Pishill
Encyclopedia
Pishill is a hamlet
in Pishill with Stonor
civil parish about 5 miles (8 km) north of Henley-on-Thames
in South Oxfordshire
. It is in the Stonor
valley in the Chiltern Hills
about 430 feet (131.1 m) above sea level.
of Pishill comes from pisum, Latin
for pea. This was due to the many pea farms that once existed in the area.
The dedication of the Church of England parish church
is unknown. It was originally an 11th-century Norman
building but it was rebuilt in 1854. One of the stained glass windows was made in 1967 by John Piper
, who for many years lived less than 2.5 miles (4 km) away in Fawley Bottom
, Buckinghamshire
.
Southwest of the parish church is an old barn that includes a blocked 13th-century window. This may be connected with the D'Oyley family of Oxford, who held the manor
of Pishill and in 1406 received a licence to build a chapel at the manor house
that used to be in the village.
The Stonor family of Stonor Park, just over 1 miles (1.6 km) away, were recusants
during and after the English Reformation
. With the support of the Stonors and Jesuit
priests who stayed with them, a number of Pishill families remained Roman Catholic
throughout the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries. In 1878 the Church of England
incumbent of Pishill reported that a third of the 200 population of his parish were Roman Catholic.
Pishill was a separate civil parish until 1922, when it was made part of the new civil parish of Pishill with Stonor.
Hamlet (place)
A hamlet is usually a rural settlement which is too small to be considered a village, though sometimes the word is used for a different sort of community. Historically, when a hamlet became large enough to justify building a church, it was then classified as a village...
in Pishill with Stonor
Pishill with Stonor
Pishill with Stonor is a civil parish in South Oxfordshire. It includes the villages of Pishill and Stonor , and the hamlets of Maidensgrove and Russell's Water. Pishill with Stonor was formed by the merger of the separate civil parishes of Pishill and Stonor in 1922....
civil parish about 5 miles (8 km) north of Henley-on-Thames
Henley-on-Thames
Henley-on-Thames is a town and civil parish on the River Thames in South Oxfordshire, England, about 10 miles downstream and north-east from Reading, 10 miles upstream and west from Maidenhead...
in South Oxfordshire
South Oxfordshire
South Oxfordshire is a local government district in Oxfordshire, England. Its council is based in Crowmarsh Gifford, just outside Wallingford....
. It is in the Stonor
Stonor
Stonor Park is a private park and historic country house at Stonor, about north of Henley-on-Thames in Oxfordshire, England, close to the county boundary with Buckinghamshire.-Setting:...
valley in the Chiltern Hills
Chiltern Hills
The Chiltern Hills form a chalk escarpment in South East England. They are known locally as "the Chilterns". A large portion of the hills was designated officially as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in 1965.-Location:...
about 430 feet (131.1 m) above sea level.
History
The toponymToponymy
Toponymy is the scientific study of place names , their origins, meanings, use and typology. The word "toponymy" is derived from the Greek words tópos and ónoma . Toponymy is itself a branch of onomastics, the study of names of all kinds...
of Pishill comes from pisum, Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
for pea. This was due to the many pea farms that once existed in the area.
The dedication of the Church of England parish church
Church of England parish church
A parish church in the Church of England is the church which acts as the religious centre for the people within the smallest and most basic Church of England administrative region, known as a parish.-Parishes in England:...
is unknown. It was originally an 11th-century Norman
Norman architecture
About|Romanesque architecture, primarily English|other buildings in Normandy|Architecture of Normandy.File:Durham Cathedral. Nave by James Valentine c.1890.jpg|thumb|200px|The nave of Durham Cathedral demonstrates the characteristic round arched style, though use of shallow pointed arches above the...
building but it was rebuilt in 1854. One of the stained glass windows was made in 1967 by John Piper
John Piper (artist)
John Egerton Christmas Piper, CH was a 20th-century English painter and printmaker. For much of his life he lived at Fawley Bottom in Buckinghamshire, near Henley-on-Thames.-Life:...
, who for many years lived less than 2.5 miles (4 km) away in Fawley Bottom
Fawley Bottom
Fawley Bottom is a very small village in south Buckinghamshire, England, north of Henley-on-Thames.The artist John Piper and his wife, the librettist Myfanwy Piper, were notable long-term residents of Fawley Bottom Farmhouse in the 20th century, from the mid 1930s for the rest of their lives in the...
, Buckinghamshire
Buckinghamshire
Buckinghamshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan home county in South East England. The county town is Aylesbury, the largest town in the ceremonial county is Milton Keynes and largest town in the non-metropolitan county is High Wycombe....
.
Southwest of the parish church is an old barn that includes a blocked 13th-century window. This may be connected with the D'Oyley family of Oxford, who held the manor
Manorialism
Manorialism, an essential element of feudal society, was the organizing principle of rural economy that originated in the villa system of the Late Roman Empire, was widely practiced in medieval western and parts of central Europe, and was slowly replaced by the advent of a money-based market...
of Pishill and in 1406 received a licence to build a chapel at the manor house
Manor house
A manor house is a country house that historically formed the administrative centre of a manor, the lowest unit of territorial organisation in the feudal system in Europe. The term is applied to country houses that belonged to the gentry and other grand stately homes...
that used to be in the village.
The Stonor family of Stonor Park, just over 1 miles (1.6 km) away, were recusants
Recusancy
In the history of England and Wales, the recusancy was the state of those who refused to attend Anglican services. The individuals were known as "recusants"...
during and after the English Reformation
English Reformation
The English Reformation was the series of events in 16th-century England by which the Church of England broke away from the authority of the Pope and the Roman Catholic Church....
. With the support of the Stonors and Jesuit
Society of Jesus
The Society of Jesus is a Catholic male religious order that follows the teachings of the Catholic Church. The members are called Jesuits, and are also known colloquially as "God's Army" and as "The Company," these being references to founder Ignatius of Loyola's military background and a...
priests who stayed with them, a number of Pishill families remained Roman Catholic
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
throughout the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries. In 1878 the Church of England
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
incumbent of Pishill reported that a third of the 200 population of his parish were Roman Catholic.
Pishill was a separate civil parish until 1922, when it was made part of the new civil parish of Pishill with Stonor.