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 Place-names of Wales. 
 
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THE 
 
 PLACE-NAMES 
 
 OF 
 
 WALES. 
 
 By THOS. MORGAN (Skewen). 
 
 SECOND AND REVISED EDITION. 
 
 "Happy is he who knows the origin of things." 
 
 NEWPORT, MON. : 
 John E. Southall, 149, Dock Street. 
 
 1912 
 S 
 
PREFACE TO THE REVISED AND SECOND 
 EDITION. 
 
 The first edition of this work was pubhshed in 1887, 
 and was sold out in a very short time. Orders were 
 continually sent for copies, but none could be found in 
 the market. Eventually, J. E, Southall, Newport, who 
 has taken deep interest in Welsh literature, wrote to 
 ask the author for permission to publish a second edition 
 of it. Arrangements were made to revise the work care- 
 fully and to bring it up to date. The omission of Mon- 
 mouthshire Place-Names is due to the following fact : 
 The author won a i^io : los. prize in the Newport National 
 Eisteddfod, 1897, for "A Dictionary of Welsh Names 
 of Places and Rivers in Monmouthshire,'' and it is intended 
 to publish a separate edition of this in due course. The 
 author gratefully acknowledges the service rendered by 
 S. J. Evans, Esq., M. A., Llangefni, in revising this work. 
 His suggestions were useful and destined to enhance the 
 value of the work. 
 
 In conclusion, the author repeats what he said in the 
 first edition : " In writing' upon a subject so full of intri- 
 cacies and difficulties the author is far from satisfied with 
 his etymological attempts in many instances." 
 
 T. MORGAN. 
 January, loth, igi2. 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 PAGE 
 
 Introduction ... ... ... -.■ ... ••■ i 
 
 Prefixes and Suffixes ... ... ... ... 12 
 
 Wales and Sub-Divisions 41 
 
 Anglesey ... ... ... ... ... ... 45 
 
 Breconshire ... ... ... ... ... ... C)i 
 
 Cardiganshire So 
 
 Carmarthenshire ... ... ... ... ... 98 
 
 Carnarvonshire ... ... ... ... ... 118 
 
 Denbighshire ... ... ... ... ... ... 136 
 
 Fhntshire ... ... ... ... ... ... i^q- 
 
 Glamorganshire ... ... ... ... ... i6r 
 
 Merioneth 213. 
 
 Montgomeryshire ... ... ... ... ... 224 
 
 Pembrokeshire 235 
 
 Radnorshire ... ... ... ... ... ... 255 
 
PLAGE-NAMES IN WALES 
 
 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 IT is surprising that a subject so deeply interesting, 
 and so full of historical value, should not have 
 induced some competent Welsh scholar to explore 
 every possible field of research, and give the results of 
 his etymological investigations to the public in a perma- 
 nent form. 
 
 Welsh nomenclature has not had the attention it 
 deserves. This interesting field has been sadly neglected. 
 Very few have made it the ambition of their life to enter 
 therein, and glean every possible information necessary 
 to throw light upon our Welsh place-names. The 
 renowned Lewis Morris was deeply engrossed in this 
 branch of literature, and the publication of his Celtic 
 Remains would,, assuredly, be an invaluable boon to 
 Welsh literati. lago Emlyn's Essay which gained the 
 prize at Carmarthen Eisteddfod, September, 1867, is 
 eminently calculated to be an admirable quota rendered 
 by the Eisteddfod to the elucidation of this subject. 
 Most of our Eisteddfodic productions are locked up in 
 impenetrable secrecy, but this, fortunately, has seen the 
 light of day.. 
 
PLACE-NAMES IN WALES. 
 
 With the exception of the above-mentioned essay 
 our national institution has done but very little to fill 
 this gap in Welsh literature. Worthy attempts have 
 been made by some Welsh topographists to clear up the 
 etymology of a moiety of our place-names. Others have 
 endeavoured to explain their origin and meaning, but 
 owing to their imperfect acquaintance with the ver- 
 nacular, many of their attempts have been futile and 
 unsatisfactory : as Caermarthen, the county of Merlin, 
 a Welsh enchanter; Denbigh, a dwelling in the vale; 
 Pembroke, the hUl over the brook; Douglas is given to 
 mean black- water; Pontypridd, bridge of beauty; Tyr 
 Escop, Bishop's tower; Llanfawr, the church of four 
 saints, &c., &c. We might quote a large number of 
 similar misleading explanations of Welsh words and 
 names that are found in English books written evidently 
 by other than Welsh^etymologists. The attempts made 
 by Englishmen and others ignorant of the language of 
 dearVold Cambria to explain Celtic names are often 
 failures and something more. Alt maen, high rock, in 
 the Lake district has been transformed into the Old 
 Man of Coniston ; Bryn Huel or Hual, hill oi shackles, is 
 now spelt Brown Willy, a Cornish ridge, and Pensant 
 has been designated Penzance. 
 
 Tourists' Guides to Wales may be quite safe and 
 trustworthy in their geographical information, but the 
 majority of them are woefully misleading in their 
 et5miological peregrinations. Some of their derivations 
 really deserve to be remitted to the cabinet of philo- 
 
PLACE-NAMES IN WALES. 
 
 logical curiosities. Out of many hundred place-names 
 in Wales very few of them are explained satisfactorily 
 by gazetteers, and the most abstruse of them are left 
 intact. 
 
 It is needless to say that Welsh philologists only can 
 deal satisfactorily with purely Welsh names, and even 
 they find it no easy task to investigate and ascertain 
 the origin of many of them, especially those that 
 have undergone so many processes of corruption 
 and mutation. " Many Welsh appellations and local 
 names," writes one eminent Welsh historian, " have 
 been so long corrupted that it would be affectation to 
 attempt to reform them." We may be allowed to give 
 a few instances of names that have already been grossly 
 mutilated : Llechwedd has been dislocated at Leckwith; 
 Llys y Fro Nudd has been cruelly distorted into 
 Lisworney; Caerau has been pulled down to Carew; 
 Magwyr has been almost ruined in Magor; Cnwc-glas 
 has been twisted into the form of Knucklas; Merthyr 
 has been brutally martyred at Marthrey; Tafarn Yspytty 
 ihospitium) has been long converted into Spite Tavern; 
 Meinciau has been minced into Minke; Gwentllwg has been 
 changed into Wentlooge ; Myddfai has been muffled in 
 Mothvey ; Sc.rnau has been beaten down into Sarney, 
 &c., &c. 
 
 Considering the rapid strides of English education 
 in the Principality, we fear the time is not far distant 
 when a moiety of our mutilated Welsh place-names will 
 be nothing less than a series of enigmatical problems. 
 
PLACE- NAMES IN WALES. 
 
 even to children of Welsh parentage. Many of them 
 already seem to them as a meaningless and unpronounce- 
 able jumble of letters. This process of mutilation 
 appears to be getting more prevalent. Our English 
 friends^ not only do not exhibit any sign of bringing 
 forth fruit worthy of repentance, but they seem to 
 persist in the error of their way in dealing with Welsh 
 names. Brynmawr, big hill, is pronounced with stentorian 
 voice Brynmor, which signifies the hill by the sea. A 
 complete stranger to the place, yet conversant with the 
 Welsh tongue, on hearing the latter pronunciation of 
 the name, would naturally expect he was going to 
 inhale the salubrious sea-air; whereas, after little 
 enquiry, he would find himself in a tantalized mood 
 distantly situated from the sea. A few miles distant,, at 
 Nantybwch, the buck's brook, he might be pardoned if 
 he concluded from the pitiful cries of the railway officials 
 that there were none-to-book at that station. If he pursued 
 his journey to Llwydcoed, grey wood, which is pronounced 
 by the railway men Lycod, he would naturally conclude 
 that the place must have been sometime noted for rats, 
 because Llygod is the Welsh for rats. 
 
 In going through Loughor, provided his geo- 
 graphical knowledge were deficient, he would imagine 
 himself to have reached Lloegr, which is the Welsh 
 name for England. And a few miles lower "down he 
 would find himself at Llanelly, which is pronounced by 
 •certain parties Lan-healthy, where he would be induced 
 to call his inhaling powers into full play, positively 
 
PLACE-NAMES IN WALES. 
 
 thinking he was landed in a place famous for its 
 salubriousness. In North Wales he would discover 
 the same aptitude in the art of mispronunciation. 
 Amid the din of the " fiery horse " he might hear a name 
 pronounced Aher-jeel, the suffix of which would remind 
 him at once of the Hindostanee for a morass, or a 
 shallow lake; but a few minutes' talk with a villager 
 would soon relieve him from the nightmare of this 
 confusion of tongues by furnishing him with the right 
 pronunciation, Aber-gele, an out-and-out Welsh name. 
 At Dolgellau, which is pronounced Dol-jelly, he might 
 almost imagine the name to imply a doll made of jelly; 
 and at Llangollen, pronounced Lan-jolen, he would, both 
 from a geographical and etymological point of view, 
 indulge himself in little selfrcongratulation on being 
 conveyed to a jolly place. 
 
 Now he has travelled faf enough to be thoroughly 
 convinced of the necessity of making an effort to save 
 our local names from the relentless hands of the 
 foreigner before they become so distorted as to be 
 difficult of recognition even by Welsh etymologists. 
 
 Pure Welsh names should be left intact — ^those 
 that have undergone any changes should, if possible, be 
 restored to their primitive form, and English equivalents 
 or names should be given to each and every one of 
 them. 
 
 In pursuing the study of Welsh place-names, we 
 -were forcibly reminded of Home Tooke's observation. 
 
PLACE-NAMES IN WALES. 
 
 as to " letters, like soldiers, being very apt to desert and 
 •drop off in a long march." Contraction increases our 
 ■difficulties in endeavouring to get at the full and correct 
 import of words. If the American tendency — to pro- 
 nounce words exactly as they are spelt arid written — 
 were a universal principle, the burdens of philologists 
 would be considerably lessened. Such is not the case 
 in Welsh nomenclature. Although every Welsh letter 
 is supposed to have its own distinct sound, wherever 
 placed, many of them have dropped off in long marches, 
 and some indeed in exceedingly short marches, and it 
 is with great difficulty we have induced some of them 
 to return to their proper places in the etymological 
 ,army — some, probably, never to return; hence the 
 primary form of many a name cannot be obtained nor 
 the true meeming ascertained. 
 
 Latinized and Anglicized forms of Welsh names con- 
 siderably enhance our difficulties. Mon was transmuted 
 lo Mona, Aberconwy to Aberconovium,Gobannium to Aber- 
 ;gavenny, Aberogwr to Ogmore, Nedd to Nidium, Coed-dy to 
 Coyty, Talyfan to Talavan, Sili to Sully, Llys-y-Fro-Nudd 
 to Lisworney, Llanyffydd to Lamphey, Llandeg to Lantea- 
 gue, Gwynfa to Wenvoe, &c. Our names, like our fathers, 
 were mercilessly treated by our foreign invaders. 
 
 Hybridism is another- element that renders Welsh 
 nomenclature exceedingly difficult and perplexing. 
 Different nations visited our shores, and played sad havoc 
 "With our local names, especially those having gutterals 
 in them. " We have names of such barbarous origin," 
 
PLACE NAMES IN WALES 
 
 writes one, " compounded one-half of one language and 
 the other of another, that it is impossible to fix a 
 criterion how they ought to be spelt." The Flemish 
 colony in Pembrokeshire, in the reign of Henry I., and 
 the Norman settlement in the south of Glamorgan, in 
 the 11th century, are chiefly responsible for this etymo- 
 logical jumble. The Norman Conquest affected the 
 English language more than anything that happened 
 either before or after it, but very little of its effect is 
 found in the Welsh, except in place-names. These 
 hybrid names, albeit, are full of historical value, because 
 they give us geographical clues to the inroads and 
 settlements of these foreign invaders. 
 
 Alluding to the desirability of getting a correct 
 definition of an effete nomenclature, one writer remarks, 
 " It must be borne in mind that the nomenclature of our 
 country greatly explains the early history of Britain 
 from the time of the first colonists, the settlement of 
 the Druids, and their subsequent power both in civil 
 and religious matters, and its continuance down to the 
 age of Suetonius, and later stUl, as the old superstition 
 was not quite eradicated for many ages afterwards. 
 Their mythology has left its marks on numerous 
 places, even where their lithonic structures have been 
 demolished." After all it is, as Defoe ironically remarks 
 in his " True-born Englishmen," 
 
 With easy pains you may distinguish 
 
 Your Roman-Saxon-Danish-Norman-English. 
 
8 PLACE-NAMES IN WALES. 
 
 Personal names enter very largely into Welsh 
 names of places. The first place-name we have on 
 record was formed after this fashion, " And he (Cain) 
 builded a city, and called the name of the city after the 
 name of his son, Enoch." Gen. iv., 17. 
 
 These personal names are invariably in the 
 vernacular affixed to words, more or less, of a 
 descriptive character, as Trelales ; tre, the descriptive 
 first, then comes the personal, Lales ; Porthmadog, porth, 
 the descriptive, then follows the name Madog. The 
 majority of names beginning with Llan belong to this 
 section. In Saxon and Norse names the reverse of this 
 is the general rule. The descriptive part of the name 
 comes last, preceded by a personal or common name, 
 such as Tenby ; Ten, a mutation of Dane, and hy, the 
 Norse for a dwelling, hence the dwelling-place of the 
 Danes. Walton, Walter's town; Williamston, William's 
 town; Gomfreston, Gomfre's town; &c. 
 
 It was customary in olden times in Wales for men 
 to take their names from the places where they were 
 born or resided, as Pennant, Mostyn, &c., and often- 
 times the case was reversed. Brecon was called after 
 Brychan ; Cardigan after Ceredig ; Merioneth after 
 Meirion; Edeymion after Edeyrn; Dogfeilir 3.itev Dogfael; 
 Merthyr Tydfil after Tydfil, Brychan's daughter, &c. 
 The names of popular Welsh saints have been bestowed 
 so liberally on the Llanau as to occasion no little 
 confusion. A similar practise prevails in the United 
 States from respect to their popular Presidents. The 
 
PLACE-NAMES IN WALES. 
 
 Rev. Isaac Taylor tells us that no less than 169 places 
 bear the name of Washington, 86 that of Jefferson, 132 
 that of Jackson, 71 that of Munroe, and 62 that of 
 Harrison. Hagiology has left a deep and wide impress 
 upon our nomenclature. St. Mary's name has been 
 bestowed upon upwards of 150 churches and chapels in 
 the Welsh sees, that of St. Michael upon about 100, 
 and that of St. David upon 60 or 70. 
 
 A great number of our place-names describe 
 graphically the physical features of the country. 
 Mountains, hills, and mounds, rocks and cliffs, glens 
 and combes, moors and woods, rivers and brooks, all 
 contribute their quota to the treasury of our nomencla- 
 ture. 
 
 Many of them are traced to local traditions, which 
 rarely command more than a local circulation. In 
 making enquiries at different localities we were more 
 than amused to observe the prevalent tendency of the 
 inhabitants to trace the origin of their local names to 
 traditionary sources. The philologist is often super- 
 seded by the traditionist. Graphic and descriptive 
 names are frequently explained from a traditional 
 stand-point. MachynUaith — a name descriptive of the 
 geographical position of the place — was very dogmati- 
 cally referred by one to an ancient legend concerning 
 some " mochyn-yn-y-llaeth," the pig in the mUk. Troed- 
 rhiwfuwch, explained another, means Troed-rhyw-fuwch^ 
 the foot of some cow, in allusion to a local tradition 
 about a cow that had gone astray. Manorbier, the third 
 
PLACE-NAMES IN WALES. 
 
 opines, has reference to a severe conflict between a 
 man and a bear in times gone by. Wrexham, says the 
 fourth, is obviously a corruption of Gwraig Sam, Sam's 
 wife. Crymmych, the fifth avers, is a transposition of 
 " Ych yn crymu," the ox stooping, &c., &c. The reader 
 may take these fanciful and untenable derivations fo^ 
 their worth, as evidences of the tenacity with which 
 some people hold to their folk-lore. 
 
 The majority of our place-names, as might have 
 been expected, have been derived from purely Celtic 
 sources. 
 
 Bishop Percy says that " in England, although the 
 names of the towns and villages are almost universally 
 of Anglo-Saxon derivation, yet hills, forests, rivers, &c., 
 have generally preserved their old Celtic names." In 
 illustrating the prevalence of Celtic names in Britain, 
 the Rev. Isaac Taylor writes : " Throughout the whole 
 island almost every river-name is Celtic, most of the 
 shire-names contain Celtic roots, and a fair sprinkling 
 of names of hills, valleys, and fortresses, bear witness 
 that the Celt was the aboriginal possessor of the soU; 
 while in the border counties of Salop, Hereford, 
 Gloucester, Dorset, Somerset, and Devon, and in the 
 mountain fastnesses of Derbyshire and Cumberland, 
 not only are the names of the great natural features of 
 the country derived from the Celtic speech, but we find 
 occasional village-names, with the prefixes Ian and tre, 
 interspersed among the Saxon patron jnmics." 
 
PLACE-NAMES IN WALES. 
 
 What is true of England is pre-eminently true of 
 Wales, where the great bulk of place-names are 
 distinctly Cymric, everywhere thrusting themselves 
 upon our notice as standing proofs of the vitality of the 
 language of our progenitors. Many are the false 
 prophets that have sarcastically declared, from time to 
 time, that the days of the Welsh language have been 
 numbered. We might observe, sn passant, that it 
 contains more vitality than the Gaelic. The latter is 
 only spoken in some parts of Scotland, but the Cymric 
 is the domestic language of a large number of the 
 Welsh people, wheresoever situated. It is calculated 
 that nearly a million of the inhabitants of Wales 
 and Monmouthshire use the vernacular in domestic 
 conversation, in literary and newspaper reading, or in 
 religious exercises. What with the continuation of the 
 Cymric in the curriculum of our Universities and 
 Theblogical Colleges, its introduction as a compulsory 
 subject into many of our public elementary schools, the 
 ardency and faithfulness with which it is taught in our 
 Sunday-schools from Caergybi to Caerdydd, the ever- 
 increasing attention paid and the new life infused into 
 it by various institutions, as the Eisteddfod, the Honour- 
 able Society of Cymrodorion, the Society for Utilising the 
 : Welsh language, and the proverbial clannishness of the 
 C57mry ; looking retrospectively and prospectively our 
 conviction is that the dear old language contains germs 
 of a long and healthy life, and when it shall cease to be 
 a vernacular, much of its intrinsic value and glory will 
 be preserved in its local names. 
 
PREFIXES AND SUFFIXES. 
 
 We shall now deal briefly with the chief prefixes 
 and suffixes that occur so frequently as components in 
 names of places in Wales, in order to avoid entering 
 largely into details in tracing their origin in the subse- 
 quent pages. Many of them contain the geographical 
 and historical clues to a large number of names, and 
 since they enter so extensively into Welsh nomen- 
 clature, we think it essential to offer a few explanatory 
 notes thereon. 
 
 Aber means the mouth of a river, a particular 
 point at which the lesser water discharges itself into 
 the greater. In the old Welsh it is spelt aper, and 
 Professor Rhys, Oxford, derives it from the root ber, 
 the Celtic equivalent of fer, in Lat. fer-o, Greek phero, 
 English bear. It originally meant a volume of water 
 which a river bears or brings into the sea, or into another 
 river; but it is now generally used to denote an estuary, 
 the mouth of a river. Some think it is cognate with the 
 Irish inver : Inverary, mouth of the Airy; and that inver 
 and aber are suitable test-words in discriminating 
 between the two chief branches of the Celts. Mr 
 Taylor says that "if we draw a line across the rnap 
 
PLACE-NAMES IN WALES. 13 
 
 horn a point a little south of Inverary to one a little 
 north of Aberdeen we shall find (with very few excep- 
 tions) the invers lie to the north-west of the line, and the 
 abers to the south-east of it." The Welsh form occurs 
 repeatedly in Brittany : Abervrack, Avranches. The 
 Norman French haver is identified with the Welsh 
 aber. In the lowlands of Scotland we find it in Aber- 
 deen, Abernethy, Abercorn, Abertay, &c., and in 
 England we find it in Aberford, Berwick, &c. 
 Wherever found in Welsh place-names it is almost 
 invariably followed by a proper or common name, 
 indicating a brook* or river flowing into another river, 
 or the sea. 
 
 jg^ Note — ^The reader should always pronounce Cymry and 
 Celt as if spelt with a K. 
 
 AcH is a Celtic derivative particle denoting water. 
 Agh in Ireland means a ford, och signifies the same in 
 Scotland, and the Latin aqua has the same meaning. 
 The Sanscrit ux, uks, means to water. We find many 
 brooks and rivers called Clydach, sheltering water; 
 AchdAu means black water, and gwyach is a general term 
 for several species of water-fowl. 
 
 Afon, a river, comes probably from the Celtic 
 awon, the moving water. In the Manx language it is 
 written Aon, in the Gaelic abhainn (pronounced avain), 
 and in the Itinerary of Antonius it is Abona. It is found 
 in English in the form of Avon, which, in the opinion of 
 Professor Rhys, appears to have been entitled to a i; as 
 early as the time of Tacitus. This form occasions 
 
14 PLACE NAMES IN WALES. 
 
 redundancy in the English language. To say " Bristol 
 is on the river Avon " is tantamount to saying " Bristol 
 is on the river river." Afon, a common name, haS 
 become a proper name in England, but in Wales it is 
 the generic term for a river. 
 
 Ar signifies " ploughed land." Arddu, to plough 
 The Greek word for a plough is arotron, the Latin is 
 aratrum, the Norse is ardr, the Irish is arathar, and the 
 Welsh is aradr. The English " harrow " was originally 
 a rude instrument drawn over ploughed land to level it 
 and break the clods, and to cover -seed when sown. 
 Ploughing and reaping are called " earing and harvest." 
 Compare Gen. xlv., 6.; Ex. xxxiv., 21. 
 
 When ar is used as a sufiix it generally has an 
 agricultural signification, but when used as a prefix it 
 is a preposition, meaning on, upon : Arddwr, on the 
 water; Argoed, on. or above a wood. Ar, signifies a 
 plain surface, level ground, a plot of land taken in 
 from the mountain. 
 
 Bettws. — ^This is one of the most popular place- 
 names in Wales, and yet one of the most difficult, to 
 explain. We shall give a few of the many derivations 
 given. 1. Byd-bod, a dwelling-place, and tws, an 
 extremity, either of a valley or a glen, or a copse of 
 wood. 2. A corrupted form of peat-house, a house 
 constructed of peat or turf. 3. Bait-house, a house for 
 refreshment by men, or food by beasts, on a journey. 
 4. Bed-bedd, a grave; ws, a place; signifying a burial 
 
PREFIXES AND SUFFIXES, 15 
 
 place. 5. Some derive the name from the Latin Hos- 
 pitium, or the Welsh Ysfytty, hospital; and maintain 
 that they became very prevalent at the time of the 
 Crusade. 6. Some think it is a Welsh form of the Latin 
 beatus, blessed, and that it refers to the religious institu- 
 tion of St. Beuno. 7. Bedw-as, a birch-grove situate 
 between hUl and vale. 8. Bod, dwelling-place; gwys 
 signifies low and deep, what lies low. Bettws would 
 then signify a low or sheltered place. The proverb 
 fryn i fettws (from hill to dale) accords with this 
 signification. 9. Some refer it to abhatis, an appendage 
 to a monastery or an abbey, taking it as one of the few 
 Latin words which found a permanent place in the 
 Welsh language. 10. The most popular derivation is 
 bead-house, an ecclesiastical term signifying a hospital 
 or alms-house, erected for poor religious persons near the 
 church in which the founder was interred, and for whose 
 soul they were required to pray. 
 
 An eminent Welsh antiquarian writes that " Bettws 
 was never an institution properly speaking, and it 
 never existed as a distinct religious house, but un- 
 doubtedly it did exist in some instances as a cell in 
 connection with large abbeys. Soon after the principal 
 abbeys had been founded in this country, and their 
 fame as seats of piety and learning had spread far and 
 wide, pilgrims began to flock to them, many of whom 
 had long distances to travel, on account of which houses 
 of prayer, called bead-houses, were erected at long 
 intervals along their course, into which the wearied 
 
l6; PLACE-NAMES IN -WALES. 
 
 pilgrims entered to offer prayers on their way to and 
 irom the abbey. I believe we never have a head-house 
 (Bettws) but on the way to an abbey. When the abbeys 
 were suppressed, most of these head-houses fell into 
 ruin, as a matter of course, while a few of them may 
 have been developed into parish churches and chapels 
 of ease, after the Reformation. I do not think it has a 
 Welsh origin, for the reason that the thing itself was 
 imported from Normandy, and I am of opinion that 
 Bettws as a place-name was not in existence prior to the 
 Ivlorman survey." 
 
 Some aver that the application of the term Bettws 
 to parochial churches first occurs in the Taxation of 
 Benefices by order of Pope Nicholas IV, about the year 
 1292. The name probably originated between the early 
 part of the 12th and the latter part of the 13th centuries. 
 The best way to ascertain the etymology and signification 
 of the word is by investigating the history and topo- 
 graphy of each place bearing that name. If the word 
 is to be derived from English or Latin words, how are 
 we to account for the fact that it is exclusively used in 
 Wales and Monmouthshire, while there is not a single 
 instance of it in the whole of England ? Professor Rhys 
 says, " Bettws would be phonologically accounted for 
 exactly by supposing it to be the English hed-hus, or 
 home of prayer, but if that origin be the correct one to 
 assume, there is the historical difficulty : where is there 
 any account of this institution bearing an English 
 name ?" Just so. If the name had been perpetuated 
 
PREFIXES AND SUFFIXES 1 7 
 
 in English as it has been in Wales, bead-house would be 
 the most plausible of all the derivations. There were 
 no rehgious houses peculiar to Wales, and if there had 
 been such, the Cymry, assuredly, would not have given 
 them foreign names but their own. When the thing is 
 peculiarly and exclusively Welsh, the people always 
 give it their own, and not a borrowed name. Eisteddfod, 
 for example, is a purely Welsh institution, hence 
 the name. We offer the 11th explanation. Bedw, 
 birch trees; ws, a term appended to places with un- 
 dulating grounds, precipitous. If the word was]applied 
 in olden times to chapels in Wales which were subject 
 to other churches in the neighbourhood, they were 
 probably so called because they were built in birch 
 groves. 
 
