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ON THE CHUECH OF PAETEICIO OE MEETHYE 



ISHEW, (OE ISHEW THE MAETYE). 



By Mb. F. E. Kempson, F.R.I.B.A. 



Since the President asked me to describe the very interesting little church of 

 Partrishaw to the Woolhope Club, I have consulted Jones's History of Breconshire, 

 The Cambrian Arckwolor/ia, The Ecclesioloijist, Liber Llandavensis, and an interest- 

 ing paper by Mr. John Davies, who is well known as an antiquary living in the 

 neighbourhood. I have not been able to see Professor Westwood's paper published 

 in the Archccoloyia Canibrensis, 1856, but in his Lapidarivm Wallid', 1876 to 1879, 

 he refers to his former paper. Mr. Nash Stephenson wrote a short account some 

 years ago of "Partricio," together with his history of Llanthony and other places 

 of interest in the neighbourhood. These are the sources from which I have 

 gleaned my information, but I have not even learned the name of the church. 



Name. — It is commonly spelt "Partricio," but frequently "Partrishow" or 

 "Patrishow," and sometimes "Partrishaw." The name, many people think, is a 

 corruption of " Parthan-j'-Ishow," the parcel or territory of "Ishow." Liber 

 Llandavensis states, that Herwald or Herewald, Bishop of Llandaff at the time 

 of the Conquest, consecrated the church as the church of "Methur Issur." St. 

 Patrick has been named as the patron saint, I do not know on what authority, 

 except that the church is known sometimes as the church of " St. Patricio " or 

 "Partricio." Mr. Preb. Phillott has suggested to me that the name may be a 

 corruption from " Peter Issui," a combination of the name of the patron saint of 

 the parish and mother church of "Llambeder" or "Llanpeter," with that of 

 " Tssui " or "Ishaw," the hermit who became a martyr. I think, however, that 

 such an authority as the Liber Llandavensis should be trusted until another can be 

 found to be more worthy of credence. 



The Well. — The well near the church is a holy well, dedicated to "St. Ishaw," 

 and so called to this day. 



Date. — Partrishaw has, I believe, always been described as a late church,* 

 Bloxam says not earlier than the latter part of the 15th century, or reign of 

 Henry VII. ; but when speaking of a little chapel, or Bettws, in a mountain 

 district, it is, I think, by no means safe to say that it must be a late one simply 

 because no early architectural features have yet been acknowledged to exist in the 

 main structure. Such features are, in little churches among the mountains, not 

 infrequently conspicuous by their absence, or lie hid for centuries. Many such 

 churches and chapels — built, I believe, at quite an early date — possess no mould- 

 ings or architectural features in the main structure from which the date can be 



Mr. Mattliew Holbeche Blo.xam contributeJ a short paper to ihe Air/iceo^Ligia Canibrensis 

 of 1874. 



