lifeholding,
in reverfion, for the generous purpofe of bellowing it,
and it’s lands, being twelve acres (three of which abut on the
church-yard and vicarage-garden) as an improvement hereafter to
the living, and an eligible advantage to future incumbents.
The year after Gurdon had bellowed the Plejlor on the Priory,, viz.
in 1272, Henry III. king of England died, and was fucceeded by
his fon Edward. This magnanimous prince' continued his regard
for Sir Adam, whom he efteemed as a brave man, and made him
warden, “ cujlosf of the foreft of IVolmerf. Though little emo'*
lument
r Since the letters refpecting Wolmer-forejt and Ay lei-holt, from p. 14. to 26, were
printed, the author has been favoured with the following extrafts:
In the “ A f t o f Refumption, i Hen. V I I .” it was provided, that it be not prejudicial
to “ Harry at Lode, ranger o f our foreft o f Wohnere, to him by oure letters patents
“ before tyme gevyn.” Rolls o f Pari. Vol. V I. p. 370. »
In the 11 Hen. V I I . 1495— “ Warlham [Wardleham] and the office o f foreft [forefter]
of Wolmere" were held by Edmund duke o f Suffolk.— Rolls, ib. 474.
A f t of general pardon, 14 Hen. V I I I . 1523, not to extend to “ Rich. Bp. o f Wynton.
u [biffiop Fox'] for any feizureor forfeiture o f liberties, &c. within the foreft o f Wolmer,
Y y z “ Alyjboltf