98 
Sr. Tewpric or THEoporic, in the sixth century. The British 
were at that time Christians, and being invaded by the Pagans, 
they were led to battle by Tewpric, King of Gwent, who, a 
great warrior in his time, had retired into religious seclusion 
in a cell near Tintern. From this seclusion he was called to 
the defence of his people, and in a great battle the invaders 
were completely defeated; but Trwnpric received a mortal 
wound, of which within three days he died, and was buried on 
the spot where the Church now stands, and the place received 
the name of Mathern, or “the place of the Martyr.” A mural 
tablet against the north wall of the Church records this history. 
The visitors found the Church unroofed, and undergoing the 
process of restoration, which promised to be so chiselled over 
and renovated as to lose all appearance of antiquity. This is 
much to be deprecated. The piers in the nave are Karly 
English ; but there is one square column of extremely rude 
workmanship, which may well be a survivor of an earlier 
Church. Close by is the former palace of the Bishops of 
Llandaff, now a farm house, and showing signs of neglect and 
decay, which, without substantial repairs, will, at no distant 
day, cause it to fallinto ruin. It is a noble and most interesting 
pile of building, dating apparently from about the year 1500. 
At a short distance, across a couple of fields, is Moins 
or Monk’s Court, which is chiefly remarkable for an entrance 
flanked by lofty square towers. For what purpose so large a 
structure was erected it is difficult to guess, as the house is 
small and of no importance. Over the porch are the arms of 
a Bishop, with the date 1609. At the rear of the house is a 
rectangular space enclosed by a ditch and mound, the latter 
being on the outside of the ditch; it bears the name of the 
“ moat-field.” Can it be that this was an ancient place of 
assembly ? the term “mote” appears to point to it; and the 
mounds on the further side of the foss may have been banks 
whereon the assembled tribesmen sat. 
From Mathern and Moins Court the party proceeded to 
Caldicot Castle; a delightful drive, by “ hedge-row elms on 
hillocks green,” with lovely prospects over the Severn to 
a 