 Blaen means extremity, the top of anything, a 
 beginning or source. It is frequently used as a prefix in 
 the names of places that are situated at the extreme 
 end of a valley or near the sources of brooks and rivers. 
 Blaenau afonydd, the sources of rivers. Dwfr y blaenau, 
 water or stream from the height. 
 
 Bod originally meant a lord's residence. Having 
 fixed upon a certain spot of land, he would build a 
 dweUing-house thereon, which was called bod, and the 
 name of the builder or owner was added to distinguish 
 it from other dwelling-houses, hence we have Bodowain^ 
 Bodedeyrn, &c. He had two residences — yr Hafod, the 
 summer residence, and Gaeafod, the winter residence. 
 But in course of time bod was used to designate any 
 house or dwelling-place. Compare the English " abode." 
 
1 8 PLACE-NAMES IN WALES. 
 
 Bron means a round protuberance, and is equiva- 
 lent to the English breast. In place-names it signifies 
 the breast of a hill. Ar frest y mynydd, is a very common 
 expression, meaning on the breast of the mountain. 
 
 Bryn seems to be a compound of hre, a mountain, 
 and the diminutive yn ; hence hreyn, afterwards con- 
 tracted into hryn, a small mountain, a hill. It enters 
 largely into Welsh place-names, and we find it also 
 Anglicized in Breandown, a high ridge near Weston- 
 super-Mare; Brendon, a part of the great ridge of 
 Exmoor; Brinsop, near Hereford, &c. 
 
 BwLCH signifies a break or breach. It is generally 
 found in names of places where there is a narrow pass 
 in the mountains. 
 
 Caer is one of our enchorial names for a wall or 
 mound for defence, the wall of a city or castle, a fortress 
 Perhaps the root is cau, to shut up, to fence, to enclose 
 with a hedge. Cue means a field enclosed with hedges. 
 Caeran were the most ancient military earthworks in the 
 Principality, and when the Britons began to build cities 
 they surrounded them by a fortified wall called caer. 
 
 The city of Chester is still popularly called Caer, 
 from the ancient wall that has encircled it for ages. 
 Chester — a Saxonized form of the Latin castruni, a fort, 
 and one of the few words recognised as directly inherited 
 from the Roman invaders — is a common prefix and 
 suffix in English place-names; as Colchester, Man- 
 chester, Chesterford, Chesterton. In the Anglian and 
 
PREFIXES AND SUFFIXES. I9 
 
 Danish districts we find " Chester " is replaced by 
 "caster"; as Doncaster, Lancaster, &c., but both 
 forms are allied to casirum, which is a Latinization of 
 the Celtic caer. As the Latin casirum will always be an 
 etymological souvenir to future generations of the 
 Roman incursions, and the havoc they committed here 
 ere " Britannia ruled the waves," even so the Celtic 
 word caer, which is found in so many Welsh and a few 
 English place-names, will ever be an historical finger- 
 post, pointing to the necessity which was laid upon our 
 forefathers to defend themselves against foreign bands 
 of invaders. The word is also a standing proof in 
 England that the dominion of the ancient Cymry was 
 erstwhile considerably more extensive than that of 
 little Wales. If the reader will be so fortunate as to 
 find a map of England which was published in the time 
 of Ella, the first Bretwalda of the Saxon race, the 
 recurrent caer would make him almost imagine he was 
 perusing the map of Wales. There he would find 
 Caer -legion, Chester, which is still called Caerlleon; 
 Caer-Badon, Bath; Caer-Glou, Gloucester; Caer-Ebrawc, 
 Eboracum of the Romans, and the Saxon York; and 
 Caer-Lundene or Caerludd, London, &c. In course of 
 time the vowel e was elided, hence we have such examples 
 as Carmarthen, Cardiff, Carlisle, Carsey, Carsop, 
 Pencarrow (Pencaerau), Carew, &c. 
 
 Carn, Carnedd, or Cairn, means a heap of stones. 
 These cairns or tumuli are found in large numbers in 
 Wales. They were, according to some, either family 
 
PLACE-NAMES IN WALES. 
 
 cemeteries or monuments raised to commemorate the 
 relics of a number of heroes who fell in defence of their 
 •country. But others are inclined to think they were 
 thrown, as tokens of disgrace, over executed malefactors. 
 Dr. Owen Pugh says — " The carneddau and the tumuli 
 of earth were the common monuments that the ancient 
 Britons erected in honour of their great men. Which 
 of the two kinds was probably determined by the 
 circumstance of the country being stony or otherwise. 
 These modes of interment continued in use many years 
 after the introduction of Christianity; but when the 
 custom of burying in churches became general, the 
 former ways were not only disused, but condemned as 
 fit only for the great criminals. When the carnedd was 
 considered as the honourable tomb of a warrior, every 
 passenger threw his additional stone out of reverence 
 to his memory. When this heap came to be disgraced 
 by being the mark where the guilty was laid, the custom 
 for everyone that passed to fling his stone still continued, 
 but nowise as a token of detestation." 
 
 Professor Rhys, in his " Celtic Britain," gives a 
 graphic description of the removal of one of these 
 cairns in the Vicinity of Mold, in 1832. " It was 
 believed," he writes, " in the country around to be 
 baunted by a spectre in gold armour, and when more 
 than 300 loads of stones had been carted away the 
 -workman came to the skeleton of a tall and powerful 
 man placed at full length. He had been laid there 
 clad in a finely-wrought corslet of gold, with a lining of 
 
PRKFIXES AND SUFFIXES. 
 
 bronze : the former was found to be a thin plate of the 
 precious metal, measuring three feet seven inches long" 
 by eight inches wide. Near at hand were discovered 
 300 amber beads and traces of something made of iron, 
 together with an urn full of ashes, and standing about 
 three yards from the skeleton. The work on the corslet 
 is believed to have been foreign, and is termed Etruscan 
 by Prof. Boyd Dawkins. The burial belongs to an age 
 when cremation was not entirely obsolete in this 
 country, and we should probably not be wrong in 
 attributing it to the time of the Roman occupation. 
 On the whole, the duty of commemorating the dead 
 among the Celts may be supposed to have devolved on 
 the bards, to whom we are probably indebted for the 
 seventy or more triplets devoted to this object and pre- 
 served in a Welsh manuscript of the twelfth century. 
 The last of them, which, remarkably enough, has to do 
 with a grave in this same district of Mold, runs as 
 follows, when freely rendered into English :— 
 
 Whose is the grave in the great glade ? 
 Proud was his hand on his blade — 
 There Bali the giant is laid." 
 
 Castell, frequently contracted into cas, is the 
 Welsh for a castle, a fortified residence. 
 
 The Latin ' castellum ' a diminutive of castrum 
 meaning a bastion tower or small fortification, was 
 adopted by the Welsh in the form of castell. The word 
 was originally applied to a smaller type of stronghold than 
 the primitive ' caer ' or ' din,' and more especially to 
 
PLACE-NAMES IN WALES. 
 
 ■denote the fortified residence of the tribal chieftains, 
 who aspired to be the pohtical successors of the Romans 
 in this country. Compare the Breton Kastel, the Irish 
 caisel, the Gaelic caisteal, and the Manx cashtal. 
 
 It is difficult to ascertain the exact time when 
 castles were first introduced into Wales. 
 
 The Romans probably began to erect fortresses in 
 the territories conquered by them, and the Saxons 
 followed their example; but strong castles of defence 
 were comparatively few here ere the commencement of 
 the Norman Conquest. Feudalism gave rise to castles 
 in the sense of fortified residences, and it is from the 
 advent of the Normans to our land we must date the 
 castle as an institution. A large number was also 
 erected during the reign of Edward III. and his 
 immediate successors. " That old fortress," said Mr. 
 Gladstone, pointing with his stick to the remains of 
 Hawarden Castle, " is one of the emblems of the diffi- 
 culty the English had in governing the Welsh in former 
 times. They had to plant their strongholds all along 
 the Welsh border." 
 
 Cefn, in names of places, means a high ridge. It 
 is but natural that this prefix should be applied to so 
 many places in mountainous Wales. The Chevin'^Hills 
 in Yorkshire, and Cevennes in France, derive^ their 
 names from the same root. 
 
PREFIXES AND SUFFIXES. 23 
 
 CiL implies a sequestered place, a place of retreat. 
 Cil haul means the shade or where the sun does not 
 shine. Cil y llygad, the corner of the eye. In Ireland it 
 is spelt kil (the c being changed to k) signifying a 
 church, and is found in no less than 1,400 names, and 
 in many in Scotland. Kilkenny, church of Kenny; 
 KUpatrick, church of Patrick; Kilmore {Cilmawr), the 
 great church. Gilmour is still a surname in the Scottish 
 lowlands, and we find Gilmorton in Leicester. We 
 find the root in cilio, to retreat, to go away. Cilfach, a 
 place to retreat to, a creek, a nook. Some Welsh 
 historians think that cil is a local memorial of those 
 Irish missionaries, who, about the 5th century, visited 
 the shores of Wales for evangelistic purposes, and 
 founded churches in the most quiet and sequestered 
 spots they could find. 
 
 Clyd means sheltering, warm, comfortable. Lie 
 
 clyd, a warm, comfortable place. We have it in 
 
 different forms in Clydach, Clydlyn, Clyder, Clyde, 
 Strathclud, Clodock. 
 
 Clyn signifies a place covered with brakes, Clyn o 
 eithin, a furze brake. 
 
 Cnwc literally means a bump, a swelling : Cnwc y 
 gwegil, the back part of the skull; but its geographical 
 signification is a knoll or mound. We find it corrupted 
 in a few Welsh names, Knucklas (Cnwc-glas), &c., and 
 in Irish names, Knockglass {Cnwc-glas), Knockmoy 
 
24 PLACE NAMES IN WALES. 
 
 (Cnwc-mai), Knockaderry (Cnwc-y-deri), &c., and in 
 England we have Nocton, Knockin, Knook, &c. 
 
 Coed is the Welsh for wood, trees. In remote 
 times the summits of Cambria's hills were covered with 
 wood, which accounts for the word coed being still 
 applied to barren and hUly districts. 
 
 Craig, a high rock or craig, and sometimes it is 
 applied to a steep, woody eminence. It takes the form 
 of carraig or carrick in Ireland; Carrigafoyle (Craigy- 
 foel), the barren rock; Carrickfergus, the rock where 
 Fergus was drowned; and in England we find it in 
 Crick, Cricklade, &c. 
 
 Croes means a cross. Croes-ffordd, a cross-way. 
 The word evidently points to the Roman epoch, and 
 also to the ancient Welsh custom of burying malefactors 
 near the cross roads. Croes-feini, stone-crosses, in the 
 time of Howell the Good, were used principally to 
 mark land property, and sometimes, when placed in 
 hedges, to caution travellers not to cross the fields. 
 Some of them, with the names of the primitive British 
 saints inscribed upon them, were placed by the road- 
 side in commemoration of the blessed fact that the 
 Gospel had been preached there. 
 
 Crug means a heap, a mound. Crug o gerryg, a 
 heap of stones. It appears that the Britons held their 
 bardic and judicial gorseddau or assemblies on these 
 mounds, and hence " crug " and " gorsedd," according 
 to Dr. Owen Pughe, are sometimes used as synonymous 
 
PREFIXES AND SUFFIXES. 25 
 
 terms. " Crug " is a frequent component in Welsh 
 names, and we find it Anglicized in Crich (Derby), 
 Creach (Somerset), &c. 
 
 CwM denotes a low place enclosed with hills. It 
 has a large place in Welsh nomenclature, and it often 
 occurs in English local names, especially in the western 
 counties. In Devonshire the Saxonized form comb or 
 combe meet us fsequently : Wide-comb, Wel-comb, 
 Ilfra-combe, Babba-comb, Burles-comb, Challa-comb, 
 Hac-comb, Para-comb, Yarns-comb, &c. In Somerset it 
 is more plentiful than in any other English county : we 
 have Nettle-comb, Od-comb, Timber-comb, Charlscomb, 
 Wid-comb, Moncton-comb, Comb-hay, Cros-comb, 
 Wins-combe, &c. We find King-combe, Rat-combe, 
 Bos-comb, &c., in Dorset. Cumberland, a Celtic 
 county, abounds with combes. So writes Anderson, a 
 Cumberland poet, of his native county : — 
 
 There's Cumwhitton, Cumwhinton. Cumranton, 
 Cumrangan, Cumrew, and Cumoatoh, 
 
 And many mair Cums i' the county. 
 But none with Cumdivook can match. 
 
 CwRT, probably from the Latin cortis, which means 
 a closed place, or a court where the law is administered. 
 In olden times when the king or a chieftain was on his 
 military or sporting tour through the country, it was 
 necessary to provide accommodation for him and his 
 party during their stay in the district, and that place 
 was designated " y Cwrt,' the Court. Those that lived 
 in the villein townships were expected to build or provide 
 
"^6 PLACE-NAMES IN WALES. 
 
 the Court, " nine buildings which the villeins of the 
 king are to erect for him, a hall, a chamber, a buttery, 
 a stable, a doghouse, a barn, a kilyn, a privy, and a 
 dormitory." 
 
 Cymmer means a junction or confluence, and is 
 frequently applied to places situated near the junction 
 of two or more rivers. The root is related to aber (vide 
 aher). 
 
 Din is an ancient Welsh word for a fortified hill, a 
 camp, from which we have our dinas, a fortified town or 
 city, and probably the English denizen. Our cities were 
 once surrounded by fortified walls, like Chester, on 
 account of which every one of them was denominated 
 dinas. Professor Rhys groups the Welsh din with the 
 Irish dun, the Anglo-Saxon tun, and the English town. 
 The dunum, dinum, and dinium of the Romans are 
 probably allied with it. 
 
 The English suffix hury is closely related to it in 
 meaning. Very few Welsh place-names have the 
 termination burgh, bury, or borough. The root is 
 almost an English monopoly. Home Took says that 
 " a burgh or borough formerly meant a fortified town." 
 In the " Encyclopaedia Britannica " we find the follow- 
 ing exposition of the word : — " Bourgignons or Burgun- 
 dians, one of the nations who over-ran the Roman 
 Empire, and settled in Gaul. They were of great 
 stature and very warlike, for which reason the Emperor 
 Valentinian the Great engaged them against the Ger- 
 maus. They lived in tents, which were close to each 
 
PREFIXES AND SUFFIXES. 27 
 
 other, that they might the more readily unite in arms 
 on any unforeseen attack. These conjunctions of tents 
 they called burghs, and they were to them what towns 
 are to us." It is supposed that the Burgundians 
 introduced the word to the Germans, and they, again, 
 left it in England as a trace of their settlement here. 
 
 DoL signifies a meadow. Dol-dir, meadow-land. 
 We find it in many of our place-names, and also in 
 various forms in Arundel, Kendal (Pen-ddol), Annan- 
 dale, Dalkeith, Dalrymple, Dovedale, &c. The word is 
 found in names of places situate in valleys all over 
 Wales, Cornwall, and Brittany. 
 
 DwFR is the modern Welsh for water. It is 
 frequently spelt dwr : Cwmdwr, the water-vale. In 
 English it has suffered much from phonetic decay : 
 Derwent, Dover, Appledore, Durham, Dore, Thur. 
 Durra, &c. It is also found in European names : 
 Dordogne, Adour, Durbian, Durbach, Douron, Dwerna, 
 Oder, &c. (" Words and Places," p. 200). It may be 
 compared with the Cornish dour, the Gaelic and Irish 
 dur, and dohhar, pronounced doar, and the Greek udor, 
 all probably cognate with the Celtic dubr. 
 
 Dyffryn is popularly derived from dwfr, water, and 
 hynt, a way, a course; literally a water-course, or a vale 
 through which a river takes its course. In the ancient 
 Welsh laws the word dyffrynt is used to denote a river. 
 " Ynysoedd yn nyffrynt," islands in a river. It may be 
 a compound of dwfr-bryn, signifying a hilly place through 
 which water flows. 
 
2 8 PLACE-NAM KS IN WALES. 
 
 Gallt means an ascent, a slope. Gallt o goed, a 
 woody slope or eminence. In North Wales it signifies- 
 " a steep hill," and in South Wales " a coppice of 
 wood." 
 
 Garth originally meant a buttress, an inclosure. 
 The Norse garth, the Persian gird, and the Anglo-Saxon 
 yard, denote a place girded round, or guarded. Garden 
 is a place fenced round for special cultivation. Buarth, 
 from bu, kine, and garth, a small inclosure, was situated 
 on a hill in perilous times. Lluarth from llu, a legion, 
 and garth, inclosure, means an entrenchment on a hiU. 
 In course of time the word became to signify a ridge 
 a hill, a rising eminence, a promontory. Compare the 
 Breton U-orz, and the Irish lub-ghort, an enclosure for 
 vegetables. 
 
 GELLI-Celli means a wood, a copse. The simpler 
 form cell meant a grove, and the Irish coill bears an 
 identical meaning. Cell ysgaw, an elder grove. The 
 aborigines of Scotland were called Caeoill daoin, which 
 meant " the people of the wood," which name was 
 changed by the Romans to Caledonia. A great number 
 of places have received their names from species of 
 trees, as Clynog, Pantycelyn, Cljm eiddw, &c. 
 
 Glan means brink, side, shore. Glan yr afon, the 
 river side, or the bank of the river. Glan y mor, the sea 
 shore. The word is generally prefixed to river-names, 
 as Glan- Conwy, Glan Taf, &c. 
 
PREKIXES AND SUFFIXES. 29 
 
 Glas is used to denote blue, azure, green. When 
 applied to water it signifies blue — Dulas, black-blue ; but 
 when applied to land it means green; Caeglas, green 
 field. The word is supposed by some Cymric scholars 
 to be allied to the Greek glaukos, both expressing the 
 same colours — those of the sea. Glaucus was a sea- 
 deity. G/as is also a derivatioir of C/at's a stream. 
 Du + f/aM= Douglas. 
 
 Glyn implies a vale narrower but deeper than a 
 dyffryn, through which a river flows. It generally 
 precedes the name of a river that flows through a vale, 
 as Glyn Ceiriog, Glyn Dyfrdwy, &c. From the same 
 root we have the Gaelic " gleann " and the Anglo-Saxon 
 "" glen," both expressing a small valley. 
 
 GwYDD signifies wood, from which we have gwyddel, 
 which means a brake or bush. Tir gwyddelawg, land 
 overrun with brambles. Gwyddel is also the Welsh for 
 Irishman, and some view the few place-names that 
 contain the word only as ethnological evidences of the 
 temporary sojourn of the Gaels in Wales. Some, 
 evidently, have the latter signification, but the majority 
 of them have no reference to Irishmen, as Gwyddel- 
 ■wern, &c. 
 
 Hafod is a compound of haf and bod, signifying a 
 summer house. The ancient farmers had their summer 
 •dairy-houses, and in that season they resorted thither, 
 as the farmers in the Swiss Alps do to their Sennes. 
 The hafod consisted of a long, low room, with a hole at 
 
30 PLACE-NAMES IN WALES. 
 
 one end to emit the smoke from the fire which was 
 made beneath. Its stools were stones, and beds were 
 made of hay ranged along the sides. 
 
 Llan is identified with nearly all the names of 
 parish churches in Wales, from which an exceedingly 
 large number of places take their names. It has been 
 said that " England is pre-eminently the land of hedges 
 and inclosures." The terminations, ton, ham, worth, 
 stoke, fold, garth, park, burgh, bury, brough, burrow, 
 almost invariably convey the notion of inclosure and 
 protection. The Welsh prefix Llan, which originally 
 signified an inclosure, probably suggested the idea to the 
 Saxon colonists. We find the word in perllan, orchard; 
 gwinllan, vineyard; corlan, sheep-yard, in Welsh place- 
 names it is now generally taken to mean a church, 
 probably including the church-yard, though originally 
 applied to an inclosure with or without a building. 
 Myned i'r llan means " going to church." 
 
 The British saints, having been deprived of their 
 possessions by the powerful and ever-increasing 
 foreigners and invaders, retired to the most solitary 
 places in the country to live a wholly religious 
 life, and founded churches which will bear their 
 names as long as hagiology remains a part of 
 Welsh history. Judging from the ntimber of churches 
 dedicated to the saints, it appears that the most popular 
 among them were St. Mary, St. Michael, and St. David 
 the patron saint of Wales. It is needless to say that the 
 first two never founded churches, although we find that 
 
PREFIXES AND SUFFIXES. 
 
 28 churches* in the see of Bangor; 27 in the see of St. 
 Asaph; 59 in the see of St. David's; and a few in the 
 see of Llandaff; in all about 150 churches and chapels 
 have been dedicated to St. Mary, and to St. Michael : 
 48 in the see of St. David's; 8 in the see of St. Asaph; 
 16 in the see of Bangor; 20 in the see of Llandaff; and 
 a few in the see of Hereford, making a total of nearly 
 100. Next comes St. David. We find that 42 so-called 
 sacred edifices bear his name in the see of St. David's; 
 8 in the see of Llandaff; and a few in the see of Hereford; 
 such as Dewstow. 
 
 Many churches were ilso named from their- 
 contiguity to- water, as well as to other objects : Llan- 
 wrtyd (Llan wrth-y-rhyd), the church by the ford; 
 Llandaf, the church on the Taff, &c. The llan, a public 
 house, and a few cottages, formed the nucleus of the 
 majority of our rural villages and parishes, and when the 
 village or parish became worthy of an appellation, the 
 name of the llan was almost invariably applied to them. 
 The word sant, saint, never became a popular term in 
 Wales as it did in Cornwall. We have simply the 
 llan and the unadorned name of the saint who founded 
 it, or was dedicated, . not Llansantddewi, St. David's 
 church, but Llanddewi, David's church. 
 
 When several churches are dedicated to the same 
 saint some differential words are added, and so we have 
 those long names which arouse the curiosity of our 
 English friends, and often supply a healthy exercise 
 
 (* Probably more now). 
 
32 PLACE-NAMES IN WALES. 
 
 to their risible faculties, such as Llanfair-Mathafarn- 
 eithaf, &c. 
 
 For the sake of euphony and brevity we have, in 
 many of our English equivalents, omitted the word llan, 
 and have given the names of the saints only, except 
 when they are translatable. When differential words 
 are added to the hagiological names, as Penybryn, 
 Helygen, &c., we have thought it advisable to omit 
 the ecclesiastical term, and give the mundane portion of 
 the name only as an English quasi-equivalent. For 
 instance, Llandewi-Aberarth, omitting St. David's, and 
 render Aberarth into an intelligible English name. We 
 tind the word llan in many place-names in England, in 
 the Cymric part of Scotland, i.e. between the Clyde 
 and the Solway, e.g. Lanark, Lanrick, &c., and in 
 Brittany, as Langeac, Lannion, Lanoe, &c. The word 
 ^glwys, church, is now used for a modern ecclesiastical 
 building in most parts of the Principality. 
 
 Llech, a flat stone, a flag, refers probably to the 
 Druidical circle stones. Notice should be made of the 
 difference between Cromlech and Cistfaen. The former 
 was a sepulchral monument and always above ground, 
 and the latter was the coffin, concealed by a tumulus 
 either of earth or of stones. The cromlech generally 
 had a cistfaen under it. The English league is probably 
 derived from this word, a " league " was a measure of 
 distance marked by a stone standing on end. 
 
 Llwch is the ancient Welsh for an inlet of water, 
 .a lake, c./., Maesllwch, nr. Three Cocks Station. It 
 
PREFIXES AND SUFhlXES. 33; 
 
 corresponds to the Scotch loch, the Irish lough, and 
 the EngUsh lake. Loch Leven — smooth lake. 
 
 Llwyn in its primary sense means a bush, but it is 
 frequently used to denote a grove. 
 
 Llys originally meant a royal court, a palace. 
 Llysdin, a city where a prince's court was kept, but it 
 is now the common appellation for a court. 
 
 Maenor originally meant a division of land marked 
 by stones, from maen, a stone; hence it became to 
 signify a district, a manor. The maen-hir, long-stone 
 monument, is considered by Professor Rhys to be as 
 old as the cromlech, but not so imposing and costly. 
 Croes-faen. (See Croes). 
 
 Maes, an open field, in contradistinction to cae, an 
 enclosed field. It is sometimes used as a military term 
 signifying a battle-field. Cad ar faes is a pitched battle, 
 and colli y maes is to lose the battle. In the majority of 
 names where this component occurs we may fairly infer 
 that a battle has been fought there. 
 
 Mai means an open, beautiful plain. It is also the 
 Welsh for May, the month when nature induces one to 
 go out to the open fields to view her gems of beauty. 
 
 MoEL when used as a substantive signifies a bald, 
 conical hill. Dyn penfoel, a bald-headed man. In olden 
 times it was used as a surname. HjAvel Foel, Howell,, 
 the bald-headed. It is derived by some from the Celtic 
 root mull, a bald head. Moylisker (Westmoreland) is a 
 
34 PLACE-NAMES, IN WALES.; 
 
 corrupted form of Moel-esgair, bare ridge. Malvern is 
 supposed to be a contraction of Moel-y-fam, the hill of 
 judgment. In Ireland we find it corrupted to moyle : 
 Kilmoyle, bald church; Dinmoyle, bald fort. 
 
 Mynydd is the popular Welsh word for mountain, 
 from mwn, what rises considerably above the surface of 
 the surrounding land. Myn'd i fynydd or fyny means 
 going upwards. In Shropshire this word appears in 
 Longmjmd; in Gloucestershire, nr. Mitcheldean, as the 
 Meend. 
 
