Chapel inscription help!

[Rosebud]

I have an inscription which I think is in ancient Greek. It is from my local chapel school from 1851, and is only 4 words, but nobody knows what it means [bit of a local legend!]. I am going to write it out and post it here. What's the best way to do this? I was going to write it out in MS Paint and attach the file here.

[vbd.]

It would be much better if you could upload a photo of it.

[Rosebud]

I will try and do that later - it's not a close-up but should be read-able. Thanks.

[Rosebud]

[Rosebud]

I have tried to upload it - not worked. How do I upload the picture on here?

[vmelas]

Upload your picture in an online storage silo like imageshack and then copy its location and paste it in your message using the "img" "/img" (with [] around each) code (which can be automatically inserted using the second button that looks like a picture in the message toolbar. Looking forward to the picture!:)

[Rosebud]

OK, thanks for the heads-up. Hope this works!

[vmelas]

Are you sure it's not Latin? It seems Latin to me.

[Rosebud]

Are you sure it's not Latin? It seems Latin to me.

I don't know, Valentini. It's certainly not Greek then? At least I have something to work with - is there a Latin translator forum?

[vmelas]

Well it does not look Greek to me. But then again it does not make sense in Latin either if I try to apply it. Let's wait for more people :)

[billberg23]

The inscription was installed under the ministry of the Unitarian Rev. William Probert, antiquarian, orientalist, and Welsh scholar.  If it's not Welsh, then it's undoubtedly written in some West Semitic alphabet.  Aramaic?  Cf. http://nq.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/pdf_extract/193/21/453
You will probably find the whole story (including that of the inscription) in Transactions of the Unitarian Historical Society: Fred Kenworthy, 'The story of Walmsley Chapel [Lancashire] 2' TUHS 9:2 (1948) 57-77, which, while not available on the Web, is likely to be found at one of your local libraries.

[Rosebud]

Many thanks for the replies. It seems it's not Greek after all, but probably Bardic! Which means I need to contact a Bardic speaker :)

I will check out the Kenworthy paper too Valentini, many thanks.

[billberg23]

Ah, I see.  "Bardic" = Welsh written in the "Bardic" alphabet.  Does this book provide any help?
http://openlibrary.org/b/OL20516760M/Monumental-inscriptions-of-Walmsley-Unitarian-Chapel%2C-Bolton.