Ffynnon Issui at Partrishow is the well of the dedicatory saint of the
church (Merthyr Issui > Partrissui > Patrishow). The local legend is that
Issui was a hermit who gave hospitality to passers-by as a spiritual duty.
He was killed by a robber and the well sprang up on the spot. There is a
bit about it in Jones, Holy Wells of Wales and I think Issui gets a mention
in one of Elissa Henken's books on the folklore of the Welsh saints.
Other nice things about the church include 2 medieval altar stones with
consecration crosses and some lovely C18 memorial stones by the local
stonemason family, the Brutes. Intoxicated cherubs and swags of floral
decoration, all obviously brightly painted at one time. But the rood screen
is late C15/early C16 rather than C17 - even Laud (bless 'im) never went
that far.
According to Jones the parish also has a well dedicated to the Virgin Mary
but I've never found it. Someone really needs to go through Jones and try
to find OS references for as many of his sites as possible. Something for
when I retire and can get back to some proper work?
Noyadd, by the way, is a big local farm, from the Welsh neuadd, a hall.
Maddy
Dr Madeleine Gray, in the foothills of God's golden county of Gwent
(Department of Humanities and Science
UWCN Caerleon Campus
PO Box 179
Newport NP18 3YG
Tel: +44 (0)1633.432675
http://humanities.newport.ac.uk/HIST.html)
' "Education!" said Eyore bitterly. "What is Learning?" asked Eyore. "A
thing Rabbit knows! Ha!" '
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