 Nant in its primary sense signified a ravine, a 
 dingle ; but now it is mostly used in South Wales to 
 denote a brook, a streamlet. The root enters largely 
 into Welsh nomenclature, and it is also found in many 
 place-names in the region of the High Alps. Nannau 
 and Nanney are plural forms of it, omitting t, and 
 adding the plural termination au. 
 
 Pant means a low place, a hollow. It is con- 
 siderably less than a cwm or dyffryn, combe or valley, 
 being somewhat similar to a glen. 
 
 Parc, from the Norman-French, is an inclosure, 
 equivalent to cae, a piece of land enclosed with hedges. 
 It is used in the latter sense in the south-west counties. 
 Parth comes from the same root, which means a division 
 of land. Parthau Cymru, the divisions of Wales. The 
 English " park " is a derivative, which has a more 
 extensive meaning. 
 
PREFIXES AND SUFFIXES, 35 
 
 Pen in geographical names means the highest 
 part or the extreme end, as of a mountain or a field, or 
 a meadow. We find it intact in names of places in 
 Cornwall, as Penzance, Penrhyn (headland), and in 
 the north of England we have Penrith ; but in its native 
 country the consonant n has been omitted in many 
 instances, and m substituted, as in Pembroke, Pembrey, 
 &c. Ben, a mountain, enters largely into the com- 
 position of place-names in Scotland, especially in the 
 Highlands, as Ben-more, (Penmawr), great mountain, &c. 
 Cen or cenn is another Gaelic form, signifying the same 
 as pen and ben. Can tyre (Pentir), headland; Kenmore 
 (Penmawr), great mountain; Kinloch (Penllwch), head 
 of the lake. In South Scotland hen is replaced by pen, 
 the Cymric form, as Pencraig, the top of the rock; 
 Penpont, the end of the bridge, &c. We find it also 
 in European names pointing out the earlier settlements 
 of the Celtic race, as Pennine, Apennines, Penne, 
 Penmark, &c. 
 
 Pont is generally derived from the Latin pontem, 
 {ace.) a bridge. The monks were great bridge-builders, and 
 it is supposed that they introduced the word to us. 
 Pontage is a duty paid for repairing bridges. The 
 Roman pontiff was so called because the first bridge 
 over the Tiber was constructed and consecrated by the 
 high priest. Pontefract is a pure Latin name, from 
 pons, a bridge, and frangere, to break, signifying a broken 
 bridge, so called from the bridge breaking down when 
 William, Archbishop of York, was passing over. 
 
36 PLACE-NAMES IN WALES. 
 
 PoRTH is referred by some to the Latin -porta, a 
 passage-way, a gate, an opening. 
 
 Rhiw is the Welsh for ascent, accHvity, slope. It 
 has an analogous meaning to Eppynt, the name of a 
 chain of mountains in Breconshire, probably from eh, 
 an issuing out, and hynt, a way, a course, signifjdng a 
 way rising abruptly. Hyntio means to set off abruptly. 
 
 Rhos means a moor. Some think the Latin rus is 
 a cognate word, signifying undrained moorland. The 
 Cymric rhos is of the same origin as the Gaelic ros, 
 which signifies a promontory. Ross, the name of a 
 town in Herefordshire, is probably a corruption of the 
 former. 
 
 Rhyd in its primary sense means a ford, but its 
 secondary meaning — a stream, is frequently given to it. 
 Rhyd-erwin means the rough, dangerous ford, whereas 
 Rhydfelin designates a stream of water that turns a mill. 
 
 Sant : The title sant was very sparingly used in 
 Mediaeval Welsh, and then mostly in the case of saints 
 other than Welsh. Some historians maintain that 
 churches were dedicated to Welsh and Irish saints from 
 500 to 800, to St. Michael and some of the Apostles 
 from 800 to -1000, and to St. Mary and others in the 
 12th century. 
 
 The earliest use of the word Mabsant, the typical 
 holy man of the parish, appears to be in a eulogy of the 
 Welsh patron saint (" Canu y Dewi "), by Gwynfardd 
 Bryc heiniog ( 11 60- 1 220) . 
 
PRKFIXES AND SUFFIXES. 37 
 
 Every parish had its patron saint. The various 
 trades and guilds also had their patron saints or 
 advocates. 
 
 There are between 600 and 700 saints genuine and 
 otherwise, known to Welsh Hagiology, and only about 
 200 of these have found a place in the calendars. 
 
 Peter, Paul, and Laurentius were made patrons of 
 Rome, James, the patron of Spain, Andrew of Greece, 
 and David, the patron saint of Wales. 
 
 Sarn is the Welsh for the old Roman paved road, 
 and wherever it occurs one may almost certainly find 
 traces of a Roman road. Unlike almost every other 
 road the Roman strata was distinguished for its 
 straightness. It ran from fortress to fortress, as 
 straight as an arrow course, in order to facilitate 
 communications between those who were stationed in 
 the chief strategic positions of Britain. It was generally 
 about 15 feet wide, the sides being fenced by hugg 
 stones, and the middle well paved. Remains of it are 
 still discernible in many parts of the Principality, such 
 as the neighbourhood of Caersws, Montgomery; Gaer, 
 Brecon; Neath, Glamorgan; and many other places. 
 
 Tal when applied to places means end, but when 
 applied to persons it denotes front. Taliesin means 
 radiant front or luminous head, but Talyhont signifies 
 the end of the bridge. 
 
 Ton originally meant a piece of unploughed or 
 uncultivated land, perhaps from twn, which implies a 
 
38 PLACE-NAMES IN WALES. 
 
 piece of land taken for the purpose of cultivation. It 
 is used in Glamorgan to denote a green sward. 
 
 Tref was the primitive Welsh appellative for a 
 homestead, a dwelling-house. Myned tua thref, going 
 home, is still a common expression in South Wales. In 
 course of time the term was extended to indicate a 
 group of homesteads. Having buUt a house for himself 
 the lord would proceed to build dwellings for his people 
 and his cattle, and these formed what was called tref. 
 The word gradually became to be applied to an 
 aggregate of houses, hence the reason why it is used so 
 frequently in village as well as in town-names. 
 
 The root is widely distributed over Britain and 
 Europe. The Norse hy, the Danish thorpe, the German 
 dorf, and the English ham and ton may be considered as 
 its equivalents. It is spelt treu in Domesday Book, 
 hence we have Treuddyn for Treddyn. 
 
 Hendref forms the names of many old mansions, 
 and is sjntionjmious with the English Aldham and 
 Oldham. Hyd y dref (October), was the harvest season — 
 the time to gather the produce of the fields to the 
 barns, and leave the hafod, summer-house, to spend the 
 winter months in the hendref, the older establishment. 
 The original meaning of cantref (canton or hundred) is 
 supposed to have been a hundred homesteads. 
 
 Troed is the Welsh for foot, base. The Irish traig 
 signifies the same, both of which. Professor Rhys thinks, 
 
PREFIXES AND SUFFIXES. 39 
 
 are of the same origin as the Greek trecho, " I run."- The 
 English tread means to set the foot. The word is fre- 
 quently applied to places situated at the foot of a moun^ 
 fain. The Welsh Troedyrhiw and the Italian pie di 
 monte are S5monymous terms. 
 
 Ty generally means a house, a dwelling-place, but 
 in Welsh nomenclature it is occasionally used to denote 
 a church or place of worship, as Ty Ddewi, St. David's. 
 The house of God is considered by many as equivalent 
 to the church of God. Ty has an inferior meaning to 
 bod ; the latter was the residence of a superior, and the 
 former is of a later date, signifying an ordinary house, a 
 cottage. 
 
 Wy — Gwy is an obsolete Celtic word for water, 
 mostly used as a suf&x in river-names, as Elwy, Tawy ; 
 and sometimes as a prefix, as gwyach, a water-fowl; 
 gwylan, sea-gull; gwydd, goose. Gwysg is related to it, 
 which means a tendency to a level, as of a fluid or 
 stream. We find the root in various forms, as Wysg, 
 cask, uisge, usk, esk, is-ca, &c. 
 
 Ynys anciently signified an island, and also a 
 quasi- island answering to inch in Scotland, Inch Keith; 
 and inis or ennis is Ireland, Ennis Killen, Ennis Corthy, 
 Inniskea, &c. The word is applied to some places with 
 no river or water near them, nor anything suggesting 
 the probability that they had, in remote times, been 
 islands. 
 
40 PLACE-NAMES !N WALES. 
 
 YsTRAD is a general term for a low or flat valley 
 through which a river flows. The Latin strata, the 
 Scotch strath, and the English street are supposed to be 
 of the same origin. The term ystrad was used sometimes 
 to denote a paved road. 
 
PLACE NAMES IN WALES. 
 
 Wales. — The real and correct name is Cymru, or 
 as the late Mr. T. Stephens invariably spelt it, Kymru, 
 from cym-hro, the compatriot, the native of the country, 
 in contradistinction to ail-fro, the foreign invader who 
 came to dispossess him of his native land. 
 
 Professor Silvan Evans derives it from cy^, the d 
 being changed to m for assimilation with the following 
 h ; and bro, a vale, a country. Some think it is a 
 compound of cyn, first, prior ; and hru, matrix, hence 
 implying Primitive Mother, an expression signifying that 
 the aboriginal Brythons, to sustain their inalienable 
 claim to the country, considered themselves as 
 descended from the direct offspring of their native soil. 
 According to some the name is synonj^mous with the 
 Cimmerii and Gomari. 
 
 A few derive the name from Camber, the son of 
 Brutus, whilst others insist upon a remoter origin, and 
 trace it back to Gomer, the eldest son of Japhet._ In 
 the laws of Hywel Dda the name is spelt Cybru, and in 
 G. ap Arthur's Chronicle the names Kymry and Kymraec 
 are respectively given to the nation and the language. 
 
 Mr. Stephens derives Kymry from Homer's Kim- 
 meroi and Germania's Cimbri. These people gave 
 
42 PLACE-NAMES IN WALES. 
 
 their name to Cumberland, and subsequently they 
 settled in their present country, and called themselves 
 and the country Kym/y or [Cymry, the form Cymru for 
 Wales being a modern variant. 
 
 Professor Rhys thinks the ties of union between 
 the Brythons of Upper Britain proved so strong and 
 close that the word Cymry, which meant merely 
 fellow-countrymen, acquired the force and charm of a 
 national name, which it still retains among the natives 
 of the Principality. It is also popularly called — 
 
 GWALIA, of which Wales is a Saxonized form. 
 Very many favour the German derivation wal, foreign; 
 waller, foreigner. The general name given by the 
 Teutonic races to their neighbours is Walsch, foreigners 
 or strangers. " The word Dutch is an adjective 
 signif jang national, and was the name by which the old 
 Teutons called themselves in contradistinction to other 
 people, whose language they were unable to under- 
 stand. They styled themselves the (intelligible) 
 people, but called others, as the Romans, and the Kelts 
 in Britain, Walsch and Welsh." (Morris' Hist. Gram.). 
 
 Walsch-land is the German name of Italy, and 
 Weal-land is the name given by the Saxon Chronicle to 
 Brittany. Comwales was the original form of Cornwall, 
 which signifies the country inhabited by the Welsh of 
 the Horn. Some derive the name from Gal, the ancient 
 Gal, whilst others give the preference to gal, an open, 
 cultivated country. " Le Prince de Galles " is the name: 
 
. PLACE-NAMES IN- WALES. 43 
 
 given to the Prince of Wales in France. The people 
 of Galatia in the time of St. Paul possessed some 
 characteristic features of the Celtic race. Jacob 
 Grimm traces the name back to Galli (Gaules, Fr.), 
 which was taken by the Germans from the neighbouring 
 Gauls. It is generally supposed that when the Saxons 
 settled among the Britannic Loegrians (the Cymry of 
 England) they called them Veales, Weala, or Wealhas, 
 from which the name Wales probably originated. 
 
 Cambria. — Some derive it from Camber of fabulous 
 record, but we rather think it is a distorted Latinized 
 form of Cymru. 
 
 We shall now proceed to deal with the names of 
 the ancient territories of Wales, namely, Gwynedd, 
 Powys, Dyfed, and Gwent. 
 
 Gwynedd, or Venedocia. — ^This territory com- 
 prised the counties of Anglesey, Carnarfon, and Denbigh, 
 or Gwynedd is .Gonwy, Venedocia below Conway, and 
 Gwynedd uch Gonwy, Venedocia above Conway. It was 
 sometimes applied to all North Wales. 
 
 Professor Rhys thinks " the word Veneti is most 
 likely of the same origin as the Anglo-Saxon wine, a 
 friend, and meant allies; the Irish fine, a tribe or 
 sept, is most likely related, and so may be the Welsh 
 Gwynedd. The Veneti have left their name to the part 
 of Brittany called by the Bretons Guened, Vannes, and 
 it is this name probably that laid the foundation for 
 the tales which trace an army of ,Cymry from Gwynedd 
 to Guened." (Celtic Britain, p. 307.) 
 
44 PLACE-NAMES IN WALES. 
 
 PowYS. — This included the counties of Merioneth; 
 FHnt, and Montgomery. The word, according to 
 some, means a state of rest. Pwyso means to lean; 
 gorpkwyso, to rest. It is said that Ceridwen placed 
 Gwion, the son of Gwreang, the herald of Llanfair, the 
 fane of the lady, in Caer Einiawn, the city of the just in 
 Powys, the land of rest. (Davies' Myth., p. 213.) 
 Powys Fadog may mean Madoc's settlement or rest. 
 
 Dyfed, or Demetia. — ^This province embraced the 
 counties of Pembroke, Carmarthen, and Cardigan; the 
 former constituted the principal part, and is called 
 Dyfed even to-day by the old inhabitants. In the seventh 
 century Dyfed consisted only of Pembrokeshire. Some 
 derive the name from Deheuharth, which is rather far- 
 fetched. We are induced to think the root is dwfn, 
 deep or low, indicating the geographical position of 
 Dyfed, which is the lowest part of the Principality. 
 Devon is probably of the same origin. Demetia is 
 Dyfed Latinized. 
 
 GwENT. — This territory comprises part of 
 Glamorgan, also Monmouthshire, and part of Hereford- 
 shire, the latter districts are to be dealt with in a sub- 
 sequent work. 
 
ANGLESEY. 
 
 Anglesey. — The Welsh name is Ynys Mon or Ynys 
 Fon, the Isle of Mona. Mon is variously derived. 
 Philotechnus derives it from the Greek monos, alone, left 
 alone, standing alone, from its being separated by sea 
 from the counties of North Wales. Dr. Owen Pughe 
 seems to endorse the above : " Mon, what is isolated, an 
 isolated one, or that is separate." The author of Mona 
 Antiqua derives it from bon, a stem, a base, a foundation, 
 same as Monau, Enotodin, from its situation at the 
 extreme point of the Principality, or, perhaps, from its 
 being called " Mon, mam Cymru," Mona, the mother of 
 Wales. The Manau Guotodin of South Scotland illustrates 
 another application of the word Mon. 
 
 We are induced to think that the Isle of Mona 
 and the Isle of Man derive their names from mon, which 
 means what is isolated, separate. The English name was 
 bestowed upon it after the battle of Llanvaes, in which 
 Egbert proved himself victor over Merddyn. In 818 
 or 819 the Saxon king subdued Mona, and called it 
 Anglese3^ or the Isle of the Angles, or English. The 
 terminal syllable, ey, is the Norse for island. It as- 
 sumed the title of "Mon, mam Cymru," in the 12th 
 century. Another view but perhaps less probable is 
 Norse Angul's ey, the isle of the strait. 
 
 Aberffraw. — This Seaport village is situate at the 
 mouth of the river Ffraw. Aber, estuary; ffraw means 
 agitation, activity, swiftness. Effraw, awake, vigilant. 
 
46 PLACE-NAMES IN WALES. 
 
 The Romans called it Gadavia ; gada, to fall or run 
 down ; via, way, signifying the swift or running water. 
 This place was one of the 3 Royal residences of Wales, 
 and a seat of their chief courts of justice. 
 
 Amlwch. — This name has elicited various con- 
 jectures. Some think it is a compound of aml-llwch, 
 signifying a dusty place. Others derive it thus : am, 
 round, about; llwch, a lake, an inlet of water, signifying 
 a circular inlet of water. Llwch is cognate with the 
 Scotch loch. Many places in Wales take their names 
 from this word, as Penllwch, Talyllychau, Llanllwch, and^ 
 perhaps, Amlwch. In an ancient book, " The Record of 
 Carnarvon," supposed to be written about 1451, the 
 name is spelt Amlogh. The harbour at Amlwch is a 
 sort of llwch. 
 
 Beaumaris.- — Various names are given to this town 
 — Bumaris, Bimaris, Beumarish, Bello-Mariseum, and 
 Beaumaris. In the Myvyrian list of the parishes of 
 Wales it is spelt Bywmares. Edmunds derives it from 
 buw, a cow; mor, the sea; and is, low; signifying the 
 low place of cows by the sea. Some think the name is 
 a compounded form of his, twice; and maris, the sea, 
 founding their reason upon the position of the town as 
 lying between two seas, the Irish Sea and St. George's 
 Channel. Others think the radices are heau, beautiful, 
 fine, and maree, sea; signifying a place near the beautiful 
 ■sea. Many will have the suffix to be the French marais, 
 marsh, a tract of low land occasionally covered with 
 -water, hence the name signifies the beautiful marsh. 
 
ANGLESEY. " , " 47 
 
 The town was anciently called Forth Wygyr; forth, 
 port ; wygyr, which may be a corruption of Wig-ir; gwig, 
 an opening in the wood, a wood ; ir, fresh, florid. Pren ir 
 a green tree. The new name, Beaumaris, it is said, was 
 given to the town by Edward I. He built the castle 
 about the year 1285, and changed the name of the place 
 to Beaumaris, descriptive of its pleasant situation in 
 low ground. 
 
 Belan. — An abbreviation of Llanbeulan, the church 
 dedicated to Beulan, son of Paulinus. 
 
 Bethel. — So called after a Nonconformist chapel 
 in the village. The edifices of the Established Church 
 are generally dedicated to eminent Welsh saints; but 
 the Nonconformist sanctuaries are generally denominated 
 after Scriptural place-names. 
 
 Bodedern. — Bod, a dweUing-place, an abode; 
 Edern, or Edeyrn, the son of Nudd, the son of Beli. 
 He was a warrior and a poet, and before the end of 
 his earthly career became very devoted to religion, 
 and built a church in this place, which was dedicated 
 to him, hence the name. 
 
 Bode WR YD. — This place is situated about four 
 miles west of Amlwch. Bod, a dwelling; ewryd, a 
 contraction, perhaps, of ewiar, smooth, clear, and rhyd, 
 a ford; the name, therefore, signifies a mansion at the 
 clear ford. 
 
48 PLACE NAMES IN WALES. 
 
 BODFFORDD. — Bod, a dwelling; ffordd, a way, a 
 road; the name, therefore, signifies a residence by the 
 way or road. 
 
 BoDOWYR. — The habitation of the priests. A 
 hamlet situated near Tre'r Dryw, the seat of the 
 chief Druid. 
 
 BODWROG. — Bod, a dwelling; Twrog, supposed to 
 be the son of lihel Wael, of Brittany, to whom the 
 church is dedicated. The name signifies a fortified 
 dwelling. 
 
 Brynsiencyn. — Bryn, a hill; Siencyn, a Welshified 
 form of Jenkin, which means little and pretty John. 
 
 Caerceiliog.— From a farm so named. Some 
 think the right wording is Caergeilyg — Caer, a fortified 
 wall ; Geilyg, clear, prominent : others think the name 
 is a slight corruption of Cae'r ceiliog, the cock's field, 
 from the tradition that a certain field belonging to the 
 farmstead was sometime noted for cockfighting. 
 
 Capel Gwyn. — Capel, chapel; Gwyn, a contracted 
 form, probably, of Gwyngenau, the son of Pawl, the elder; 
 or, perhaps, gwyn here has an ecclesiastical meaning, 
 signifying blessed. " Gwyn ei fyd y gwr," blessed is 
 the man. 
 
 Capel Meugan. — Capel, chapel; Meugan, son of 
 Gwyndaf Hen, the son of Emyr Llydaw. Meugan is an 
 old personal name which may have come through the 
 Irish, c.f. Fegan. 
 
ANGLESEY. 49 
 
 Ceirchiog. — This name means " abounding with 
 oats." The soil of the district is remarkable for yielding 
 large crops of oats. "^ 
 
 Cemaes. — ^This name is very common in Wales. 
 It is a compound word, made up of cefn, back ridge ; 
 and maes, a field, signif3dng a high field. Some think 
 the name denotes ridged or arable land, from the fer- 
 tility of the soil in the district. Others think it a 
 compounded form of camp, a feat, a game ; and maes, a 
 field. The Welsh had 24 games, or qualifications, that 
 may be called their course of education. We rather think 
 the word must be understood here in a martial sense, 
 signifying a field on a high place, forming a vantage-ground 
 for military operations. The name indicates signs of the 
 defensive conflict of the KjTiiry from the time of Cadwaladr 
 down to the fall of Llewelyn, with whom the independence 
 of Cambria terminated. 
 
 Cerryg Ceinwen. — Cerryg stones ; Ceinwen, the 
 daughter of Brychan Brycheiniog, to whom the church 
 is dedicated. 
 
 Cerryg y Gwyddyl. — Cerryg, stones ; Gwyddyl, 
 Irishmen. Caswallon Law-Hir (Long Hand), about 
 the year 500, fought vaiiantV against the Irish invaders 
 in North Wales. Having achieved such a 
 noble victory at a certain place in Mona, he built a 
 church thereon, and called it Llan y Gwyddyl, but now 
 it is known by the name of Cerryg y Gwyddyl. 
 
 Clegyrog.— The root, probably, is clegr, which 
 means a rock, a cliff. Clegyrog, rocky, rugged ; the 
 name is quite descriptive of this craggy district. 
 
 E 
 
50 PLACE NAMES IN WALES. 
 
 CoEDANA. — Coed, wood ; Ana Anne, supposed to be 
 a Welsh lady to. whom the parish church is dedicated. 
 Anne or Ann is a contraction of Hannah. 
 
 DwYRAN. — Dwy, two ; ran, part or "portion. This 
 hamlet was divided into two by Idwal, the Prince of Wales, 
 and he gave one to St. Beuno, and the other to the Bishop 
 of Bangor, hence the names Dwyran Beuno, and Dwyran 
 Esgob. The place is also called Aberbraint. 
 
 Gaerwen. — A compound of caer, a fortified wall, a 
 fortress ; and wen, the feminine form of gwyn, white, 
 fair, blessed, what is desirable or affords happiness. 
 
 GwREDOG. — ^The root may be gwar (gwareddawg), 
 tame, mild, gentle ; some think the correct wording is 
 Gwaredog, what is being protected or saved. Perhaps it 
 is derived from gwaered, a declivity. We adopt the 
 latter. The right wording, therefore, is Gwaeredog, a 
 flat or bottom at the foot of high ground. It is the 
 name of several farms in Anglesey ; as Gwaeredog, Amlwch, 
 and Gwaeredog Uchaf, and Gwaeredog Isaf, near Llan- 
 erchymedd. 
 
 GwYNDY. — Gwyn, white, blessed ; iiy = iy, house ; the 
 name signifies a blessed house. The name was once 
 used to denote an episcopal residence. In the time of 
 St. Germanus, gwyndai — episcopal residences or houses 
 were first alloted to the bishops. It was supposed 
 that a cloister was once in the place where a large 
 number of virgins devoted themselves entirely to holy 
 service. 
 
 Holyhead. — ^The Welsh name is Caergybi or accord- 
 ing to some. Cor Cyhi. Cyhi, the son of the King of 
 Cornwall, flourished about the latter half of the fourth 
 
ANGLESEY. 51 
 
 ■century. Having spent some time with Bishop Hilary, 
 in Gaul, he returned and took up his abode here. It is 
 said that the Prince of Mona took compassion upon 
 him in his great poverty, and presented him with a 
 castle in the place, wherein he established a small 
 monastery, from which circumstance the castle was 
 called Cor Cybi — Cybi's Choir. Pennant thinks the 
 right wording is Caergybi, from the afore-mentioned 
 ■castle, ruins of which are discernible now. The saint 
 also is memorable for his connection with the Roman 
 pharos or lighthouse on a hill adjacent to the town. At 
 the north end of the parish church the following 
 inscription may be seen : — Sancte Kybi, ora pro nobis, i.e., 
 " Oh! Saint Cybi, pray for us." Opinions difEer as to 
 the origin of Holyhead. Some think it was so named 
 from the large number of sacred edifices in the place. 
 Others think the English gave the" appellation "Holy- 
 head " to the place on account of the holy and sanctified 
 life of the ever memorable Saint Kybi. Others maintain 
 that the right wording is Hollyhead — a translation of 
 Pencelyn, or more correctly, Pen Cyhelyn, Cyhdyn's Head. 
 Pen means head ; and Cyhelyn was reduced to Celyn, 
 which signifies holly-wood, hence Hollyhead, and then 
 Holyhead. 
 
 Llanallgo. — ^The church was dedicated to Gallgo, 
 a son of Caw Cawlyd, and built in the 7th century. In this 
 neighbourhood the Royal Charter was lost, October 26th, 
 1859, when upwards of 400 lives perished. In the 
 parish there is also seen a large cromlech. 
 
 Llanbabo. — Pabo Post Prydain was an eminent 
 warrior, and ere the close of his life he devoted 
 himself unreservedly to religious matters. He founded 
 
52 PLACE-NAMES IN WALES. 
 
 the church of Llanbaho, where still remains a stone on 
 which his image and the following inscription may be 
 seen : — " Hie jacet Paho Post Prud Corpors-te-Prima." 
 
