foundations having been destroyed before the memory of man. In the farmyard at Oakhanger we remember a large hollow stone, of a close substance, which had been used as a hog-trough, but was then broken. This stone, tradition said, had been the baptismal font of Whaddon chapel. The chapel had been in a very ruinous state in old days; but was new-built at the instance of Bishop Wainfleet, about the year 1463, during the first priorship of Berne, in consequence of a sequestration issued forth by that visitor against the priory on account of notorious and shameful dilapidations.*
The Selborne rivulet becomes of some breadth at Oakhanger, and, in very wet seasons, swells to a large flood. There is a bridge over the stream at this hamlet of considerable antiquity and peculiar shape, known by the name of Tunbridge: it consists of one single blunt Gothic arch, so high and sharp as to render the passage not very convenient or safe. Here was also, we find, a bridge in very early times; for Jacobus de Hochangre, the first benefactor to the priory of Selborne, held his estate at Hochangre by the service of providing the king one foot-soldier for forty days, and by building this bridge. “Jacobus de Hochangre tenet Hochangre in com. Southampton, per Serjantiam,† inveniendi unum valectum in exercitu Domini regis [scil. Henrici IIIlll.] per 40 dies; et ad faciendum pontem de Hochangre: et valet per ann. C. s.”—"Blount’s Ancient Tenures,” p. 84.
A dove-house was a constant appendant to a manerial dwelling: of this convenience more will be said hereafter.
A corn-mill was also esteemed a necessary appendage of every manor; and therefore was to be expected of course at the priory of Selborne.
The prior had secta molendini, or ad mokndinum;‡ a power of
* See Letter XIX. of these Antiquities. —“Summa total, solut. de novis edificationibus, et raparacionibus per idem tempus, ut patet per comput.”
“Videlicet de nova edificat. Capelle Marie de Wadden. xiiii. lib. v’s. viiid.—Reparacionibus ecclesie Prioratus, cancellor. et capellar. ecclesiarum et capellarum de Selborne, et Estworhlam.”—etc., etc.
† Sargentia, a sort of tenure of doing something for the king.
‡ Servitium, quo feudatorii grana sua ad Domini molendinum, ibi molenda perferre, ex consuetidine, astringuntur.”