 Llanbadrig. — ^The lolo MSS. inform us that Padrig 
 was a saint of the seventh century, a contemporarj' of 
 Elford, and a fellow of Kybi's seminary. He built the 
 above church, which still bears his name. This is St. 
 Patrick, the great apostle of Ireland. (The name 
 Patrick means a senator, a nobleman) . 
 
 Llandegfan. — Some think the church was built 
 by Tydecha and his sister Tegfedd, and that it was 
 dedicated to the latter in the sixth century ; but we 
 rather think that Tegfan, uncle of Elian, and a saint 
 and confessor in Kybi's seminary, gave his name to it. 
 (Williams' " Eminent Welshm.en.") Tegfan may mean a 
 fair spot, or a fine place. 
 
 Llandyssilio. — ^The church is dedicated to Tyssilio^ 
 a celebrated saint of the sixth century. 
 
 Llan Ddaniel Fab. — Mr. Rowlands writes : — 
 " Daniel, who had a church near that of Llan Aiden, 
 was son of Daniel, first Bishop of Bangor ; and there- 
 fore, the church is commonly called Llan Ddaniel Fab."" 
 
 Llanddeusant. — ^The church is dedicated to dau 
 sant, two saints — Marcellus and Marcellinus. 
 
 Llanddwyn. — ^The church is dedica.ted to St. Deuvven 
 or Dwynwen daughter of Brychan, one of the primitive 
 Christians of Britain. This parish was, in the reign of 
 Henry VHI, one of the richest prebends in the cathedra! 
 of Bangor. The common people were superstitious 
 enough to make pilgrimages here to crosses, reliques, holy^ 
 wells, ordeals, and fish divination. 
 
ANGLESEY. 53 
 
 Llanddyfnan. — The church was dedicated to 
 Dyfnan, son of Brychan, in the fifth century. He is 
 recorded to have come here from Rome in . i8o to 
 convert the Britons to the Christian faith. Dyfnan 
 may signify a deep brook. 
 
 Llandyfrydog. — Ty fry dog, the son of Arwystl 
 Gloff, was a member of the Enlli seminary, and the 
 founder of this church, which was dedicated to him 
 in the sixth century. Dy fry dog means fuU of thought, 
 musing, pensive. 
 
 Llanedwen. — The church is supposed to have been 
 built by Edwen, niece or daughter of King Edwin, 
 and a Saxon saintess of the sixth or seventh century. 
 Edwen is probably a feminine form of Edwin. 
 
 Llaneilian. — Eilian Geimiad, the pilgrim son of 
 Cellan Ruddawg, was a saint of a very early date. 
 Some think he was a contemporary of St. Kybi. A few 
 churches in Wales bear his name. Near this place 
 ■Caswallon Law Hir kept his court. 
 
 Llanerchymedd. — ^This town was anciently called 
 Clochran, clock, bell ; ran, part, portion. It is supposed 
 that the steeple of the church stood on portions of- 
 three, if not four parishes, hence the name. Various 
 ■conjectures are propounded on the origin of the present 
 name. An impossible tradition says that a man named 
 Tegerin was preparing a family grave on the spot where the 
 old church stands, and, when he was building the vault, 
 ■someone asked him — " What do you raise on this 
 spot?" His rejoinder was, " Llanerch fy .medd," the 
 place of rhy sepulchre. Some derive the name from 
 Tafarn y medd, a mead tavern. Medd, niead, a drink 
 
54 PLACE-NAMES IN WALES. 
 
 made of honey and water ; that ancient beverage was- 
 probably prepared and consumed at the above tavern, 
 hence the name. 
 
 Llaneugrad. — ^The church was dedicated to 
 Eugrad, son of Caw Cawlwyd, a fellow of Illtyd's 
 seminary, and a saint of the sixth century. It is said that 
 a very great battle was fought here in 873 between Rhodri 
 Mawr and the Danes, and that the latter had to retreat. 
 
 Llanfachreth. — The church was dedicated to St, 
 Machraith, who flourished in the seventh century, and 
 founded churches in Merioneth and Anglesey. 
 
 Llanfaelog. — ^The church was dedicated about 
 the seventh century to Maelog, son of Caw Cawlwyd. Hard 
 by there is a lake called " Llyn Maelog," 
 Maelog's pool. 
 
 Llanfaes. — Maes, a field. The name denotes a 
 church built on the spot where a memorable battle 
 was fought in the year 819 between Egbert and the 
 Welsh. The remains of the immortal John Elias Fon,. 
 were interred here in June, 1841. 
 
 Llanfaethlu. — ^The church was dedicated tO' 
 Maethlu, son of Caradog Fuichfras, in the sixth century. 
 Maethlu or Maethle means a nursing place. 
 
 Llanfair-Mathafarn-Eithaf.- — ^The names of this 
 and the adjoining parish must be compared here in 
 order that they may throw light on each other. 
 Llanbedr-goch, or Llanbedr-Mathafarn-Gwion-Goch, the 
 contiguous parish is called Llanbedr, the church dedi- 
 cated to St. Peter ; Mathafarn, the place (man) of a 
 tavern ; Gwion Goch, the name of the owner. Now 
 take the next. Llanfair, St. Mary's Church ; Mathafarn,. 
 
ANGLESEY. 55 
 
 tavern ; eithaf, extreme, furthest ; the suffix eithaf was 
 added to the latter tavern to distinguish it from the 
 other. 
 
 This parish is famous for being the birthplace of 
 Goronwy Owen, one of the greatest poets of Wales. 
 He was born here, January 7th, 1722. 
 
 Llanfair-pwll-gwyngyll. — Llanfair, St. Mary's 
 Church ; pwll, pool ; gwyn, white ; cyll, hazel wood. 
 Ceris Pool, Menai Straits, is contiguous to this place, 
 and the banks of the straits were sometime covered with 
 white hazel wood. The full name is sometimes play- 
 fully given as Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndro- 
 bwlltysiliogogogogoch — z. rather pretty and inviting word 
 to a Saxon tourist. The railway station is called Llanfair 
 P.G. 
 
 Llanfair- yn-Nghornwy. — Llanfair — a church dedi- 
 cated to St. Mary ; yn, the ; corn-wy, land projecting out 
 to the water, which is very descriptive of this part of the 
 parish. 
 
 Llanfair-yn-Netjbwll. — Llanfair — St. Mary's 
 church ; yn, in ; neubwll dau bwll, two pools, which 
 are visible from the church. 
 
 Llanfechell. — Mechell or Mechyll, the son of 
 Echwydd, was a Welsh bishop, and the church was 
 dedicated to him in the seventh century. He was buried 
 in Penrhos Llugwy, and Mr. Rowlands (Mona Antiqua) 
 says that an old stone was found there in the 
 eighteenth century bearing his name. 
 
 Llanfihangel Din Sylwy. —Llanflhangel, St. 
 Michael's Church. Din Sylwy, according to some, is a 
 contraction of Dinas Sylwi, the gazing city ; others 
 
56 PLACE-NAMES IN WALES. 
 
 trace it to Din Sol, the city of the sun. It is generally 
 believed that an old British stronghold stood here, and 
 was taken by the Romans during the subjugation of 
 Mona. We offer the following derivation : Din, a hill ; 
 syl-syUii, to gaze ; the name, therefore, signifies a 
 church on a hill which commands a view of the river 
 or water. 
 
 Llanfihaxgel Tre'r Beirdd. — Llanfihangel, St. 
 Michael's Church. Tre'r Beirdd, the bards' dwelling- 
 place. It is supposed that a Druidic station and a 
 bard's seminary existed here in remote times, from 
 which circumstance the village and parish derive the 
 name. 
 
 Llangadwaladr. — ^The Church is said to have been 
 founded by Cadwaladr, last king of the Britons, and made 
 one of the sanctuaries of Mona. 
 
 Llaxgefxi. — ^The name signifies a church on the 
 river Cefni, which runs through the place. 
 
 Llaxgoed. — ^The name signifies a church in the 
 wood, so called from the woody nature of the neighbour- 
 hood. The church was dedicated to Cawrdaf in the 
 sixth century, and the parish is sometimes called Llan- 
 gawrdaf. 
 
 Llaxgristiolus. — Cristiolus, a descendant of Einyr 
 Llydaw, flourished in the seventh century, and built the 
 church which commemorated his name. 
 
 Llaxiestyn.— The titular saint of this church was 
 St. lestyn, son of Geraint, one of Arthur's knights. 
 
 Llanrhyddlad.— J?A;/rf(iZa(^, a daughter of the King 
 of Leinster, Ireland, was a saintess of the seventh century, 
 and the supposed founder of the above church. One 
 
ANGLESEY. 57 
 
 author thinks the right wording is Rhyddlad ; rhydd, at 
 liberty, free ; lad=gwlad, country. Perhaps the prefix 
 is rhudd, red ; the name, therefore, means red soil or 
 country. 
 
 Llantrisant. — ^The church is dedicated to tri sant, 
 three saints : Afren, leuan, and Savan, who, it is sup- 
 posed, founded it in the year 570. 
 
 A monument is seen here in memory of Rev. Hugh 
 Williams, D.D., father of Sir Wm. Williams, speaker of the 
 House of Commons and Solicitor General in i687- 
 
 Llechylched. — Some think the church is dedi- 
 cated to Ilched or Ylched. The name is, probably, a 
 compound of llech, a flat stone ; and cylched, a circum- 
 ference, that which goes about or encloses. Cylchedu, to 
 encircle, to include in a circle. Perhaps the name 
 has reference to the Druidical circle stones. 
 
 Malldraeth. — Mall — sodden ; traeth, beach 
 or marsh. The place is sometimes called Cors 
 Ddygai. The hundred of Malldraeth contains many 
 parishes, and reaches from the sea near Aberffraw to the 
 vicinity of Traethcoch. 
 
 Menai Bridge. — ^The Welsh name is Porthaethwy, 
 which is variously derived. The late Rev P. B. 
 Williams writes : — " This ferry, probably, took its name 
 from the hundred or division in which it is situated — 
 Tindaethwy. lago Emlyn derives aethwy thus : Aeth, 
 terrible ; wy-gwy, water ; founding his reason on the 
 perilousness of the passage across the straits. Another 
 writer thinks it is Porth-y-caeth-wy, the port of the 
 narrow water: The place has been popularly called 
 Menai Bridge ever since the construction of the world- 
 
58 PLACE-NAMES IN WALES. 
 
 renowned bridge that spans the straits. Menai comes 
 from Main-aw, which signifies the narrow water ; or it 
 might be Main-wy, which means the same. 
 
 MoELFRE. — A very common place-name in Wales. 
 It is a compound of Mod, bare, bald ; and hre, a hill, 
 mountain. The name is generally applied to a treeless- 
 hill, but covered with short, smooth grass, sometimes 
 interspersed with heath. 
 
 Mynydd Parys. — Parys mountain, probably from 
 a Robert Parys, who was chamberlain of North Wales 
 in the reign of Henry IV. This hill is noted for 
 its copper ore. 
 
 Nebo. — ^This village takes its name from a Noncon- 
 ' formist chapel in the place. 
 
 NiwBWRCH, or Newborough. — Its ancient name, 
 according to some was Rhosfair, from a small church 
 dedicated to St. Mary. Mr. Rowlands thinks the name 
 was Rhos Hir, long meadow, from its situation in an 
 extensive marshy plain on the eastern side. The place 
 was once the capital of Mona, and the residence of the 
 princes of North Wales. Edward I. made it a free 
 corporation, from which circumstance originated the 
 present name of Newborough. Niwbwrch probably 
 represents the older pronunciation of Newborough. 
 
 Pencarneddi. — Pen, head, top, end ; Carneddi, a 
 plural form of Carnedd, which denotes a sepulchral heap 
 of stones. Carneddau were the common monuments 
 erected by the ancient Britons in honour of their great men. 
 
 Penmynydd. — ^The name signifies mountain top, 
 and was given to the village from respect to the 
 mansion of the same name, which is famous for being 
 the place where Owain Tudor was born in 1384. 
 
ANGLESEY. 59 
 
 Pensarn. — Pen, head, end ; Sam, Roman paved 
 road, a causeway. A name of frequent occurrence in 
 Welsh topography. 
 
 Pentraeth. — -The parish is also called Llanfair- 
 Bettws-Geraint. The church was dedicated to St. Mary 
 about the sixth century, and supposed to have been built 
 by Ceraint or Gerimius, grandson of Constantine. The 
 village is called Pentraeth from its being situated at the 
 head or upper end of the sandy beach, or bay, which is 
 called Traethcoch or Red Wharf Bay. 
 
 PoNTRiPONT. — A corruption, probably, of Pontrhyd- 
 y-bont. The ancient name was Rhydpont, or Rhyd-y-bont, 
 the ford of the bridge. The prefix pont was probably 
 added when another bridge was built across Rhydybont. 
 
 Rhosbeirio. — Rhos, a moor, a dry meadow ; Peirio, 
 the name of the son of Caw of Twrcelyn, to whom the 
 church is dedicated. Peirio implies what causes or 
 effects. " Abwy a bair wybod lie bo " — carrion will cause 
 it to be known where it is. 
 
 Rhoscolyn. — Rhos, a moor, a dry meadow ; Colyn 
 is perhaps allied with Colofn, a column, a pillar. It 
 is said that the Romans erected a column here to 
 perpetuate the memory of their conquests in Mona. 
 The ancient name of the parish was Llanwenfaen, from 
 respect to Gwenfaen, the daughter of Pawl Hen, who is 
 supposed to have founded a reUgious institution here. 
 
 Rhosneigr. — Rhos, a moor ; neigr is generally 
 supposed to be a corruption of niger=black, in allusion 
 to the black hue and peaty nature of the soil. 
 
 Rhosybol. — Bol is an etymological puzzle. It looks 
 like a contraction of Paul-Paulinus. Edward Llwyd 
 refers to a place called Pant-y-Polion, near which he 
 
6o PLACE-NAMES IN WALES. 
 
 found an inscription of the name Paulinus. Some think 
 that Suetonius Paulinus once took up his abode in Taly- 
 bolion. We are inclined to think bol is a corruption of moel, 
 & coped hill. Moel Don is now commonly called Bol y Don. 
 Talybolion was, probably, some time called Talymoelion. 
 The name therefore, denotes a moor near a coped hill. 
 
 Traethcoch. — Traeth — beach, sands ; coch, pro- 
 bably from Gwion Goch. 
 
 Tregaian. — Caian, a saint who flourished about 
 the middle of the fifth century, and founded the 
 church of Tregaian. 
 
 Tre-Walchmai. — Tre, a dwelling-place ; Gwalch- 
 mai, the son of Meilir. The name was bestowed upon 
 the place about the twelfth century. Gwalchmai implies 
 a hero in war. 
 
 Valley. — ^A gross mutilation of the Welsh Mael-dy, or 
 Mael-le, a house of trade or traffic. Tacitus informs us 
 that an extensive trade was carried on between this district 
 and Ireland in the time of Julius Agricola. There is a 
 homestead not far from the place called " Ty Milo," 
 which, evidently, is a corruption of " Ty Maelu," a 
 house of trade. 
 
 Yxvs Bronwen. — It is recorded in the " Mabin- 
 ogion " that Bronwen, the daughter of Llyr, was buried 
 here. " BeM petryal a wnaed i Yronwen, verch Llyr, ar Ian 
 afon Alaw" — i.e., "A square grave was made for Bromccn, 
 the daughter of Llyr, on the banks of the river Alaw 
 (Cambro-Briton, vol. ii., p. 71.) Ynys means an island. 
 
 Yny5 Seiriol. — It is also called Puffin Island. 
 It is about one mile in length and half a mile in breadth. 
 Seiriol, son of Owen Danwyn, erected his cell here in the 
 sixth century. 
 
BRECONSHIRE. 
 
 The county was anciently called Garth Madryn ; 
 garth, that part of a mountain that terminates in a point, 
 a promontory ; Madryn, an old Welsh word for fox. It 
 appears that madryn's offspring, wolves, wild cats and 
 beavers abounded in that part of the principality in time 
 of yore. 
 
 Brychan ruled over that part of the country about 
 A.D. 400-450, and gave the county its present name. The 
 name has been variously spelt — ^Brechiniawg, Brechiniaug, 
 Brechiniog, Brecheiniog and Brycheiniog. Leland spells 
 it Brekenock, Brecknock, Brekenok, and Breknok. 
 Brecknock is the English form of Brycheiniog, and Brecon 
 probably a contraction thereof made by persons who were 
 unable to pronounce Brych or Brech ; or it may be an 
 English form of the Latinised Brechinia. Brecknock 
 was constituted a county by an act of Henry VIII in 1536. 
 Before 1536, the English form was Brecknock, but after- 
 wards it was known as Brecknock and Brecon. In 1606 
 the town was called Brecon and Brecknock. The official 
 method of spelling the name has almost invariably been 
 Brecknock. 
 
 Brychan is probably derived from brych, which signi- 
 fies brindled, or spotted. 
 
 Dyn brych, a freckled man. 
 
 Aberbaidon. — ^This place is situated at the con- 
 fluence of the rivers Baidon and Usk. The radix is 
 Baid, briskness, liveliness. 
 
 Abercrave. — ^The old Welsh name was Abercrdf, 
 from its situation at the confluence of the brook Craf or 
 
62 PLACE-NAMES IN WALES. 
 
 Crai, with the river Tawy. Cra-af, the issuing forth, the 
 channel torn by the impulsive force of the stream, as 
 well as the act of tearing or breaking up any substance. 
 Crafu means to scratch ; crafangu, to claw, to gripe. 
 
 Abergwesyn. — ^The place is situated at the con- 
 fluence of the rivers Gwesyn and Irvon. According to 
 the Welsh Triads, Gwesyn is an old Welsh word for a 
 shepherd, and he was so called after Gwesyn, the shep- 
 herd of Goronwy ah Ednyfain. The district is noted for 
 rearing sheep, and some think that the name Gwesyn 
 was given to the stream that runs through the place in 
 honour of some popular shepherd. 
 
 Aberhonddu. — Honddu, the name of the river that, 
 on approaching the town, flows quietly into and joins 
 the Usk to run to its destination. Hon represents or 
 older Hodn, and ddu, black, seems to indicate the 
 respective hue of the water. Many Welsh streams 
 and lakes received their names from the peculiar hue 
 of their respective waters, such as Gwenffrwd, white 
 stream ; Pwllglas, blue pool. Llewellyn uses the word 
 Jioen in that sense : " Hoen hlodau haf," the colour of 
 the summer flowers. Hoen also implies liveliness, 
 gladness. 
 
 Perhaps hoen was used to denote the lively nature 
 of the river, and ddu, black, to indicate the hue of its 
 waters. Others seem to think that the name is a com- 
 pound of hawn-heini, swift, wild, hasty ; and dwy, which 
 implies a sacred character. The term was applied by 
 the Druids to their sacred stream, such as Dyfrdwy, 
 &c. 
 
 We rather think the correct wording is Hawn-ddii, 
 the rapid black stream, which is true description of 
 
BRECONSHIRE. 63 
 
 its course from its rise on the Eppynt mountain to its 
 junction with the Usk. 
 
 Aberllyfni. — Llyfni is a compound of llyfn, 
 smooth ; and wy, water. The place is delightfully 
 situated at the junction of the Llyfni and Wye Rivers. 
 
 Aberyscir. — ^A corruption of Aheresgair, from its 
 situation on the river Esgair, which discharges itself 
 here into the river Usk. Esgair here implies a branch, 
 or tributary. 
 
 Battle. — This small parish, according to tradition, 
 received its name from a battle that was fought here, 
 in which Bleddyn ah Maenyrch, the last of the Brychan 
 princes was killed by Bernard de Newmarch. We find 
 several names in the vicinity which favour the above 
 derivation, such as Heol y Cymry, the Welshmen's road ; 
 Cwm Gwyy y Gad, the vale of the battle men. 
 
 Beaufort. — ^The popular Welsh name of this place 
 is Cendl, from Kendall, the name of the proprietor of 
 the Ironworks that were once the mainstay of the place. 
 The present name was given in honour of the Duke of 
 Beaufort. 
 
 Beulah. — ^This village takes its name from a chapel 
 of that name which belongs to the Congregational body. 
 
 Bronllys. — Some spell it Brynllys, and others 
 Brwynllys, but the former is the correct wording. A 
 farmhouse in the parish is called Bryn y Groes, the hill 
 of the cross. History points to the probability that 
 wars were engaged in here, from which we may infer that 
 a llys, a court, was held on a certain hill in the vicinity. 
 The old castle is still called Bronllys. 
 
64 PLACE-NAMES IN WALES. 
 
 Brynmawr. — It was anciently called Waun Helygen^ 
 willow-tree common, from a meadow in the place which, 
 abounded with willow-trees, but when it became an 
 important seat of the iron and coal trades, the old 
 name was changed for the new and more dignified one 
 of Brynmawr, the big hill. 
 
 BuiLTH. — ^This name is a mutation of BualU. Some 
 are of opinion that BualU is the Bulceum Silurum of the 
 Romans, but others are induced to think the name is a 
 derivative of Bual, the wild ox or buffalo. Llanfair-yn- 
 MualU, St. Mary's Church in the wood of the wild ox. 
 Historians believe that the wild ox ranged unmolested 
 in the forests of this district. We offer the following 
 derivation ; Bii, an ox ; allt, gallt, a wooded eminence. 
 
 Capel Isaf. — Isaf, lower, is a differentia added to 
 distinguish it from Capel Uchaf. 
 
 Capel Uchaf. — ^The name means the higher chapel,, 
 and it was so called from the chapel of ease that was 
 built in the place. 
 
 Capelyffin. — ^The name signifies boundary chapel,, 
 and is derived by Mr. Jones (History of Brecknock) 
 thus : "In 1708 there was a long dispute in the 
 ecclesiastical court about this chapel (chapel of the 
 boundary); Lewis Thomas, clerk, vicar of Llanigon, 
 refused to do duty here as there was no salary annexed 
 to the cure, whereupon he was cited to the bishop's, 
 court at the promotion of some of the parishioners, and 
 in the articles filed against him it is stated that some- 
 times a corpse remained uninterred a whole night, and 
 children died without being baptized in consequence of 
 the vicar's neglect, though he had theretofore regularly 
 officiated there by himself or curate for ten or twelve 
 
BRECONSHiRE 65 
 
 years. In this cause many old witnesses were examined, 
 two or three of them say the chapel is in the hamlet of 
 Blaenhwch, in the parish of Glasbury, others that it is in 
 Llanigon, but all agree that it is a chapel of ease to the 
 latter." 
 
 Cathedin. — ^Mr. Jones, in his History of Breck- 
 nock," states that this vicinity was given by Bernard 
 de Newmarch towards the support of Gwrgan, who 
 was to be kept confined in Brecon Castle. The 
 origin of the word is uncertain. 
 
 Cefn-Coed-y-Cymmer. — Cefn, back, ridge ; coed, 
 wood ; y, the ; cymmer, confluence of waters. The 
 village is situated on a rising, and (one time) very 
 woody eminence, below which the Taf Fawr and Taf 
 Fechan embrace each other. 
 
 Cenol. — Canol, middle, is the right wording. This 
 picturesque neighbourhood forms the middle of Llanfi- 
 hangel-Cwmdu ; hence the name. 
 
 Cil-le. — This name signifies a sequestered place. 
 
 CiLMERY. — Some think the right wording is Cil Mieri 
 cil, is spelt Kil in Ireland and signifies a church ; mieri, 
 plural of miaren, a bramble. We rather think the name 
 is a corruption of Cil-Mary, St. Mary's Church. 
 
 CoLBREN. — Col, a sharp hillock ; pren, a tree, a 
 piece of wood. Some think the word is a corruption of 
 coelhren, a piece of wood used in choosing or balloting. 
 
 Cray. — ^This name is, probably, a corruption of 
 crai, whifch, when used geographically, denotes a deep 
 place in a valley. The Word is used to signify a hole 
 in the handle of a weapon. Crui'r nodwydd, the eye or 
 hole of a needle. 
 
66 PLACE-NAMES IN WALES. 
 
 The Swansea reservoir is situated in this beautiful 
 valley. 
 
 Crickadarn. — Some are of opinion that Crug-cadarn 
 is the true orthography. Crug, heap or bank ; cadarn, 
 strong. The church was built upon the top of a craggy 
 hillock. We rather think it is a contraction of Cerryg- 
 cadarn, from the rocks and stones which appear 
 frequently on the surface in different parts of the parish., 
 The river Clettwr rushes over rocks and through craggy 
 places until it falls into the Wye at Erv.'ood. Clettwr 
 is a contraction of caled-ddwr, hard water, or it might be 
 Clyd-ddwv, sheltered water. 
 
 Crickhowel. — A mutation of Crug Hywel, or Cerrig 
 Hvicel. Crug, a heap ; hywel, conspicuous. Cerrig, 
 stones ; Howel, proper name. Historians differ as to 
 the application of the \'\'ord Hywel. Some apply it to 
 the place from the conspicuity of the hill ; others apply 
 it to Howel, the prince of Glamorgan. The latter 
 theory is supported by the fact that in this vicinity the 
 territorial boundaries of Howel and the Lords of 
 Brecknock were determined. After the battle Howel 
 raised a huge heap of stones to define the boundary 
 henceforth ; hence the name Crug Hywel, Howel's heap. 
 Cerrig Hywel alludes to the same circumstance. Some 
 derive the name from Crug Hywel, an ancient British 
 fortress, surrounded by large heaps of stones, situated 
 about two miles north -north-east of the town, the 
 remains of which are still visible. 
 
 CwiiiOY. — A corruption of Cwm lau, the vale of 
 yoke, so called, probably, from the resemblance of the 
 vale to oxen's yoke. " Cymerwch fy ia^ arnoeh."—" take 
 My yoke upon you." 
 
BRECONSHIRE. 67 
 
 Defynog. — Some derive this name from 'dyfnog, 
 which signifies a place abounding with glens. Dyfn, 
 ■deep. Devon comes from the same root. Others think 
 the patron saint is Dyfnog, the son of Medrod, a grand- 
 son of Cradoc Freich-fras, who flourished in the sixth 
 century. The right wording is Tref Cynog. Saint 
 Cynog, son of Brychan, flourished in the fifth century, 
 and founded a church here, which is dedicated to him. 
 His name is preserved also in Merthyr Cynog, and Llan- 
 gynog. 
 
 DoLYG.\ER. Dol, meadow ; gaer — caer, a wall. This 
 place took its name from a farmhouse of the same 
 name. 
 
 DuKESTOWN. — In honour of the Duke of Beaufort. 
 
 Dyfnant. — A compound of dyjn, deep, and nant, a 
 trook. 
 
 Erwood. — Some think this is an Anglicized form 
 of the Welsh Erw-yd, which signifies the land of com. 
 It is, probably, a corruption of y rhyd, the ford, in 
 allusion to a certain ford in the river Wye, \\'here 
 ■cattle were wont to cross in time of yore. 
 
 Felinfach. — ^The name means the Uttle mill 
 probably derived from an old mill which formed the 
 nucleus of the village. 
 
 Garth. — ^From an old mansion of the name, whence 
 the celebrated Charles Wesley had his " better half." 
 Garth has been explained in the introduction. 
 
 Glasbury.— -This name is derived by some from 
 glas, green, verdanty and bury, borough, probably from, 
 the beauty and fertility of the valley. The ancient 
 
68 PLACE-NAMES IN WALES. 
 
 name of this place was Y Chis, the green or verdant 
 inclosure. Clasdir means glebe land. 
 
 GwENDDWR. — ^A compound of gwen, feminine form 
 of gwyn, white, clear, transparent, and dwr, water. 
 
 GwRAVOG. — ^This name has suffered a little from 
 mutation. Gwar, a ridge ; af from haf, summer ; hafog,. 
 summer-hke. 
 
 Halfway. — ^This village derives its name from an 
 inn so called, which is situated half-way between Tre- 
 castell and Llandovery. 
 
 Hay. — ^The original name was Gelli, which signifies 
 an enclosed park or forest, containing wood or boscage- 
 within a fence or pale ; a grove ; and the present name 
 is supposed to have been derived from the Norman- 
 French Haye or Haie, which originally meant the hedge 
 or inclosure itself only, but in course of time its meaning 
 was amplified, and the name was used to denote the 
 wood and ground inclosed. Haier, to inclose. Here 
 we perceive the Welsh name supplanted by that of the 
 Norman Castle. 
 
 LiBANUS. — ^This place probably derives its name 
 from a sacred edifice so called, which belongs to the 
 Congregational body. 
 
 Llanafan Fawr. — ^The church was dedicated to 
 bishop lenan or Ivan, whose name is found in the list of 
 the prelates of St. David's during the tenth century, 
 and who is supposed to have been murdered by the 
 Danes in a meadow on the Whefri side, a little below 
 the vicarage house, where a maen hir was placed, 
 obviously, in Jnemory of the martyred bishop. On an 
 altar-tomb in the churchyard the following inscription 
 is discernible : " Hie jacet Sanctus Avanus Episcopus.'" 
 
BRECONSHIRE. 69 
 
 Llanamlech. — Ami, many ; llech-lech, a stone. The 
 ■church is built upon the strata of the rock, and the 
 churchyard contains a great number of stones and 
 fragments of slates. There is a village called Llechfaen 
 in the same parish, which supports the given derivation. 
 
 Llanbedr Ystradyw. — Llanbedr, St. Peter's church. 
 Ystradyw, or more correctly Ystrad-wy, the vale of 
 waters, was added to distinguish the parish from St. 
 Peter's at Painscastle, Glasbury, &c. Ystrad yw, also 
 denotes the vale of EwiAS, Herefordshire. 
 
 Llaxdefaelog Fach. — ^The old church was dedi- 
 cated to St. Tyfaelog. It was rebuilt in 1831. The 
 village is beautifully situated on the river Honddu. 
 
 Llandefalley. — Defalley may be a corruption of 
 Tyvaelog, to whom this church was probably dedicated. 
 
 Llandeilo Arfan. — The church is dedicated to 
 St. Teilo. Arfan is probably a contraction of Ar Mawen. 
 The church is situated near the conflux of three brooks, 
 the Mawen, the Ethryw, and Cilieni. This derivation is 
 supported by the following fact : In the register book 
 of Devynock the following may be seen, " Siwan Morgan 
 de Nant y Sebon in Llandeilo ar Fawen, sepulta est oet. 96, 
 ■octris. 1726." Mawen signifies broad water. 
 
 Llanddew. — It is sometimes spelt Llanthew. — Some 
 think the right wording is Llandduw, the church of God. 
 or the church of the Holy Trinity. We have no instance 
 of a church thus dedicated. The name is probably an 
 abbreviation of Llanddewi, the church of St. David's. It 
 appears that Llanddew was at one time a seat and 
 Jiouse of the bishop of St. David's. 
 
 Llanelli. — ^The church is supposed to have been 
 
70 PLACE-NAMES IN WALES. 
 
 dedicated to Ellyned or Eilineth, a daughter of Brychan. 
 Some think it was anciently called Llanellyned, of which 
 Llanelly is an abbreviation. 
 
 Llanfeugan. — Meugan, the son of Gwyndaf Hen, 
 was a saint of the sixth century, and founded the 
 church which bears his name. 
 
 Llanfihangel Cwmdu. — Llanfihangel, St. Michael's 
 church. Opinions differ as to Cwmdu, the black or 
 gloomy vale. The old inhabitants very strongly ob- 
 jected to the name Cwmdit, as the following couplet 
 
 shows ; Cam enwir ef Cwmdu, 
 
 Cwm, gwyn yw'n cwyn ni. 
 It is wrongly called the vale of gloom, 
 Ours is a fair and bright coomb. 
 
 A glance at this cheerful vale would never suggest such 
 a gloomy appellation. The ancient name of the parish 
 was Llanfihangel tref Cerriau, or Caerau, from the numerous 
 fortifications there are in it, and the present name is 
 supposed to have taken its origin from the black moor- 
 stone rock, which is on the brow of an adjacent hill. 
 Some derive it from Cwm De, the south vale, from its 
 being situated in the southern part of the cantrev of 
 Crickhowell. We have instances of du being changed, 
 into de and dee, such as Tydu-Tydee, &c., and it might 
 have undergone the same process here. 
 
 Llanfihangel Nantbran. — ^The church was dedi- 
 cated to St. Michael, and is situated on a tributary 
 called Bran. Nant Bran, Bran brook. 
 
 Llanfilo. — ^The church is dedicated to Milburg, 
 the eldest daughter of Merwald, King of Mercia, and a 
 saint of the seventh century. Ffynon Vila, a well in 
 the neighbourhood, also preserves her name. 
 
BRECONSHIRE. 7I 
 
 Llanfrynach. — Brynach, an abbot and confessor, 
 married Corth, the daughter of Brychan. The church 
 was dedicated to him. 
 
 Llangammarch. — Some think the name signifies 
 the church upon the river Cammarch, but the general 
 opinion is that the church is dedicated to Cammarch, a 
 grandson of Brychan. 
 
 Llangasty-Talyllyn. — Gastyn was an eminent 
 rehgious teacher in Brychan's family, and the above 
 church was dedicated to him. Talyllyn, the end of the 
 lake, in allusion to the situation of the church. 
 
 Llangantex. — The church is dedicated to Canten, 
 grandson of Brychan. 
 
 Llangattock. — The church is dedicated to Cattwg, 
 grandson of Brychan. 
 
 Llangors. — ^A contraction of Llan-yn-y-gors, the 
 church in the Fen or Marsh. The soil near the lake is 
 very marshy. The correct name of the lake is Llynsa- 
 faddan, the standing water or lake. An old tradition 
 says that the lake covers the remains of an ancient 
 and populous city called Loventium. 
 
 Llangynidr, — St. Cynidr, grandson of Brychan, 
 founded the churches at Llangynidr and Aberyscir, which 
 were subsequently dedicated to him and St. Mary. 
 
 Llanigon. — ^The old church was dedicated either 
 to Eigen, daughter of Cradoc ab Bran, or to Eigion or 
 Eigron, son of Caw, a saint of the sixth century. The 
 present church is dedicated to Nicholas. 
 
 Llanilid. — ^The church was dedicated to St. Hid, 
 and is situated on the banks of the river Crai. 
 
72 PLACE-NAMES IN WALES. 
 
 Llanlleonfoel. — Lleon might have reference to 
 Sam Lleon or Sam Helen, Helen's causeway, a branch 
 of which, it is supposed, passed through the place. 
 The suffix foel signifies a bare tract of land. 
 
 Llanspyddyd. — A corruption, according to some, 
 of Llan-oshaidd-ty , a house of entertainment or refresh- 
 ment for guests. In ancient times hospitable mansions 
 were kept by the monks to entertain man and beast 
 free of charge, and the chief officer therein was called 
 Hostillarius, whose sole duty was " To welcome the 
 coming, speed the going guest." It is said that this 
 hospitium was supported by the priory of Malvern. 
 
 Llanwrtyd. — ^The church, according to some, is 
 dedicated to St. Wrtyd, but we cannot find the name in 
 " Bonedd y Saint." Its proximity to the river Irvon, 
 where, in times of yore, there was a ford, which is now 
 spanned by a stone bridge, induces us to think the right 
 wording is Llan-wrth-y-rhyd, the church by the ford. A 
 place in Herefordshire is called Byford from the situa- 
 tion of the church by a ford. The ancient name of the 
 village was Pontrhydybere, which is a compound of pont, 
 bridge ; rkyd, ford ; y, the ; fferau, ankles ; signifying a 
 bridge spanning a ford which one could wade without 
 going over one's ankles. Irfon, or Irfawn, signifies the 
 oozings from the turbary, which is very descriptive of 
 the river. 
 
 Llanywern. — Gwem means a bog or swamp ; 
 gwernen, the alder tree ; the alder grows in wet swampy 
 places. The name signifies the church in the swamp 
 or alderwood. 
 
 Llechfaen. — ^The ancient etymology of this name 
 means the " upright qr lofty stone." There was a 
 
BRECONSHIRE. 73 
 
 •chapel of ease here sometime to the mother church of 
 Llanamlech. 
 
 Llechryd. — ^From a farm of the name, but it is 
 now called Rhymney Bridge from the railway station. 
 
 Llwynegrog. — ^The right wording is Llwyn-y-grog, 
 which means the bush of the cross. 
 
 Llyswen. — ^The name signifies a white court. A 
 Welsh prince resided in the parish at some period, and 
 probably held a court here ; hence the name. Some 
 think it is Llys Owen, Owen's court ; but who this Owen 
 was, we are not informed. 
 
 Llywel. — Sometimes spelt Lliwel, which, accord- 
 ing to some is a mutation of Llu-lle, the residence of 
 the army, in allusion to the soldiers of Rhys ab Tewdwr 
 making this place one of their stations to resist the 
 attacks of the Norman invaders. It is derived by some 
 from Lie Wyllt, a nephew of Rhys ab Tewdwr. We offer 
 the following : Lly, what is manifest ; wel-gwel, see ; 
 signifying a conspicuous place. Trecastell mountain is 
 2,596 feet high. 
 
 Maesygwarthaf. — Maes, a field ; gwarthaf, the 
 upper part, the summit. The village lies in the upper 
 part of the parish ; hence its descriptive name. Some 
 of the inhabitants think the name is a corruption of 
 Maesygwartheg, cattle field. 
 
 Maesymynys. — Ym, yn, in ; ynys, island ; therefore, 
 it hterally means a field in the island. This derivation 
 is supported by the fact that Llanynys is the name of 
 the contiguous parish. 
 
 Merthyr Cynog. — Merihyr, martyr ; Cynog, the 
 eldest son of Brychan. He was murdered by the Saxon 
 
74 PLACE-NAMES IN WALES. 
 
 pagans on a mountain called Y Fan, where a church 
 was built on his grave in commemoration of his martyr- 
 dom, which was called Merthyr Cynog. 
 
 Nantyffin. — ^The nanle signifies the boundary 
 brook. The bounds of a parish or county are frequently- 
 defined by certain marks or boundaries, such as heaps 
 of stones, dikes, hedges, ditches, rivers, streams, 
 rivulets, &c. 
 
 Nantyrarian. — It signifies the silver brook. 
 
 Xewchurch. — ^The ancient name of this church was. 
 Llau-ddulas-tir-yr-Abbad. — It was presented by Rhys ab 
 Gruffydd, to the monastery of Strata Florida, on account 
 of which it was called Tir-yr-Abbad, abbot's land. In. 
 1716 a new church was built here ; hence the new name. 
 
 Onllwyn. — ^This appears like a transposition of 
 Llwyn On, the ash grove. 
 
 Pantycelyn. — Pant, a hollow, a low place ; celyn,. 
 holly wood. 
 
 Patrishow. — ^The name is a corruption, either of 
 Parihau yr Ishow, the territory of Ishow, the patron saint 
 of the parish, or of Merthyr Ishow. It appears that 
 Bishop Herewald, in the eleventh century, dedicated 
 the church to Ishow, and named it Merthyr Yssui. 
 
 Pencelli. — This is a compound of pen, head, and 
 celli, grove. 
 
 Penderyn. — A corruption probably of Penydaren, 
 which is a very frequent term in South Wales, signifying 
 a rocky cliff, a rocky tump. The church is situated on 
 the very summit of a rock. Pen-mailard is close by, 
 which is a corruption of Pen-moel-arth, the summit of the 
 bare cliff. 
 
BRECONSHIRE. 75 
 
 Pentre Berw. — Pentre — ^village ; Berw, perhaps 
 refers to Plus Berw. Berw'rdwr means water cress, and 
 berw'r gerddi — ^garden cress. Near Plas Berw there is a 
 small waterfall. Berw means also a boiling, an ebulli- 
 tion. 
 
 Pentre Bwaau. — Pentre — ^village ; Bwaau — ^bows. 
 Tradition has it that this place was noted sometime for 
 being the armoury where our forefathers kept their bows 
 in time of war. 
 
 Pentrefelin. — Pentre, village ; felin, mill. 
 
 Pentre Solers. — ^From the Solers or de Solariis, 
 Norman conquerors, who settled in the neighbourhood, 
 and continued to be very wealthy and influential here 
 until the middle of the seventeenth century. Another 
 branch of the house of Solers settled at Pauntley and 
 Shipton Solers, in Gloucestershire. 
 
 Penwyllt. — -A corruption of Pen-wyli [gwyll], the 
 gloomy place. Gwyll is an old Welsh word to denote a 
 fairy, and perhaps this isolated spot was a fairy hill. 
 
 PONTBRENLLWYD. — Pont, bridge ; pren, wood ; llwy-p 
 grey, adorable. In olden times a very ancient oak-tree 
 was thrown across the rivulet in the place, which was 
 a very good specimen of the unadorned wooden bridges 
 of our forefathers. In course of time this old much-worn 
 oak became a kind of trough, for which it was called 
 Ponthrenllwyd. 
 
 PoNTNEDDFECHAN. — Nedd fechan, the lesser Neath, 
 is a tributary emptying itself into the greater Neatk 
 river, and spanned by a bridge in the village, hence the 
 
76 PLACE-NAMES IN WALES. 
 
 PoNTSARN. — Pont, bridge ; sarn, Roman paved road. 
 The name is an abbreviation of Pont-y-Sarn-hir, the bridge 
 of the long Roman road. One branch of the Roman road 
 called Sarn Hir went through the Rhymney Valley 
 Gelligaer, Twynywaun, Penygarndu, Pantcadifor, Pont- 
 sarn and ascended the Brecon Beacons and terminated 
 at Caerbannau near the town of Brecon. This road 
 crossed the Taff a little below the present bridge, where 
 the river could be forded. 
 
 PoNTSENNY. — ^The name signifies a bridge across 
 the Senny river. Senny is derived by some from san, a 
 fishery, nets ; and gwy, water ; signifying a river 
 abounding in fish. Mr. Jones (" History of Breck 
 nock ")■ derives it from the Celtic seanaidd, to drop or 
 ooze forth, the name, accordingly, signifying the oozing 
 ■or flowing water. 
 
 PoNTSTiCYLL. — A compound of pont, bridge ; and 
 ystigl, a stile, from the Anglo-Saxon stigel, a step. 
 Stigan, to ascend. About the beginning of this century 
 there was an old bridge, a little below the village, with 
 a stile at each end of it, from which the place received 
 its name. 
 
 Princetown. — ^From an old public house in the 
 place called " Prince of Wales." 
 
 PwLLGWRACH. — Pwll, a pool ; gwrach, a hag ; 
 literally, the hag's pool. The village lies in a deep 
 valley at the base of Talgarth Hill. 
 
 Rhosferrig. — Rhos, moor, meadow ; Ferrig from 
 Ferreg, an extensive district situate between the rivers 
 Wye and Severn. The suffix is probably a corruption 
 ■of Meurig. 
 
Sreconshire. 77 
 
 Seven Sisters. — Mr. Bevan, the brewer, when he 
 opened his colUery in the place, called it Seven Sisters in 
 honour of his Seven daughters. 
 
 TafarnaU Bach. — ^The ancient name of this place 
 was Twyn-aher-dwynant, a hillock where two brooks 
 embrace each other. Some derive the present name 
 from tafarn a bach, a public house with a hook attached 
 to the outer wall, whereto the rider, having dismounted 
 his steed, could fasten it. Others derive it from the 
 great number of small taverns in the place. 
 
 Talachddu. — Achddu is the name of a small brook, 
 Ack, a stem, a pedigree, a river ; ddu, inflection of iw, 
 black. We find ach in Clydach, Mawddach, &c. The 
 river Ach has its source in the Black Mountain ; hence 
 it is called Achddu. 
 
 Talgarth. — Garth means a cape, a hill. Talgarth 
 denotes the end or head of a cape, or the brow of a hill. 
 
 Talybont. — Tal, when appUed to places, means 
 end ; but when appHed to persons it denotes front. 
 Taliesin means radiant front or luminous head. Talybont 
 means Bridgend. 
 
 Talyllyn. —L^yw, lake. The name signifies the 
 end of a lake. Safaddan Lake is close by. 
 
 Three Cocks. — ^From a public house of the name. 
 
 Torpantau. a compound of tor, a break, a 
 rupture ; arid pantau, plural of pant, hollow : a name 
 quite descriptive of this wild spot. A great number of 
 brooks rush impetuously from the higher grounds, 
 forming excavations in the hills, a glatice at which 
 immediately helps one to catch the meaning of the 
 name. 
 
78 PLACE-NAMES IN WALES. 
 
 Trallwng. — Some think the name signifies " a sott 
 place on the road or elsewhere that travellers may be 
 apt to sink into ; a dirty, boggy place." Edward 
 Llwyd derives it from Traeth-lyn, a quagmire. The 
 distance of this place from the sea-shore dismisses the 
 component traeth from the name altogether. Mr. Jones 
 (History of Brecknock) thinks the name is a corruption 
 of Tre'y lleng, oppidum legionis, the town of the 
 legion, founding his reasons upon the supposition that 
 a summer camp of the second legion of Augustus must 
 ha^'e been at Twyn-y-gaer, a hill in the parish where an 
 artificial mound is still seen. 
 
 Trecastell. — Tre, a place ; castell, castle. A castle 
 was built here by Bernard de Newmarch, some ruins 
 of which are to be seen now ; hence the name. 
 
 Trefecca. — ^The name signifies Rebecca's home, 
 from an heiress of the name of Rebecca Prosser, who 
 built it in the reign of Elizabeth. 
 
 Trefil. — Some think the name is a mutation of 
 Tir-foel, barren land, which is very descriptive of the 
 place, but we rather think it is a compound of ti-e, a 
 place, and iiitd, an animal, a beast. Stud farms were 
 A'ery numerous among the ancient Britons, and one 
 might have been here. 
 
 Trengarth. Tre, a homestead, a village ; n-yn, in, 
 y, the, garth, promontory. 
 
 Tre'r Esgob. — ^The tenants in this place owe suit, 
 and service to the bishop's courts leet and courts 
 baron, and pay their chief rents at Llaiiddcici, St. 
 David's. Tre'y Esgob means Bishop's place. 
 
 Vaexor. — ^This is derived' by some from Maenawr, 
 which signifies a district surrounded by a wall, a manor. 
 
BRECONSHIRE. 79 
 
 According to the laws of Howell the Good, the Maenawr 
 contained 1024 acres. This one was probably the 
 demesne attached to Morlais castle. In ancient MSS. 
 the parish is called Faenor Wen, signifying Gwen or 
 Gwenffrewi's demesne or manor. It survives in North 
 Wales as Vaenol. Some think it is etymologically dis- 
 tinct from English manor, and seems to have meant a 
 group of stone buildings. Others think that the root 
 is ban, high or lofty ; and ' or ' added to denote a border 
 or a boundary. The parish is situate near the base of 
 Bannau Brycheiniog — ^Brecon Beacons. 
 
 Velindre. — ^The right wording is y felin-dre, the 
 mill of the town, from an old mill, called the lord's, 
 mill, that stood here in ancient times. 
 
 YsTRADFELLTE. — Ystfad has already been explained. 
 It means here a flat or low vaUey formed by the course 
 of the river Mellte. Mellte — mellten, hghtning. The river 
 is so called because it runs very rapidly for some 
 distance on the surface, and then it is suddenly lost under- 
 ground. 
 
 YsTRADGYNLAis. — ^It is Supposed that this Ystrad,. 
 vale, was the marriage portion that Gunleus ap Glewisseg, 
 prince of Gwent, and father of Saint Cattwg, received 
 with his wife, Gwladys, daughter of Brychan. Others 
 state that the church is dedicated to St. Mary, and not 
 to St. Gunleus, and that the proper name of the parish 
 is Ystrad Gwrlais, or Garwlais, signifying " the vale of the 
 rough-sounding brook," and is derived from a stream so 
 called, which forms a boundary between the counties 
 of Brecknock and Glamorgan. lago Emlyn derives 
 Cynlais from cyn, primeval; and dais, a trench through: 
 which a stream flows. 
 
CARDIGANSHIRE. 
 
 Cardigan is a corruption of Ceredigion, the original 
 name, which was so called after Ceredig, the son of 
 Cunedda Wledig, who became its king about the end of 
 the fourth century. It is also called Aberteifi, from the 
 situation of its county town at the estuary of the river 
 Teivi. Taf is the radix.which means spreading. Taf-gwy — 
 Teifi, the spreading or extending water. 
 
 Aberaeron. — ^This place is situated at the mouth 
 of the river Aeyon, which is probably a compound of air 
 and ain, signifying bright and clear water. 
 
 Aberarth.— This village is situated at the mouth 
 of the river Arth ; hence the name. Arth is the Welsh 
 for " bear," and perhaps the river received its name on 
 account of the noisy, blustering, bear-like character of 
 its waters. Arthu means to growl, like a bear ; to bark 
 roughly or hoarsely. Arthog is the tiame of another 
 brook in the county, which means bearish, gruff. 
 Cyfarth, to bark, belongs to the same family of words. 
 
 Abercerdin. — ^A rivulet called Cerdin flows into 
 the river' Teivi about a mile above Llandyssul ; hence 
 the name of the place. The common opinion in the 
 neighbourhood is that the rivulet was so called from 
 the abundance of cerdin, ash trees, that once adorned its 
 banks. 
 
 Abergwrog, — Gwrog, the river's name, is a corrup- 
 tion of gwyrog, crooked, devious. Another river in the 
 same county is called Gwyre, which may have the same 
 signification. 
 
CARDIGANSHIRE. 8l 
 
 Abermaid. — Maid means a boundary, what 
 separates, or linaits. The name fitly describes the 
 place, since it is a terminating point separating one 
 valley from the other. 
 
 Aberpeithnant. — Paith, clear, open, transparent ; 
 nant, brook : signifjdng the mouth of the clear brook. 
 Paith is the chief radix in the word gohaith, hope. One 
 who possesses hope has a clear view of the future. 
 Dyffryn Paith, the vale of prospect, is in the same 
 county. 
 
 Aberporth. — Porth means a harbour. The place 
 is a kind of a natural harbour, on account of which it 
 was called Aber-y-Porth, the mouth of the harbour. 
 Aberystwyth. — ^This fashionable town and seaport 
 is situated on the conflux of the rivers Ystwyth and 
 Rheidiol, the former of which gives the town its name. 
 Its ancient name was Llanhadarn Gaerog, but it has 
 been known by its present name since the reign of Queen 
 Elizabeth. 
 
 Ardudwy. — Ar, upon or above ; tud, soil, land ; 
 wy, water ; literally, on the land or banks of the Wye. 
 
 Argoed. — Ar-ard, signifying height ; coed trees. 
 The name signifies a place sheltered by woods. 
 
 Atpar. — ^Probably an AngUcized form of At-bar, 
 which means towards the top of the hill. The village 
 is also called Trefhedyn, which is probably a corruption 
 of Tref-y-din. 
 
 Bettws-Bledrws. — Betiws has already been ex- 
 plained. The church is dedicated to St. Bledrws ; 
 hence the name. 
 
82 PLACE-NAMES IN WALES. 
 
 Bettws Ifan. — ^The church is dedicated to St. 
 John. Ifan or leuan is an old Welsh form of loan, John. 
 
 Blaencaron. — ^This place is situated near the 
 source of the river Caron ; hence the name. 
 
 Blaenhownant. — ^This rivulet is called Hownant, 
 which is a corruption of hoyw, lively ; and nant, brook ; 
 and the place was so called from its situation near the 
 source of the Hownant. 
 
 Blaenporth. — Blaen, the extreme end ; porth 
 (portus) harbour. In 1114 GrufEydd ab Cynan, Prince 
 of North Wales, came to Ceredigion Iscoed, and laid 
 
 siege to a fort that Earl Gilbert and the Flemings had built 
 
 at a place called Blaen Porth Gwythai. 
 
 Blaenyporth. — Blaen, the extreme end ; y, the ; 
 porth, harbour. The parish lies on the extreme end of 
 the huge rock which forms the southern side of the 
 natural harbour called Aberporth. 
 
 Brechfa. — ^A compound of hrech, brindled, freckled, 
 and man, a place. It is supposed that Brychan, who 
 came originally from Ireland, and settled in Brecon- 
 shire in the sixth century, was so called from his being 
 freckled. 
 
 Brongest. — Bron, a slope, or side of a hill; 
 literally, breast. Cest, a deep glen between two 
 mountains. The name is quite descriptive of the situa- 
 tion of rhe place. 
 
 Brongwyn.— A parish in Cardigan and Pembroke 
 counties. Some are of opinion that this name is a reUc 
 of the Druids, to whose system belonged Ceryg y Bryn 
 Gwyn, i.e., the stones of the hill of judicature. If so, 
 the prefix bron here is a corruption of bryn, a hill. 
 
CARDIGANSHIRE. 83 
 
 BwLCHCRWYS. — Bwlch, a break or breach, a gap, a 
 defile ; crwys, a variant form of croes, a cross. The 
 name Bwlch-y-groes is of frequent occurrence in the 
 Principality. We have many instances of croes being 
 ■changed to crwys, Y Crwys, Panty crwys and Bwlch-y-crwys, 
 &c. '' Dan ei grwys," under the cross, is a phrase even 
 now frequently used in Wales in reference to the 
 posture of a dead body before it is put into the coffin. 
 In Popish times it was customary to put a cross or a 
 crucifix on a dead body lying in its shroud ; but now, 
 although the phrase is occasionally heard, the usage of 
 this Popish relic has been entirely abandoned among 
 the Welsh people. Many Welsh places still retain the 
 name, among which is Bwlchcrwys. It was customary 
 in olden times for pilgrims to prostrate themselves at 
 •certain passes to invoke the blessings of the Cross 
 before going through ; hence the name Bwlchcrwys or 
 Bwlchygroes. 
 
 Capel y Drindod. — ^This village probably derives 
 its name from a Welsh Calvinistic Methodist chapel of 
 the name. 
 
 Capel Sion. — So called from the Calvinistic Methodist 
 chapel in the place. 
 
 Capel Gwndwn. — Capel, chapel ; cwn, an elevation, 
 a rising ; dwn, dusky, swarthy, dark. 
 
 Ceinewydd. — A hybrid name made up of quay, 
 from French quai, a mole or bank formed toward the 
 sea or on the side of a river for the purpose of loading 
 and unloading vessels ; and newydd, new. 
 
 Cellan. — ^The name of this parish is a compound 
 of cell, a sheltering place, a grove ; and llan, a church, 
 signifying a church in a grove. 
 
84 PLACE-NAMES IN WALES. 
 
 Cenarth. — Some maintain that the right wording 
 is Genarth, the bear's jaw. Tradition has it that the 
 jaw-bone of a bear was found in the place, and its head- 
 in Penarth. Penarth, as we show elsewhere, is Penygarth, 
 and we are inclined to think that Cenarth is a compound of 
 cefn, ridge, back ; and garth, a fort, a hill, a cape. The 
 name is a graphic description of the place, being 
 perched on a high ridge, ever watching the graceful 
 movements of the Teivi. 
 
 Ceulan. — This place derives its name from the 
 river Ceclan that flows through it. Tradition points to 
 this place as Taliesin's place of sepulture. 
 
 CiLCENiN. — Cil, a place of retreat ; Cennin, a 
 corrupted form of St. Cannen, to whose memory the 
 parish church is dedicated. 
 
 CiLCENNiN. — This place probably takes its name from. 
 Cenwyn, a saint belonging to the congregation of Padarn,. 
 called Bangor Padarn in Llanbadam Fawr. The church 
 is dedicated to St. Cenwyn. 
 
 CiLiAU Aeron. — ^The retreats on the Aeron. 
 
 Clarach. — ^This place takes its name from the- 
 river Clarach, near which it is situated. Clar-claer,. 
 clear ; ach, river. 
 
 Cnwch Coch. — -A corruption, probably of an Irish 
 form of Cnwc Coch, the red knoll or mound. 
 
 Croes. — ^This place takes its name from the river 
 Croes, which signifies cross. 
 
 CwM Barre. — -A valley through which the river 
 Barre flows. Bar, a limit ; re, a corruption of rau, 
 pluralising bar. The river is the boundary betweea 
 
CARDIGANSHIRE. 85 
 
 ■some parts of the parishes of Troedyraur and Penbryn. 
 Barry is supposed to have come from the same root. 
 
 CwM Rheidiol. — Cwm, a low place surrounded by 
 hills ; Rheidiol, the name of the river that flows through 
 it, which is a contraction of rhyd-y-ddol, the stream of 
 the meadow. 
 
 DiHEWVD. — ^A mutation of Dehau-wydd. Dehau, 
 south ; gwydd, the state of being in view. Gwyddfod 
 means presence. There is a hill called Moel Dihewyd in 
 the parish, so called from its southern aspect. 
 
 DoLBLODAU. — Dol, a meadow ; Blodau, flowers. 
 
 Dothi-Camddwr. — Dothi, a corrupted form of 
 dowyddu, which implies swelling ; Camddwr, the crooked 
 water, the name of the river that flows through the 
 place, so called from its meandering course. 
 
 Felinbedair. — Felin, mill ; bedair, four. So called 
 from the fact that there are 4 wells contributing their 
 quota to keep the mill going. 
 
 Ferwig. — Berw, a boiling, an ebuUition ; wig, inflec- 
 tion of gwig, a grove, a nook. The right orthography 
 is Berwig, which, according to some, is cognate with 
 Berwick and other places in England. 
 
 Ffair Rhos. — Ffaiv, fair ; rhos, meadow, moorland. 
 In olden times five fairs were held annually in this 
 village, but eventually they were moved to Pontrhyd- 
 fendigaid. 
 
 Gartheli. — ^A corrupted form of Gwrtheli, the 
 name of the saint who founded a chapel in the 
 place. 
 
86 PLACE-NAMJES IN WALES. 
 
 GwENFYL. — ^The village takes its najne from St. 
 Gwenfyl, who flourished 433-464. The Calvinistic 
 Methodists began to worship here in a barn owned by the 
 Rev. Dl. Rowlands, Llangeitho, in 1757. The Post 
 Office was opened here in July, 1853. 
 
 GwBERT. — Gwy — ^water ; heri=pert, pretty. 
 
 Hawen. — ^The village takes its name from the 
 river Hawen. Hawen ist a compound of aw, a moving 
 agent, water, and an or ain, brook, signifying the running 
 stream. Some think the name is an abbreviated form of 
 hafod-wen, the white summer-house. 
 
 Henbelin. — A corrupted form, probably, of Hen- 
 felin, old mill. 
 
 Henfynyw. — ^The name signifies " Old Menevia." 
 Tradition has it that the cathedral of St. David's was 
 originally designed to have been erected here. This 
 parish is famous for being the place where the patron saint 
 of Wales spent his earlier days. A spring that is 
 near the church is still called Ffynon Ddewi, St. David's 
 Well. 
 
 Henllan. — ^The name signifies old church, and it 
 points out the great antiquity of the original edifice of 
 this parish. 
 
 Henllys. — Hen, old ; llys, court, hall, or seat, 
 signifying the ancient hall. Henllys and Gadlys are 
 found to be very numerous in Wales, as traces of the 
 battles fought by the Welsh princes. 
 
 Llananerch. — ^A compound of Llan and llannerch, an 
 enclosure, and sometimes the latter signifies a rising 
 eminence. 
 
CARDIGANSHIRE. 87 
 
 Llanarth. — Arth here means a bear, according to 
 some. The general opinion of the inhabitants is that 
 bears existed here at some remote period. It is hardly 
 credible that the saintly Cymry, would do the bear such 
 an honour as to couple his name with the sacred 
 edifice; We derive the name from Llan, church ; and 
 garth, a hill, and sometimes enclosure.. 
 
 Llanbadarn. — ^The church is dedicated to Padarn, 
 who, according to Usher, was an Armorican bishop, 
 and came to Wales with his cousin Cadvan in 516. 
 He left lUtyd's seminary for Ceredigion, and gathered a 
 congregation of 120 members at a place called after- 
 wards Llanbadarn Fawr. The differentia fawr was added 
 to mark its pre-eminence over the other parishes of the 
 same name, and to distinguish it from the adjacent 
 town of Aberystwyth, which was anciently called Llan- 
 badarn Gaerog. 
 
 Llanbedr-pont-Stephan. — ^The popular English 
 name is Lampeter, which is an AngUcized form of 
 Llanbedr. We find many churches in Wales bearing 
 the name Pedr, Peter, but who this Peter was is a 
 matter of conjecture. Most writers point to Peter the 
 Apostle. From a certain document the pont, bridge, 
 appears to have been erected early in the fifteenth 
 century. " Rhys, the son of David ap Rhys, of 
 Pencarreg, married Lleuan, daughter of leuan David 
 Llwyd ap David Ddu ap David Decka ap Steven, the 
 man who erected Lampeter bridge at his own expense." 
 
 Llandain Fach. — Dain means beautiful, fine ; fach 
 Uttle. The name signifies the beautiful Uttle church. 
 
 Llandegwy. — Tegwy was a saint of the sixth 
 
88 PLACE-NAMES IN WALES. 
 
 century, and a descendant of Nudd Hael. The above 
 church was dedicated to him. 
 
 Llandysiliogogo. — St. TysiHo, a bishop and an 
 eminent author, who flourished about the middle of the 
 seventh century. Brut Tysilio, a copy of which is in the 
 Myv. Arch., is attributed to him. He was the patron 
 saint of many churches in Wales. The differentia 
 gogo is a mutation of gogofau, caves, which are very 
 numerous in the parish. 
 
 Llandyssul. — Tysul, a descendant of Cunedda 
 Wledig, and a saint of the sixth century, to whom the 
 above church was dedicated. At Esgair Wen, a small 
 farm in this parish, the immortal Christmas Evans was 
 bom on Christmas Day, 1766. 
 
 Llanddeiniol. — Deiniol Wyn, or Daniel, assisted 
 his father, Dunawd Fur, in founding the celebrated 
 monastery at Bangor Iscoed, and he founded several 
 churches, of which Llanddeiniol is reckoned to be one ; 
 hence the name. 
 
 Llanddewi-Aberarth. — ^The church was dedicated 
 to Dewi, the patron saint of Wales. Aler, estuary ; 
 Arth, the name of the river, near the mouth of which 
 the village is situated. Arth signifies rough, harsh. 
 
 Llanddewi-Brefi. — Brefi means bellowing. The 
 traditional ox overstrained himself in endeavouring to 
 draw the avanc (beaver) from the lake, and suddenly 
 expired. The other, having lost his yoke-fellow, would 
 not be consoled, refused food, and wandered about 
 until he died in a place called Brefi, so called from the 
 dismal moans of the sacred animal. Dewi, the patron 
 saint of Wales, founded a church and a rehgious 
 
CARDIGANSHIRE. 89 
 
 seminary on the spot ; hence Llanddewi-Brefi. A famous 
 synod was held here in the 6th century with the view of 
 suppressing the Telagian heresy. 
 
 Llanddyfriog.- — Tyfriog, a saint who flourished 
 about the close of the sixth century, founded the church. 
 
 Llanfair. — ^The church was dedicated to St. 
 Mary ; hence the name of the little village would be 
 Mary's Church. 
 
 Llanfihangel Castell Gwallter. — ^The church 
 was dedicated to St. Michael. Walter I'Espec built a 
 castle on a hill near the church during the Norman 
 conquest ; hence the additional name. 
 
 Llanfihangel Lledrod. — ^The church is dedicated 
 to St. Michael. Lledrod is a compound of llethr, a slope, 
 and troed, a foot, base ; the church being built at the 
 base of the slope. 
 
 Llanfihangel-y-Creuddyn. — ^The church is dedi- 
 cated to St. Michael. Lewis Morris derives Creuddyn 
 from creu, blood ; and dun, a fort, signifying a bloody 
 tort. There is a commot of the same name near 
 Conway, in which the castle of Dyganwy was situated, 
 where the English kings, John and Henry III., had 
 their camps in their fruitless expeditions against the 
 Welsh. 
 
 Llangeitho. — St. Ceitho, son of Cynyr Tarfdrwch, 
 who flourished in the sixth century, founded the church, 
 which was dedicated to him. 
 
 Llangoedmor. — Coed, wood ; mor-mawr, great. The 
 spot where the church is built abounds with timber 
 of ancient and luxuriant growth. 
 
go PLACE-NAMES IN WALES. 
 
 Llangrannog. — Some trace the name to SL 
 Cranog, the son of Corun, the son of Ceredig ; whilst 
 others derive it from Gwyddno Garanhir (long-shanked), 
 which means the crane, reckoned to be a representative 
 of the priest of the ark, who safely landed the vessel 
 upon the reef of Sam Badrig, Patrick's Causeway. We- 
 adopt the former derivation. 
 
 Llangunllo. — Cunllo, once a prince, became the 
 patron saint of several churches in Wales. He is- 
 recorded in Rees's Welsh Saints as Cynllo, the king. 
 
 Llangwyryfon. — Gwyryfon, virgins. Tradition says 
 that this church was aedicated to Ursula and iioo- 
 blessed virgins, who fled with St. Padarn from 
 Armorica to avoid the persecution that raged there in 
 the sixth century, and settled in this parish, leading a 
 pure and holy life. 
 
 Llanilar. — The church was dedicated to St. Hilary,, 
 who flourished in the 6th century. The parish contains 
 two hamlets, bearing the names Llanilar Uchaf (higher),, 
 and Llanilar Isaf (lower). 
 
 Llanina. — The church was dedicated to Ina, King of 
 the West Saxons. 
 
 Llanllwchaiarn. — ^Llwchhaiarn was a saint of the- 
 7th century. lolo MSS give him the honour of having 
 founded many churches, among which the above is named. 
 
 Llanllyr. — Llyr Merini flourished about the end 
 of the 5th century, and founded a church and nunnery 
 at the above place. 
 
 Llanrhystyd. — The church was dedicated to Rhystyd^ 
 a descendant of Hywel ap Emyr Llydaw, who flourished 
 in the 6th century. 
 
CARDIGANSHIRE. 9I 
 
 Llansantffraid. — The common opinion is that the 
 church was dedicated to Sanffraid, but we are inclined to 
 think it was dedicated to St. Ffraid, who was called 
 Bridget or Bride, a celebrated Irish saint. 
 
 Llanwenog. — St. Gwenog, son of Gildas, is recorded 
 to have founded the church. 
 
 Llanwndws. — St. Gwynws founded the church in 
 the 6th century. 
 
 Llanwnen. — The church is supposed to have been 
 dedicated to St. Gwnen. 
 
 Llechryd. — Lhch, a stone ; rhyi, a ford, a stream. 
 This place is generally pointed out as the scene of a 
 terrible engagement that took place between Rhys ap 
 Tewdwr and the three sons of Bleddyn ap Cynfyn, in 1087, 
 in which the sons of Bleddyn were defeated and two of 
 them slain on the field. In course of time it is thought a 
 stone was raised here in memory of Rhiryd, one of 
 Bleddyn's sons. Some think the name is derived from 
 the river being seamed with ledges of rock. 
 
 Llwyndafydd. — Llwyn, bush ; Dafydd, David ; from 
 an ancient house in the place, which belonged to Dafydd 
 ab leuan, and where he entertained the Earl of Richmond 
 or his way to Bosworth field. 
 
 Merthyr Cyflefyr. — Mevthyr, martyr ; Cyfiefyy, 
 name of a descendant of Brychan, who is supposed to have 
 been murdered at a place ever since called after his name. 
 
 MocHROS. — Moch, pigs ; rhos, a meadow, a moor. 
 Tradition says that St. Dyfrig was warned in this place 
 by an angel to build a church in the name of the Trinity, 
 where he would see a white sow lying with her sucklings ; 
 hence the name. 
 
92 PLACE-NAMES IN WALES. 
 
 MoRFA. — ^"fhe name signifies a marsh, a sea-coast. 
 
 Mydyreilin. — ^The name, probably, means the eilin 
 (arm) of the river Mudyr. Penelin is the Welsh for elbow. 
 The crooked course of the river here reminds the observer 
 very vividly of a man holding his arm in a sling. Mydyr 
 is a corrupt form of Mudyr, the silent water. Mydroilyn 
 is the official spelling. 
 
 Nantcwnlle. — Nant, brook ; Cwnlle is probably a 
 corruption of Cunllo, an eminent British saint of the 5th 
 century. The parish is intersected by the brook, and the 
 -church If dedicated to C^mllo. 
 
 Nanteirw. — Nant, brook, a glen ; eirw-eirwy, a foaming 
 cataract. Some think that eirw is a corrupt form of aeron, 
 •summer fruits, so called on account of the abundance of 
 these fruits on the banks of the rivulet. Perhaps eirw 
 is a mutated form of garw, c.f. Nant Garw. 
 
 Newchurch. — It was anciently called Llanfihangel- 
 y-Creuddyn-Uchaf. The present name was derived from the 
 fact that Col. Thos. Johns, Hafod Uchtryd, built a new 
 church here in 1803. 
 
 Penddol. — Pen, top ; dol, meadow, signifying a 
 place at the top or head of a meadow. 
 
 Penllwyn. — Pen, head, top ; Hwyn, bush, grove. 
 
 Penrhiwbal. — Pen, top ; rhiw, slope ; hal, promin- 
 ence. Bal is a general term applied to those mountains 
 that terminate in a peak. 
 
 Penrhylog. — Pen, head top ; rhylog, according to 
 some, is a contraction oiyr-haleg, salty place. We rather 
 think it to be rhyllog, the name in full signifying a high 
 place full of clefts. 
 
CARDIGANSHIRE. 
 
 93 
 
 Penrhyncoch. — Penrhyn, headland ; coch, red, so 
 called from the hue of the soil of the land. Coch in many- 
 place-names means sun-parched. 
 
 Pentref Taliesin. — Pentref, a village ; Taliesin, 
 the name of the chief of the Welsh bards. His sepulture 
 took place near the village. 
 
 Penybryn. — The name, which signifies the head or 
 top of the hill, is derived from the situation of the church 
 on the summit of a hill overlooking the sea. Sometimes 
 the parish is called Llanfihangel Penybryn from the dedica- 
 tion of the church to St. Michael. 
 
 Penyparc. — Pare means an enclosed piece of lard. 
 In the southern counties it is synonjonous wth cae, a field. 
 Penyparc, therefore, means the end of a field. Pare is 
 a word of Norman origin. 
 
 PoNTARFYNACH. — The name signifies the bridge over 
 the river Mynach, which it is suppcsed was named after 
 ore of the monks of the Strata Florida Abbey. It is s?id 
 that the under arch was thrown across by the monks of 
 Strata Florida about the year 1087, but tradition insists 
 upon ascribing the feat to his satanic majesty, hence the 
 name— The Devil's Bridge. The tradition runs thus — 
 " An old woman in search of her strayed cow saw her 
 on the opposite side of the cleft rock, and in this lamentable 
 case the devil appeared, sympathised with her deeply, 
 and offered to accommodate her with a bridge over the 
 chasm, if she would suffer him to take the first who passed 
 over it. Reflecting that as she must be ruined in one 
 case, she could not be ruined in the other, she desperately 
 compUed. A bridge instantly arose. What a situation ! 
 Her cow was dear to her and valuable ; but self-preserva- 
 
94 PLACE-NAMES IN WALES. 
 
 tion was an impulse superior to every other consideration. 
 Fortunately, however, she had a dog, and in her pocket 
 a piece of bread. A glorious thought occurred of saving 
 herself and cow by the sacrifice of her cur. She took 
 the piece of bread from her pocket and threw it on the 
 other side. Her dog started over the bridge to seize it. 
 Satan looked peevishly askance, galled at the thought 
 of being outwitted by an old woman, hung his tail and 
 walked off." 
 
 PONTERWYD. —PoM^, bridge ; Erwyd, a pole, a handrail. 
 
 PoNTRHYDFENDiGAiD. — Pont, bridge, rhyd, ford, 
 bendigaid, blessed. Meyrick calls it Ventre Rhydfendigaid. 
 The name, evidently, is a relic of monastic times. The 
 blessed celebrities of the monastery at Strata Florida 
 were wont to cross a certain ford in the river, where they 
 invoked the blessings of the blessed virgin. We have no 
 historical proof that the monks built the bridge that spans 
 the ford. It appears that it was built in the days of 
 Edward Richard, the founder of Ystrad Meurig school. 
 The bridge caused a great dispute between the parishes 
 of Gwnws and Caron, which is depicted in two humorous 
 poems composed by Edward Richards. 
 
 PoNTRHYDYGROES. — Pont, bridge ; rhyd, ford ; y, 
 the ; groes, cross. 
 
 Rhiwarthen. — Rhiw, slope, decUvity ; Arthen, ac- 
 cording to some, is the name of a king or lord of 
 ■Ceredigion, who died in 804, but we rather think it is a 
 clipped form of garthen, a camp or battle. 
 
 Rhuddlan. — A compound of rhudd, red ; and glan, 
 a bank, a sacred enclosure, church. 
 
CARDIGANSHIRE 95 
 
 Rhydmanteg. — Rhyd, ford ; man, place, spot ; teg, 
 iair. 
 
 Rhyd-Pennant. — Pennant means the end of the 
 brook. 
 
 Sarnau. — This name is the plural form of sarn, 
 paved road, causeway, so called from the remains of 
 several paved roads across a bog in the district. 
 
 Strata Florida. — Strata, paved road. The Roman 
 strata became the Saxon street. Florida, abounding 
 with flowers. Some maintain that the abbey was dedi- 
 ■cated to Fflur, the daughter of Mygnach Gorr, but the sup- 
 position is unsupported by historical fact. An eye- 
 witness wrote, a few years ago, anent the famous place — 
 "" even now the adjacent peat land is covered with heath 
 flowers. As we were travelhng over it, reaching Tregaron 
 about sunset, we gazed on the scene, and the whole 
 extensive plain blushed as it bathed in a sea of purple." 
 This is the Westminster Abbey of Mediaeval Wales. The 
 Abbey was built cirea 1184, and founded by Rhys ab 
 Gruffydd. The remains of a number of Welsh princes 
 are supposed to lie here. 
 
 SwYDDFFYNON. — Swydd here means jurisdiction. 
 In ancient times the law court of the commot of 
 Mefenydd was held here, perhaps near a celebrated 
 well, called Ffynnon oer, cold well. 
 
 Talsarn. — Tal, end ; sarn, road ; from a branch of 
 a Roman road which terminated here. 
 
 Traeth Saith. — Traeth, sands, seashore ; Saith 
 is erronerously referred by some to Seithynyn, famous in 
 Welsh mythology. Saith here is from L. sanctus, and 
 means the sacred shore. 
 
96 PLACE-NAMES IN WALES. 
 
 Trefilan. — The church was dedicated to Elen 
 the mother of Constantine the Great ; therefore, Ilan 
 is a xnutation of Elen. Eglwys Ilan, Glaraorgan, bears 
 her name. 
 
 Treflyn. — A compound of tref, a place, a town ; 
 and llyn, a lake. The place takes its name from a 
 beautiful lake called Llyn y maes, the lake of the field, 
 which, according to tradition, covers the original site of 
 Tregaron. 
 
 Tregaron. — ^The church was dedicated to Bishop 
 Caron, and the place is named in honour of him. 
 
 Tremaen. — Tre, place ; maen, stone ; its literal 
 signification being " the town of the stone," so called 
 from the noted stone, Llech yr ast, and the adjacent 
 cistfaens near the village. 
 
 Troedyraur. — Troed, foot, base, lower part. Troed- 
 ybryn, the lowest part of the hill. Piedmont has the 
 same signification, from It, pie di monte, foot of the 
 mountain, so called from its situation. Yr, the ; aur, 
 probably wrongly-spelt for air, bright, clear. If we 
 adopt the termination air, the name means the base- 
 ment of a hill, from which a clear view may be had of 
 the surrounding district. Some derive the name from 
 the tradition that aur gold was discovered at the foot of 
 the hill. It appears that the ancient name of the church 
 was Tredeyrn, the king's town, from the supposition that 
 Owain ab Hywel Dda, the king of Ceredigion, some time 
 took up his abode in the vicinity. Llys Owain, Owen's 
 court, the ruins of which are still discernible, about a 
 quarter of a mile from the church, inclines us to think that 
 Tredeyrn is the correct name of this place. 
 
CARDIGANSHIRE. 97 
 
 Tynyswydd. — Ty, house ; yn, in ; y, the ; swydd, 
 jurisdiction. The house, from which the village takes 
 its name, was probably situated at the extreme end of the 
 Mefenydd judicature. 
 
 YsBYTTY YsTWYTH. — Ysbyiiy, is a hybrid from Latin 
 hospitum hospitality, and Welsh ty, a house. This Roman 
 CathoUc Alms-house was built on the banks of the river 
 Ystwyth, and so called in order to distinguish it from 
 ysbytty Cynfyn, and ysbytty ystrad Meurig. 
 
 YsTRAD Meurig. — Ystrad, a low, flat valley. Meurig 
 is recorded to have been killed at ,i place where a church 
 was dedicated to him. " Meyryg, son of Meirchion w is a 
 brave, far-famed king. In his time the Irish Picts came 
 to Cambria ; he, however, marched against them, drove 
 them away, or slew them ; but was killed by an Irishman 
 concealed in a wood, since called Ystr.id Meyryg." lolo 
 MSS., p. 352. 
 
 YsTUMTUEM. — Ystum, a bend, a shape, a form ; Tuem 
 the xiame of the river that flows through the place. 
 
CARMARTHENSHIRE. 
 
 Carmarthen is an Anglicised form of Caerf jrrddin . 
 The Welsh Chronicle derives the name fiom Myrdin, the 
 pseudo-prophet and bard, and many are the traditions 
 that boldly but absurdly support the derivation. History 
 rejects the popular etymology by stating that the town 
 was called " Maridunum " by the Romans, during and after 
 the Roman subjugation, long ere the prophet was born. 
 The Kaervyrddin of the Britons is the " Maridunum," 
 the city by the sea of Ptolemy, and the " Maridunum," 
 the walled city of Antonius. Some think that the Latin 
 name is a translation of the Welsh one, and derive the 
 latter thus : Caer, fortress, wall ; fyr, a mutation of 
 mor-myr, the sea ; din-ddin, a hill, signifying a fortified 
 hill upon or near the sea. Others maintain that Caer- 
 myrdin, the ruinous city is the true derivation, some 
 write thus — Caer-fyrd-dyn, the citadel of ten thousand. 
 We are inclined to think that " Maridunum " is the correct 
 etymology, and that the Welsh caer was prefixed to it, 
 and hence transmuted to its present form — Caerfyrddin. 
 
 Aberarad. — Aber, estuary ; arad, the name of the 
 river on which the village is situated, so called, perhaps, 
 from its resemblance to an aradr, plough. Arad is the 
 popular pronunciation of aradr. 
 
 Aberbran. — ^This place takes its name from the river 
 Bran. 
 
 Abercouyn. — Cowyn or Cywyn, the river-name, means 
 a rising or swelling up ; the popular word cwnu, rising, 
 comes from the verb cywynu, to rise, mount up. Cog- 
 nate with Latin scando, I mount. 
 
CARMARTHENSHIRE. 99 
 
 Aberduar. — Aberdyar is the right wording, pro- 
 bably from its situation on the river Dyar, which means 
 a noise, a sound, a din. 
 
 Du-ar may signify water running over black soil. 
 
 Abergorlech. — Gorlech, the river-name, probably, 
 is a mutation of Garw-lech, garw, rough ; lech^llech, 
 stone, or from cor, small, and llwch, water, lake. 
 
 Abergwili. — Gwili, the river-name, is a derivative 
 of Gwyllt, wild ; and lli, a flux, signifying wild water. Some 
 derive it from gwy, water, and lli, a flux. This village 
 retains the honour of being the residence of the Bishop of 
 St. David's. 
 
 Above-Sawddwy. — The village derives its name 
 from the river Sawddwy, on which it is situate. Sawd 
 implies depth, a sinking ; gwy is water but more probably 
 wy is here an adjectival termination, and the meaning 
 water is fanciful. 
 
 Ammanford. — The ancient name of the place was 
 Cross Inn, from a public house of that name, which 
 is situated at the junction of four roads. Some think that 
 Amman, the river-name, is a compound of ami, many, 
 and an or ain, water, signifying a river of many tributaries 
 or sources. Others think the root is ban, height. Perhaps 
 it is' derived from Amon, Amnis. The word for river in 
 Gaelic, is abhainn, and amhain is an ancient form of 
 afon, a river. 
 
 Bancyfelin. — ^Bank, any steep acclivity, as one 
 rising from a river, a lake, or the sea ; y, the ; jelin- 
 melin, mill. 
 
 Brechfa. — ^A hilly place. Brech is fem. of brych, 
 mottled, a doublet of brith c.f. Cefnbrith. 
 
100 PLACE NAMES IN WALES. 
 
 Brynamman. — It was sometime called Gwter Fawr^ 
 the big ditch. In 1838, a house in the place was called 
 Brynamman, and in 1864, when the railway came into the- 
 place, the station was called Brjmamman, hence the name 
 of the village. For Aman see Ammanford. 
 
 Bryn Gwyne. — Bryn, hill ; Gwinnau, intensified form 
 of gze7M, white, blessed. Gwyndud,a. happy land, or per- 
 haps for gwinau — reddish colour of bracken. 
 
 Brynhafod. — Hafod, means a summer-house, 
 which was generally built on a hill. 
 
 Brynybeirdd. — ^This place derives its name from an 
 ancient farmhouse in the vicinity called Cwrt-bryn-y-beirdd^ 
 from the supposition that it was once the residence of the 
 bards. 
 
 BuRRY Port. — ^The place adjoins the ancient village 
 of Pemhre or Pen-bre. Pen, head, top, bre, mountain, 
 high place. 
 
 Some think Burry is a compound of bur, wild, frothy ; 
 and gwy, water. Burym, barm is derived from the same 
 root. The rivei Berem is not far from the place. Another 
 attempt is &re, hill ; /)or</», port. Buriy is probably from 
 burgh, a hill, compare Burythorpe in Yorkshire. 
 
 The seaport is situated at the entrance of the river 
 Burry. 
 
 BwLCHGWYNT. — Bwlch, an opening, a pass ; guynt, 
 wind ; signifying a pass where the wind occasion ally 
 asserts its power very vehemently. 
 
 Caledfwlch. — Caled, hard, severe ; bwlch, an open- 
 ing, a p iss. Tradition has it that bloody wars were fought 
 in the viciaity, and 1hat the distress and calimity was so 
 great at a certain spot, that it was henceforth called Caled- 
 
CARMARTHENSHIRE. lOI 
 
 fwlch. A brook in the place is called Nantgoch red brook, 
 irom the traditional belief that it was sometime red with 
 blood. 
 
 Capel Isaac. — A noted place in connection with the 
 •Congregational body, since the year 1650, when the Rev. 
 Stephen Hughes, formerly the vicar of Meidrym, left the 
 Church of England and founded a Nonconformist church. 
 Suffering from persecution they took refuge in a cave for 
 a short time, and afterwards built a chapel in 1672 on the 
 land of Isaac Thomas, hence the name, Capel Isaac. 
 
 Capel Iwan. — Capel, chapel ; Iwan, Ivan, loan, 
 John, meaning John the Baptist. 
 
 Capel Paulin. — Capel, chapel ; Paulin, a mutation 
 •of Pawl Hen, St.Paulinus, who flourished in the 5th century. 
 
 Cefncethin. — ^A village in the parish of Llandilo.' 
 The common opinion of the inhabitants is that the place 
 took its name from an eminent poet, named Cethin, who 
 lived in the neighbourhood in the i6th century. Cefn, 
 a high ridge ; cethin, dark, frightful, terrible. 
 
 Cenarth. — Cen, low Celtic for pen, head or top ; arth- 
 garth, a. ridge, a hill. 
 
 Cenol. — ^The name, which signifies " middle " was 
 given to this hamlet because it comprises the middle part 
 of the parish of Llanschyl. 
 
 Cerryg Sawdde. — The place derives its name 
 from the river Sawdde that flows through it. Sawdde is a 
 corrupt form of sawdd-wy, the deep or plunging water: 
 One of the old inhabitants assured us that the first row 
 of houses in the village were built of stones conveyed from 
 the river Sawdde, hence the name. 
 
102 PLACE-NAMES IN WALES. 
 
 CiLCARw. — Cil, a place of retreat ; carw, stag. In time 
 of yore stags resorted to this sequestered vicinity as a place 
 of refuge. 
 
 CiLCWM. — ^The name signifies a sequestered vale : the 
 upper reaches of the valley, or the ridge overlooking 
 the valley. 
 
 CiLMAENLLWYD. — Cil, a place of retreat ; maen,. 
 stone ; llwyd, grey, blessed ; so called from the relics of 
 druidical stones in the place. 
 
 Cloygyx. — The right wording, probably, is clogwyn, 
 a precipice. 
 
 Cross Hands. — From a public house so called in the- 
 place. 
 
 Crugybar. — Crug, heap ; lar, affliction, fury, wrath. 
 The place derives its names from the supposition that the 
 Rortians buried their fallen soldiers in the vicinity, where 
 they suffered heavily at the hands of the wrathful and 
 formidable Britons, led by the immortal Buddug. 
 
 CwMAMAN. — CieJOT, narrow vale ; Aman vide Amman- 
 ford. 
 
 CwMCOTHi. — ^The river-name Cothi means to eject 
 or evacuate ; ysgothi, to babble. The Greek Kathariso 
 has a similar meaning. Dolaucothi is the seat of the 
 Johnses, a well-known family in the county of Carmarthen 
 and close by was the residence of the celebrated bard,. 
 Llywelyn (Lewis) Glyn Cothi, who flourished in the 15th 
 century. 
 
 CWmcuch. — A village situate on the banks of the 
 river Cuch. Cuch means what is contracted or drawn, 
 together. Cuchio, to frown. 
 
CARMARTHENSHIRE. 
 
 103 
 
 CwMDUAD. — Duad implies blackness. The river 
 Drmd flows through the vale. 
 
 CwM GwENDRAETH. — Cwm, vale ; Gwendraeth, the 
 name of the river that runs through the vale. Gwen, white; 
 traeth, a tract, a beach. 
 
 CwMHWPLiN. — Hwplin is an etymological puzzle. 
 The name is probably from Cwm, vale, and hwplin, 
 representing the English word — goblin. 
 
 CwMSARNDDU. — Cwm, vale ; sarn, paved road ; ddu, 
 black, from a farm so named. 
 
 Cynwil Caio. Cyn, prior, iirst ; wil-gwyl, (vigilia) 
 watches ; Caio, Caius, the name of a Roman personage. 
 The Rev. EUeser Williams, in the " Cambrian Register," 
 thinks that the place was taken possession of by Caius' 
 advanced guards. 
 
 Dafen. — From the river Da fen, which flows through 
 the place. The name may be a corrupt form of taf-ain, 
 the spreading water. Tafwys, the Thames, has the 
 same signification. 
 
 Drafach. — Tref, a homestead, town ; fach-bach, 
 little. 
 
 Drefelin. — ^Some think the name is a compound of 
 iref, a homestead, and melin, a mill. In spite of the fact 
 that there is a mill in the village some are inclined to think 
 that the name is a transposition of fileindref, the villeins' 
 village, or a place under villein soccage tenure. In the 
 old Welsh Laws we find taeogdref and fileindref. 
 
 Dyffryn CeidrYCH. — Dy-ffryn, a valley ; cei-cain, 
 clear, fair, beautiful ; drych, aspect, sight ; the name 
 signifies a valley of beautiful sceneries. Some think the 
 valley was named after Ceindrych, a daughter of Brychan. 
 
104 PLACE-NAMES IN WALES. 
 
 Felindre. — A mill residence. 
 
 Felincwm. — ^A compound of melin, mill ; and 
 cwm, vale. 
 
 Felinwen. — This village takes its name from an old 
 mill called Felinwen, the white mill, which is still in the 
 place. 
 
 Ferry Side. — ^A pretty village near the mouth of the 
 river Towy, where passengers ferry over in boats to the 
 opposite village, Llanstephan. 
 
 Ffairfach. — ^A very popular fair was wont to be 
 held here on November 22nd, hence its name, which 
 signifies the little fair, to distinguish it from the fairs held at 
 Llandilo . 
 
 Garway. — It may be a corruption of garw-wy, a 
 river making its way through rough places. 
 
 Gelliceidrym. — ^The name signifies a brush or grove 
 on mountain top with a chasm below. 
 
 Goytrey. — Coed, wood ; tre, a homestead, a place, 
 signifying either a dwelling in a wood, or a house built of 
 wood. 
 
 GwYNFE. — Gwyn, white, blessed, holy ; fe-fai, an 
 inflection of mai, a plain. Gwynfa is the Welsh for Para- 
 dise. 
 
 Hengoed. — Wen, old, aged ; and coed, wood, so 
 called from the abundance of ancient and large forests of 
 wood that once adorned the district. 
 
 Henllan Amgoed. — ^The old church surrounded by 
 woods. 
 
 HoREB. — ^The village takes its name from Horeb, 
 the Baptist chapel in the place. 
 
CARMARTHENSHIRE. IO5 
 
 Hyreth. — ^A corruption of Hiraeth, longing earnest 
 ■desire or perhaps a mutation of hyriaeth, a shock, a concus- 
 sion. 
 
 Johnstown. — A small village near Carmarthen town 
 named in honour of Mr. John Jones, Ystrad. 
 
 Kidwelly. — We have various forms of this ancient 
 name. Nennius gives the name as Cetqueli, and this form 
 is found also in " Liber Landavensis." The following 
 lorms are found in ancient documents — ^Kedewelli, 
 Cedewely, Kadewely, Keddewelly, Kedwelli, Kydewelly. 
 Dr. Henry Owen says that the place was in Welsh called 
 Cedweli, or Cadweli, and that the name is a tribal, one 
 derived from the personal name Cadwal. Some derive 
 it thus — cyd, con ; wy-gwy, water ; and li-lli, a stream, 
 the name signifying the , confluence of streams, or two 
 streams of water joining to run on the same bed. The 
 rivers Gwendraeth Fach and Gwendraeth Fawr, mingle 
 their waters in an estuary about a mile from the town. 
 One author states that the Gwendraeth originally bore the 
 name of Gwely, which is, perhaps, a corrupt form of Gwili, 
 %wy, water ; and lli, a flux, the name therefore signifying 
 the junction of the two flowing streams. 
 
 Laugharne. — ^The old Welsh names are Talycoran, 
 Abercoran, Tal-Uacham, Tal, ejid ; y, the ; Goran, the 
 name of the river that flows into the river Taf. Some 
 ■derive the present name from Field-Marshal, W. 
 Laugharne, but we rather think it is an Anglicised form of 
 Llacharn or Talycoran. Goran may be an abbreviation 
 of corafon, a rivulet. 
 
 Login. — Some think the name is a contracted four. 
 ■of Halogyn, the polluted or turbid. Others derive 
 the name from clogwyn, precipice, steep. Glogwynog, 
 
i06 PLACE-NAMES IN WALES. 
 
 craggy, rocky. Perhaps the right wording is Llogyn, a 
 diminutive of Llog, a compact, a hire. Llog o dir, twenty 
 yards of land. We find the name Loggin in Breconshire.. 
 
 Llan. — ^This hamlet takes its name from the parochial 
 church being situate within its limits, near the right bank 
 of the Gwendraeth Fechan river. 
 
 Llanarthney. — Arthney is probably a corruption of 
 garthen, a camp. Some think Arthney is a corrupt form of 
 A rthen, the name of the fourth son of Brychan Brycheiniog 
 There are several objects of antiquarian interest in this 
 district, such as the ruins of Dryslwyn castle, and Grongar 
 hill, which has been immortaUsed by the famous poet, 
 Dyer. Grongar is a compound of gron, fern, of crwn, round,, 
 circular, and caer, a fortress. 
 
 Llanboidy. — Some think the name is a corruption 
 of Llan-bod-Dewi, the church in which (St.) David dwelt. 
 The church is only three miles north of Ty Gwyn Abbey,, 
 near which place St. David spent ten years. Others say 
 it is Llan-meudwy, a church, dedicated to a hermit. We 
 are inclined to think that boidy is a corruption of beudy, 
 an ox house. The church might have been built in con- 
 junction with the ox-house ; or perhaps, the oxen had to- 
 perform the same duties there as their kindred at Brevi. 
 
 Llandefeisent. — Tyfei Sant, a nephew of St. Teilo, 
 lived in an early period of the 6th century, and to him the 
 church was dedicated. 
 
 Llandeilo.— The church was dedicated to St. Teilo, 
 a descendant of Cunedda Wledig and one of the most popu- 
 lar saints in the ancient British church. He was St. 
 Teliaus, the patron saint of Llandaff. He departed this 
 lif-^. at Llandeilo Fawr, and was interred at Llandaff in 566.- 
 
CARMARTHENSHIRE. XOJ 
 
 Llandovery. — An Anglicised form oiLlanymddyfri, 
 which means i church between waters, or Llanamddyfri ; 
 am, in its sense of beyond, and therefore the church 
 beyond the river. The " Myvyrian " calls it 
 Llanymddywy. The town is situate on the river 
 Towy, at the confluence of the rivers Gwytherig and Bran, 
 the latter joning the Towy a little distance below the 
 town. This town is famous as the birth-place and resi- 
 dence of Vicar Pritchard, author of " Canwyll y Cymry." 
 
 Llandybie. — Tybie was a daughter of Brychan, and 
 a saint of the 5th century. She was murdered at a place 
 where a church was afterwards built and consecrated to 
 her memory. 
 
 Llandyfaelog. — ^The church was dedicated to Maelog 
 one of Catw;;'s disciples. The proper name is Llanmaelog. 
 
 Llandyfaen. — Some derive the name from St. Dyfan 
 who came here from Rome about 186, to preach the Gospel 
 to tlie Kymry. It is believed he was martyred at Merthyr 
 Dyfan. We rather think the place takes its name from 
 Dyfnan, one of the sons of Brychan. 
 
 Llandysilio. — ^The church was dedicated to St. 
 Tyssilio. 
 
 Llanddarog. — ^The church was dedicated to St. 
 Twrog. 
 
 Llandowror. — ^A corruption of Llandyfrgwyr, the 
 church of the water-men, so called on account of the 
 seven sons of Mainaur Mathru, who were called Dyfrgwyr, 
 water-men, because they were found in the water, escaped 
 from the water and Were maintained by fishes of the 
 water. They devoted themselves to religious life ; hence 
 the above church was dedicated to them. 
 
I08 PLACE-NAMES IN WALES. 
 
 Llanedi. — The church was dedicated to Edyih a 
 Saxon saint. There were five Saxor saints bearing the 
 name. 
 
 Llanegwad. — ^The church was dedicated to Egwad, 
 a saint of the 7th century. He was son of Cynddelig, son of 
 Cenydd, son of Gildas. 
 
 Llanelli. — ^The church was dedicated to Ellyw, a 
 ■descendant of Brychan, and a saint of the fifth century. 
 Llanelliw is the proper name. On a map published in 1788 
 by a Mr. Wm. Owen, it is spelt Llanelliw. 
 
 Llanfair-ar-y-bryn. — St. Mary's church on the hill 
 It was a site of a Roman station. 
 
 Llanfihangel Aberbythych. — St. Michael's church 
 at the influx of the river Bythich. The river-name means 
 the constantly flowing water. 
 
 Llanfihangel-ar-arth. — Ar-Arth, or ar-y-g 
 mems on the hill. The church was dedicated to St. 
 Michael, and built on a hill above the Teivi. 
 
 Llanfihangel Rhosycorn. — St. Michael's church 
 on the berry-moor-land. It appears that the place 
 produces hurtle and billberries. 
 
 Llanfrynach.— The church was dedicated to St. 
 Brynach, whose history, according to some is marked 
 by somewhat remarkable incidents. 
 
 Llanfynydd. — ^The name signifies a church on the 
 mountam. 
 
 Llangadog.— The church was dedicated to St. Cadoc, 
 a martyr who flourished in the 5th century, and died in 
 Brittany, in -(90. 
 
CARMARTHENSHIRE. IO9 
 
 Llangain. — Cain was a saint of the early part of 
 the bth century, to whom the church was dedicated. 
 
 Llangan. — The church wis dedicated to Cana, the 
 daughter of Tewdwr Mawr, and the wife of Sadwrn. 
 
 Llangathen. — The church was dedicated to Cathen, 
 a Welsh saint who flourished early in the 7th centuiy. 
 He was a grandson to Caradog Freichfras. 
 
 Llangeler. — The church was dedicated to St. Celert, 
 who flourished in the 7th century. Beddgelert bears 
 his name. 
 
 In a cottag5, called Tybedw, in this parish, two of the 
 most celebrated preachers of Wales commenced to preach, 
 viz , Revs. Dd. Davies, Swansea, and Christmas Evans. 
 
 Llangennech — ^The church was dedicated to St. 
 Cenych. 
 
 Llangyndeyrn. — ^The church was dedicated to St. 
 Cyndeyrn, one of the most popular of the Welsh saints 
 of the 7th century. 
 
 Llangynin. — The church was dedicated to Cynin, a 
 saint of the 5th century. 
 
 Llangynog. — ^The church was founded by Cynog, 
 who was bishop of St. David's in the sixth century. 
 
 Llanllian. — ^The correct wording is Llanlleian, the 
 Nun's church. It is said that she was the daughter 
 of Brychan, and had been wife to Gafran ab Dyfnwal 
 Hen, by whom she had Aeddan, the traitor. 
 
 Llanllwch. — Llwch, an inlet of water, a lake. The 
 church is situated in a low place, which is frequently 
 covered by floods and the tide, leaving many pools 
 an d lakes behind them. Tradition has it that a town once 
 stood here, which was submerged. 
 
no PLACE-NAMES IN WALES. 
 
 Llanllwni. — ^Llwni is a corruption of lloni, to 
 gladden. Llonio Llawhir (long hand) was a descendant of 
 Emyr Llydaw, and is supposed to have founded the 
 churches of Llandinam and Llanllwni. 
 
 Llannewydd. — The old parish church was pulled 
 •down, and the foundation stone of Llannewydd, the new 
 church, was laid, July 5th, 1870. 
 
 Llanon. — The church was dedicated to Nonn, the 
 pious mother of St. David, the patron saint of Wales. 
 
 Llanpumsaint. — Pum saint^five saints. The 
 church was dedicated to five brothers, Ceitho, Gwyn, 
 Gwynro, Gwynoro, and Celynin, who were born at the 
 same tim.e and devoted themselves to religious life. 
 
 Llansadwrn. — ^The church was dedicated to 
 Sadwrn, the brother of lUtud. 
 
 Llansadyrnyn. — ^The church was dedicated to 
 Sadyrnyn, the Bishop of St. David's in the early part 
 •of the 9th century. 
 
 Llansawyl. — ^The church was dedicated to Sawyl, 
 a saint of the 8th century. 
 
 Llanstephan. — ^The church was founded by Ystyffan, 
 a saint and bard of the 6th century. Some derive the 
 name from the supposition that the church was dedi- 
 cated to Stephen, the first martyr. 
 
 Llanwrda. — Opinions differ as to whom the church 
 was dedicated. One suggests St. Cawrdaf, a son of 
 Caradog Freichfras ; another, gwy-tia, the holy man. Some 
 think gwr-da is a corrupt form of gwr-daf, the man of the 
 Taf, refering to St. Teilo who lived on the banks of the 
 river Taf for many years, and believed to have performed 
 many miracles. 
 
CARMARTHENSHIRE. Ill 
 
 Llanwynio. — ^The church is supposed to have been 
 •dedicated to Gwynio, a Welsh saint. 
 
 Llanybri. — Bri, is, according to one writer, a corrup- 
 tion of heyr, the Norse for farmstead. Some think the 
 name is derived from one Awbrey, who resided there. We 
 rather think that hri is a mutation of Ire, up high. 
 
 Llanybydder. — Some think the right wording is 
 LlanyhyMair, the church of the Ambuscade. The name 
 may be a corruption of Llanbedr, from the church being 
 •dedicated to St. Peter. 
 
 Llanycrwys. — The name signifies the Rood church. 
 
 Llwynhendy. — Llwyn, bush ; hendy, old house. 
 There was a bush near an old homestead called Hendy, 
 concerning which a local dispute arose, and in order to 
 •distinguish it from other bushes it was called Llwyn-hendy . 
 
 Machynys. — ^An islet at the estuary of the Loughor 
 river. Some think the name is a mutation of bach-ynys, 
 the little island, but in view of the fact that a mynach-dy, 
 a monastery was established here in 513 by St. Piro, we are 
 inclined to think the name might be an abbreviation of 
 mynach-ynys, the monk's island. Or, perhaps, it is a 
 compound of mach, a bail, a surety ; and ynys, an island. 
 Some think it was sometime held as a surety for debt. 
 
 Manorfabon. — Some think the original form is 
 Man-ar-afon, a spot or a residence on or near the river. 
 We rather think the name is a compound of maenor, manor, 
 and Mabon, proper name. Mabon is sometimes used to 
 denote a young hero. 
 
 Marros. — ^Some think it is mawr-rhos, the great 
 moorland or common. The name signifies a wild, moun- 
 
112 PLACE-NAMES IN WALES. 
 
 tainous region, which was undoubtedly suggested by the 
 physical aspect of the district. 
 
 Meinciau. — A corruption, probably of min-y-cae, 
 edge of the field. Some think it is the plural of mainc,. 
 a bench, implying elevated pieces of land. 
 
 Moelfre. — Moel, bare ; and bre, hill. 
 
 Mydrim. — ^A compound of mei-mai, a plain or open 
 field ; drum, a ridge, a back, a hill. 
 
 A Roman road ran through the place from Car- 
 marthen to St. David's. 
 
 Myddfai. — Myd-med, meadow ; fai-mai, a plain, 
 or open field. The place is noted for its celebrated phy- 
 sicians in the 12th century. Meddygon Myddfai the phy- 
 sicians of Myddfai is a proverbial phrase. The first batch 
 of these were Rhiwallon, and his sors, Cadwgan, Gruffydd, 
 and Einion. 
 
 Mynachdy. — A monastery. It is supposed that 
 a cell to some ancient abbey was situated here sometime ; 
 hence the name. 
 
 NANTGAREDTG.-iVan/', brook ; Caredig, a man's name. 
 
 Nantycaix. — Nant, brook ; cain, clear, fair. 
 
 Nantymwyn. — Mwyn, mine, ore. Lead mines 
 abound in this district. 
 
 Newcastle-Emlyn. — Opinions differ as to the 
 origin of this name. It is a translation of the Welsh 
 Castell-newydd-Emlyn. The present castle was built 
 on the site of the old one by Sir Rhys ap Thomas, in 
 the reign of Henry VIII., hence the appellation 
 Newcastle. Emlyn is variously derived. Some derive 
 it from Emilianus, the name of a Roman nobleman that 
 
CARMARTHENSHIRE. II3 
 
 took up his abode here. Others derive it from the 
 shape (llun) of the letter M formed by the winding 
 course of the Teivi ir the vicinity of Newcastle, thus 
 M lun, shape of the letter M. The most plausible are 
 the following derivations : — Em, am, round about ; lyn 
 glynu, to adhere, to cleave. The river encompasses the 
 town, and its slowness indicates, as it were, for 
 preference to adhere to the town than make for its 
 salty home. Another attempt : Emyl, border or edge 
 add the particle yn to it, and then we have Emylyn, 
 omit the first y, and we have Emlyn, a borderer. Or 
 Em, round, lyn, llyn, a lake or a body of water, 
 signifying watercircled. 
 
 Pantyffynon. — Pant, a low place ; y, the ; ffynnon, 
 well ; from a farm so called which is situated in a low 
 place. 
 
 Pedair Heol. — Pedair, four ; heol, road, so called 
 from the junction of four roads in the place. 
 
 Penbeyr or Penboyr. — Opinions differ as to 
 derivation of this name. Some think it is a mutilation of 
 ■pen-y-beirdd, the chief of the bards from the supposition of 
 some chief bard held his gorsedd here. 
 
 Others derive it thus : — pen, top, end ; beyr and boyr 
 are Norse for farmstead ; signifying the highest point in a 
 certain farm. 
 
 The name was written Penbeyr in 1487, Penbeir 
 and Penbeyer in 1668, and Penbeyre in 1788. 
 
 Ey would easily become oy, in that district, as 
 oulun from eulun. 
 
 The church is called Penboyr in Valor Ecclesiasticus. 
 Beyr or Boyr, is probably a personal name. A farmstead 
 I 
 
114 PLACE-NAMES IN WALES. 
 
 near Penboyr is called Llwyn Pyr. The name is also 
 found in the parish of Llanllwni. 
 
 Pyr succeeded Sawyl Ben Uchel on the throne of 
 Britain. 
 
 Pencader. — Some think it was originally called 
 Pencadlys ; pen, head ; cad, battle, battlefield ; lys, court. 
 Near the church there is a cairn called " The Castle, and 
 from that the common inference is that some battles were 
 fought in the vicinity. Others think the name signifies 
 the chief chair, possibly of the bards — Druidic order. 
 There is an immense tumulus here. Cader also means 
 a stronghold. Many fortified hills and moun- 
 tains still retain the name as Cader Idris, Cader Dinmael. 
 Cadernid is the Welsh for strength or fortitude. 
 
 Pendine. — Some think the right wording is Pen-dani, 
 the beautiful summit. It may be a corrupt form of Pen- 
 din, the top of the fortified hill. 
 
 Penrhiwgoch. — Pen, top ; rhiw, slope ; goch^coch, 
 red, sun-parched. The attribute coch forms a part of many 
 names in the district, as Garreg-goch, red stone ; Ffynnon- 
 goch, ruddy well, &c. 
 
 Penrhos. — ^The top of a meadow or plain. 
 
 Penygroes. — Pen, head, end ; y, the ; groes, cross. 
 
 Pontaman. — Pont, bridge ; aman, the name of the 
 river that flows through the place (vide Ammanford). 
 The village takes its name from a mansion so called, 
 which is situate on the river Aman. 
 
 Pontargothi.— Po«/, bridge ; ar, on, across ; Gothi- 
 cothi, the name of the river (vide Cwmcothi). 
 
 Pontbrenaraeth. — Ponthren, a wooden bridge ; 
 araeih, the name of the river. 
 
CARMARTHENSHIRE. II5 
 
 PoNTHENRY. — Pofit, bridge ; Henry, probably the 
 name of the builder of the bridge. 
 
 PoNTNEWYDD. — Pont, bridge ; newydd, new. 
 
 PoNTTWELi. — ^The latter portion of the name is 
 variously written, viz., Twelly, Tyweli, Tywely, Taf-gurli, 
 and Taf-wely. The name seems to be a contraction of the 
 latter form, which is the name of the river that runs 
 under the bridge. 
 
 PoNTYATES. — The village was originally called Tre- 
 wiail, the place of rods. Opinions differ as to Pontyates. 
 Pont, means a bridge, which, according to some, was built 
 by a Mr. Yates ; hence the name. 
 
 In olden times there was a toll-gate near the brid'g^, 
 and some think the name is derived from that. 
 
 PoNTYBEREM. — Pont, bridge ; Berem, river-name. 
 The general opinion is that a wooden bridge crossed the 
 Berem river before the Gwendraeth bridge was built ; 
 hence the name. 
 
 Berem comes from herw, a boiling, an ebullition. 
 Sion Lam Roger, about 190 years ago, called the place 
 Pontyherw. 
 
 PoRTHYRHYD. — Porth, (porta), a gate ; y, the ; 
 rhyd, a ford. 
 
 Pump Heol. — Pump, five ; heol, road ; so called from 
 the junction of five roads in the place. 
 
 Rhandirmwyn. — Rhandir, a portion of land, a 
 •district ; mwyn, a mine, ore. There are ancient lead 
 mines in the district called Nantymwyn, which are noted 
 for pottery ore. 
 
 Rhydargaeau. — ^The right wording seems to be 
 Rhydargaerau, the ford near the fortified walls. 
 
Il6 PLACE-NAMES IN WALES. 
 
 St. Clears. — ^The Normans, immediately after the 
 conquest, built a castle and a church here, the latter 
 of which was dedicated to one of their own clan named 
 St. Clar. Hence the name of the place. In the " Myvy- 
 rian " she is called Sain Cler and St. Clares. She died a 
 martyr in Normandy, November 4th, 894. 
 
 Talog. — ^The name signifies high-fronted, bold-faced. 
 Talwg means a high house with stone roof, in contra-dis- 
 tinction to the low cot with thatched roof. 
 
 Talyllychau, or Talley. — Tal, front or end ; y, 
 the ; Llychau, plural of llwch, lake or pool. There are 
 two large pools near the church. Talley is an abbre- 
 viation of the Welsh name. 
 
 Terra-Coed. — It is, probably, a corruption of Tir- 
 y-coed, which implies woody land. 
 
 Tir Esgob. — Tir, land ; esgob, bishop. 
 
 TiR Rosier. — Tir, land ; Rosier, Roger. Rogersland. 
 
 Treclas. — CI as means a green covering or surface. 
 " Clas Alerddin," the green space of smooth hills, the old 
 name of the Isle of Britain. — Trioedd. 
 
 Trelech. — Some think the name signifies " the con- 
 cealed dwelling." We rather think the name signifies 
 " the town of stones." Not far from the village there 
 is an immense carnedd called Cnig y Deyni, or Criig Edeyrn, 
 The place derives its name, probably, from this and other 
 relics of Druidism in the district. Some antiquarians 
 believe that Edeyrn was buried here. Nathan Dyfed, and 
 another gentleman opened a cistfaen here in 1830, and 
 found therein calcined bones and charcoal. 
 
 Trerhos. — Tre, place, town ; rhos, meadow. The- 
 village is situated on a marshy plain. 
 
CARMARTHENSHIRE. 
 
 117 
 
 Trimsaran. — ^A compound of trum, ridge, and 
 sarn, road, way. The village took its name from an 
 old mansion bearing the name, which is supposed to have 
 been built in the nth century. Gruffydd ap Llewelyn 
 resided here. He was related to Einion ap Collwyn. 
 
 Tumble. — ^From a pubUc house in the place called 
 Tumble Inn. " Tumble Down Dick " has reference to 
 Richard, the Protector's son, who was a very unstable char- 
 acter. 
 
 Velinfoel. — It signifies the bald or bare mill. The 
 old mill near the river Lliedi was designated Felinfoel in 
 order to distinguish it from Felinyrafr, or Felingyrnig, 
 which was higher up on the side of the same river. The 
 latter was remarkable for its comig — cross appearance, 
 whereas the former was a bare building, and, therefore, 
 entitled to the appellation Felinfoel. When the village 
 grew sufficiently to claim a share in nomenclature it was 
 decided to perpetuate the name of the old mill. 
 
 Whitland. — A semi-translation of " Hen dy Gwyn 
 ax Daf," old white house on Taf. This was the hunting- 
 house of Hywel Dda, built by him in 914. In order to 
 distinguish it from common houses it was built of white 
 perches, supposed to be i8ft. in length. Here Hjrwel 
 and six of the wisest men in his dominion met in 927, to 
 revise and amend the laws of the Kymry. A religious 
 ■community was founded in the place as early as the 5th 
 century. Paulinus (Pawl Hen) enlarged the institution 
 circa 480, and was elected the first abbot. St. David and 
 St. Teilo were among his students. 
 
CARNARVONSHIRE. 
 
 An Anglicized form of Caer-yn-Arfon, the fortified; 
 town opposite to Mona. After the subjugation of 
 Wales under Edward I. the name of the town was applied 
 to the newly-formed county. 
 
 LLeyn. — A region, according to some, that derived 
 its name from Lleyn, the son of Baran. He conquered 
 this portion of the territory of the King of Gwynedd, 
 and called it the country of Lleyn (lolo MSS., 346). 
 The late celebrated antiquarian, Mr. Owen Wilhams, 
 of Waenfawr, derives it from lleuyn, which is synony- 
 mous, with llenar, lleiiad, goleuad, goleimi, signifying light, 
 splendour. LUuar haul, the light of the sun. He founds 
 his reasons upon the fact that Lleyn is an even country, 
 enjoying the light of the sun from morning till dusk ; 
 hence it was called Lleyn, the land of the hght. Dr. 
 Owen Pughe translated Lleyn thus — lleyn, a strip, a 
 tongue of land, which corresponds with the physical 
 aspect of this part of the Principality. It is cognate 
 with Irish Lein in Leinster, from an Irish word meaning 
 a lance head, so called from the outline of the land. 
 
 EiFiONYDD. — Eifion means the land of rivers. A/on, 
 a river, eifion, an old plural form of afon, as meibion 
 becomes the plural of mab, a son. Ap, a Sanskrit root 
 signifying water, is seen in the names of the Punjab, 
 the land of the five rivers ; Do-ab, a district between 
 the two rivers Ganges and Jumna. We find it also in 
 the river-names of the L-ah and Dan-ub-ue, or Danube. 
 
 Aber, or Abergwyngregyn. — From the quantity 
 of cockles found there. The river Gwyngregyn, white 
 
CARNARVONSHIRE. II9 
 
 shells, discharges itself into the sea about half-a-mile 
 below the village. 
 
 Aberdaron. — ^The village is situate at the mouth 
 of the river Daron. Although an insignificant place, it 
 is famous for being the birth-place of Richard Robert 
 Jones, alias Die Aberdaron, the celebrated linguist. 
 He was bom in 1778, and died at St. Asaph in 1843. It is 
 said that he was familiarly conversant with thirteen 
 languages. The name Daron was anciently applied to 
 the Deity, signifying " Thundeier." Daron implies noisy 
 water. 
 
 Abercegid. — ^Near Llandegai. Cegt'rf is the Welsh for 
 hemlock. 
 
 Abererch. — ^The river Erch flows into the sea a 
 little below the village ; hence the name. Erch means 
 dark, frightful. 
 
 Abersoch. — ^The village lies at the mouth of the 
 river Soch. Soch means a sink, a drain, a ditch, so 
 called from the slow course and muddy hue of the liver. 
 
 Afon Wen. — ^This name was taken from the river, 
 which has its source near Mynachdy gwyn, the white 
 moucistery. Wen is the feminine form of gwyn, white, 
 and in place-names signifies fair or beautiful. 
 
 Bangor. — Ban, high, superior ; gor-cor, a circle, a 
 stall, a choir. Cot is now used in many parts of the 
 Principality to denote a pew or seat. The term cor has 
 also been rendered " college." Bangor means the chief 
 enclosure or circle, and when applied to any particular 
 establishment, it signifies, a " high choir, or chief col- 
 lege." The common churches were called corau, but the 
 chief or superior churches bangorau, because they were 
 
120 PLACE-NAMES IN WALES. 
 
 the chief theological seminaiies of the peiiod, the centres 
 from which the Christian religion extended over the country. 
 It is supposed that this Bangor was established as early 
 as the year 525 by Deiniol ab Dunawd, which shows that a 
 University College is not a r ew boon to this city. 
 
 Beddgelert. — Various derivations are assigned to 
 this popular name. It is said that a hermit elected a 
 booth in the place, and, in the couise of time, a church 
 was built on the same site, ard was called Bwth Cilfach 
 Garth, which was corrupted into Bwth Cilarth, and then 
 Bethcelert. Some trace it to the name of Celer, the 
 patron saint of Llangeler. Tradition says the name 
 is derived from the following circumstance : — At a 
 remote period, when wolves were numerous, and conse- 
 quently formidable in Wales, Llewelyn the Great came 
 to reside here for the hunting season, with his princes 
 and children ; but while the family were absent one 
 day, a wolf entered the house, and attempted to kill an 
 infant that was enjoying his sleep in the cradle. The 
 prince's faithful greyhound named Gelert, in whose 
 care the child doubtless was entrusted, seized the rapa- 
 cious animal, and, after a severe struggle, killed it. 
 In the struggle the cradle was o\'erturned, and lay upon 
 the wolf and child. On the piince's return, missing the 
 infant, and observing the dog's mouth stained with blood, 
 he rashly jumped to the conclusion that Gelert had Idlled 
 the child, and, in a paroxysm of rage, drew his sword, and 
 bulled it in the heart of the faithful animal ; but how great 
 was his astonishment, when, on replacing the cradle, he 
 found the wolf dead and the child alive. He, however, 
 caused the faithful Gelert to be honourably interred, and, 
 as a monument to his memory, erected a church on this 
 
CARNARVONSHIRE. 121 
 
 spot as a grateful offering to God for the preservation of his 
 child. In a field contiguous to the churchyard are two 
 grey stones, overhung with bushes, which point out the 
 grave of Gelert, and a rustic seat is placed near, where 
 visitors may recline and meditate the legend. Others 
 think the name means the " grave of Celert ap Math," 
 a descendant of one of the Irish princes that visited 
 this country about the beginning of the fourth cen- 
 tury. 
 
 Bethesda. — Its ancient name was Cilfoden. Its 
 present name is derived from Bethesda, the name of a 
 Congregational chapel built in the place in 1819. An 
 •attempt was recently made to abandon the Scriptural 
 name, and call it " Glan Ogwen," after the new church 
 built by Lord Penrhyn, but it proved unsuccessful. 
 
 Bettws-y-Coed. — Bettws is a Welshified form of 
 bead-house, a house of prayer, a monkish institution of 
 mediaeval times, built, perhaps, on or near the site of 
 those churches that perpetuate the name of Bettws. 
 This place derives its name from an ancient religious 
 institution called Bettws Wyrion Iddon, the bead house 
 •of the children of Iddon. Bettws in Welsh means a 
 place of shelter and comfort. William Llyn writes : — 
 " Ni a ddaethom yr owan i Fettws, h3my yw, He cynhes 
 tymoraidd ; " i.e., " We came now to Bettws, that is, a 
 warm comfortable place." It is worthy of notice that 
 many churches bearing the name of Bettws aie situated 
 in sheltered and comfortable places. The above Bettws 
 is situated yn y coed in the wood ; hence the name of the 
 picturesque place. 
 
 Bettws Garmon. — The church is dedicated to 
 'Gannon, and about a mile distant is Garmon's Well. 
 
122 PLACE-NAMES IN WALES. 
 
 BoDFUAN. — Bod, a dwelling ; Buan, a saint of the 
 seventh century, and a descendant of Llywarch Hen. 
 He founded a church in this place. 
 
 BoDFERiN. — ^This was the dwelling-place of Merin, 
 a descendant of Seithenin, and a saint of the sixth cen- 
 tury. 
 
 Borth-y-Gest, or more correctly, Porth-y-gest ;, 
 porth, harbour, port ; y, the,; gest-cest, a deep glen 
 between two mountains having but one opening. This 
 isolated village is situated near Moel-y-gest. 
 
 BoTTWNOG. — A corruption of Bodwynog, the dwel- 
 ling-place of Gwynog. 
 
 Bryncroes. — Bryn, a hill ; croes, a cross. 
 
 Brynkir. — Some think the place was named in 
 honour of a family bearing the name, who weie descen- 
 dants of Owain Gwjmedd. Others think the name is a 
 contraction of Bryn cae Mr, signifying a long field at the 
 foot of the hill. It is, perhaps, a compound of bryn^ 
 a hill, and carw, a stag. 
 
 Cae Llwyn Grydd. — Probably a corruption of cae 
 llwyn y gaer rudd. Cae, a field ; llwyn, a bush ; y, the ; 
 gaer rudd, red wall. The village is situated near an old 
 fortress, which is now in ruins, and supposed to have 
 been built of led stones ; hence the name. 
 
 Caer Rhun. — Rhun, the son of Maelgwyn Gwynedd^ 
 and a prince of the sixth century, who took up his abode 
 in the Roman Conovium ; hence the name. 
 
 Capel Curig. — Capel, chapel ; Curig, the name of 
 the son of Hid or Julitta, who flouiished in the seventh 
 century. The church was dedicated to Curig and his 
 mother. 
 
CARNARVONSHIRE. I23, 
 
 Carn Giwch. — Cam, a heap. On the summit of a 
 hill close by, called Moel Carn Ciwch, there is a large 
 heap of loose stones, supposed to have been raised to 
 Ciwch, a British saint of an early period. 
 
 Clwtybont. — Clwt, a portion ; " clwt o dir," a piece 
 of land ; y, the ; bont-pont, bridge ; signifying a piece of 
 land near a bridge. 
 
 Clynog. — ^A corruption of Celynog, a place over- 
 run with hoUywood. It is situated in a small grove 
 near the shore, on a plain near the base of the hill. 
 
 CoLWYN. — Some derive the name from Colwyn, the 
 name of the chief shepherd of Bran ab Llyr Llediaith. 
 Others think it is a compound of cau, hollow, enclosed ; 
 and llwyn, a grove, a bush, from the deep brooks and 
 encircling groves in the district. 
 
 Conway. — The town of Conway was built on the 
 north side of the liver by Maelgwyn Gwynedd, in 581, 
 and was called Caer Gyfifin, which signifies the border 
 fortress. Conwy is the present Welsh name, taken from. 
 the name of the river, which signifies the chief water. 
 Some philologists derive the name from cain, fair, fine,, 
 beautiful ; and wy, water. Conwy and Cainwy are 
 equally applicable to this beautiful river. From gwy 
 or wy, water, most of the Welsh rivers derive their 
 names. For instance, Llugwy, clear water ; Elwy, 
 gliding water ; and the above, Conwy, chief watei , or 
 Cainwy, fair or fine water. The site of Conway Castle 
 was anciently called Cannock, from cann, white, fair, 
 clear, and oich, water. 
 
 Criccieth. — Pennant spells it Crickaeth, " The 
 Myvyrian " Cruciaith, and others Crug-caeth. Some 
 
124 PLACE-NAMES IN WALES. 
 
 think it is a compound of crug, a heap, a hillock, and 
 aeth, sorrow, pain ; signifying a frightful or foimidable 
 promontory. Others say it is Crug-caeth, the narrow hill. 
 Perhaps it is a compound of craig aeth, signifying the awful 
 rock. 
 
 Croesor. — A narrow comb in Blaenau Nanmor. 
 Tradition says that Elen Lueddog was on her journey 
 homewards when, on hearing the sad news of her son's 
 death, she sorrowfully exclaimed, " Croesawr i mi " — i.e., 
 " an hour of adversity to me," and the place was called 
 Croesawr or Croesor from that sorrowful circumstance. 
 
 Crynant. — Cry, a corruption of crai, a word im- 
 plying a narrow place ; crai'r nodwydd, the eye of the 
 needle ; nant, a brook. The old inhabitants spell it 
 Crainant, and a bridge that spans Nant-y-Bettws is called 
 Pont-y-Crainant, because under the bridge the brook is 
 very narrow. 
 
 CwMEiGiAU. — Cwm, valley ; eigiau, the plural form 
 of aig, which signifies what biings forth, anything that 
 is prolific. Month (mynydd, mountain) Eigie, in Scot- 
 land, implies a hill covered with luxuriant grass. Eigion 
 is from Latin oceaims, the ocean, and aig is a modern 
 back formation from it. There are several lakes in the 
 valley, and the natural inference is that it was so called 
 from its bifurcated aspect. 
 
 CwMYGLO. — Cwm, valley ; glo, a corruption probably 
 of goleu, goleuni, light ; signifying a \'alley remarkable 
 for enjoying the sunny beams. 
 
 Cymydjiaen. — Cymyd-Cwmwd, a vicinity ; maen, a 
 stone. On the sands, opposite Bardsey Island, there 
 is a stone called Maen Melyn Lleyn, from which the 
 vicinity took its name. 
 
CARNARVONSHIRE. 125 
 
 DiNAS Emrys. — Dinas, a fortified city ; Emrys, the 
 surname of a celebrated bard of the fifth century, who 
 was known by the name of Merddin Emrys, oi Ambrosius. 
 King Gwrtheym presented the place to Emrys, and. 
 hence it is called after his name. 
 
 DoLBADARN. — The church was dedicated to Padarn ;. 
 hence the name. 
 
 DoLGARROG. — A Compound of dol, a meadow, and 
 carog, a torrent, a brook. The place is remaikable for 
 its deep hollows and beautiful waterfalls. 
 
 DoLWYDDELEN. — Some say that the light wording 
 is Dolyddelen, Elen's meadow, from the supposition that 
 Elen Lwyddog, daughter of Coel Codebog, took up her 
 abode here. Others think it is Dol, meadow ; gwydd, 
 wood, and Elen. We rather think the name signifies 
 the meadow of Gwythelan, or Gwyddelan, to whom the 
 church of the parish was dedicated. 
 
 DwYGYFYLCHi. Dwy, a corruption of dy, on, upon ;. 
 gy-cyd, with, united ; fylchi, plural of bwlch, a gap, a 
 breach, a pass. The name signifies the joint passes. 
 Some think the right wording is Rhiwfylchi, which 
 signifies a slope with passes. The village is perched 
 on the mountain side, between Penmaen Mawr, and 
 Penmaen Bach. 
 
 Ebenezer. — The village derives its name from the 
 Congregational Chapel called Ebenezer, which was 
 built when the place was developing into a populous 
 village. 
 
 Edeyrn. — Probably called in honour of Edeyrn ab 
 Nudd. The church is dedicated to St. Edeyrn. 
 
 Ef.«l Newydd. — The name signifies a new smithy. 
 
126 PLACE-NAMES IN WALES. 
 
 Four Crosses. Near the village there are two 
 roads intersecting each other : hence the name. 
 
 Garndolbenmaen. — Gam, a heap, a cairn ; dol, 
 mountain meadow ; pen, top, head ; maen, stone. In 
 the vicinity there is a large mount, on which might 
 have been a watch-tower. About the beginning of the 19th 
 century some cairns and urns were discovered heie. 
 
 Garswyllt. — Probably a corruption of corswyUt, 
 which signifies a wild bog. 
 
 Glan Adda. — A corruption, probably, of Clyn 
 Eiddw ; clyn, a place coveied with biakes ; eiddw, ivy, 
 
 Glanwydden. — -The village takes its name from 
 a farm of the name in the vicinity. The name, probably, 
 is a compound of glan, brink, side, shore, bank ; and 
 gwydden, a standing tree ; or gwydd-din, woody hill. 
 
 Groeslon. — Groes-croes, cross ; Ion, a narrow road ; 
 signifying the cross road. Lon is from the English word 
 lane. 
 
 Gwibernant. — ^This name is variously spelt, namely, 
 Ewybr Nant, a fleet, swift biook ; Gwyher Nant, a brook 
 of sweet water ; 3M(i Gwiber Nant, Hit Vi-pex'shTodk. The 
 last is the proper name. 
 
 GwYDiR. — Prima facie one may take it to be a com- 
 pound of gwy, water, and tir, land. Some derive it from 
 gwydir, glass, upon the supposition that the mansion of 
 Gwydir was the first house in Wales to have glass win- 
 dows. Sir John Wynn mentions a date of 1512 on 
 a window at Dolwyddelen, which is long before the 
 building of Gwydir. Cynddelw Brydydd Mawr, who 
 flourished about the year 1250, mused the following 
 line : — 
 
 " Trwy ffenestri Gwydir yd ym gwelant " 
 
CARNARVONSHIRE. 127 
 
 that is, " They see me through the glass windows." The 
 name probably is a corruption of gwaed, blood, and tir, 
 land, signifying the bloody land. Bloody battles were 
 fought here between Llywarch Hen and his foes about 
 the year 610, and also between Gruffydd ab Cjman and 
 Traehaearn ab Caradog, and others. 
 
 Gyffin. — An inflection of cyffin, a confine, a limit, 
 a border. The village is situated on the rivulet Gyffin, 
 about three-quarters of a mile from Conway, which was 
 anciently called Caer Gyffin. 
 
 HiRAEL. — Hir, long ; ael, brow ; ad bryn, the brow 
 ■of a hiU. The name is quite descriptive of the situation 
 of the village. 
 
 Hebron. — ^The village took its name from the 
 Congregational Chapel that was built in the place. 
 
 Llanaelhaiarn. — ^The church is dedicated to 
 Aelhaiarn, a brother of Llwchhaiam, and a saint of the 
 sixth century. 
 
 Llandrillo. — ^The church is dedicated to St. Trillo. 
 
 Llanddyniol. — ^The church is dedicated to Deiniolen, 
 3. descendant of Dunawd, the founder of Bangor Iscoed. 
 
 Llanllechid. — ^The church is dedicated to Llechid, 
 daughter of Ithel Hael, and a saint of the sixth cen- 
 tury. 
 
 Llaneugan, or Llaneinon. — ^The church is dedi- 
 <;ated to Einion, a royal saint of the sixth century. The 
 following inscription was in the belfry of the church 
 some time ago : " Eneanus Rex Wallia Fabricavit." 
 
 Llandegwynin. — ^The fair church of Gwynin, a 
 saint of the seventh century, to whose memory it was 
 dedicated. 
 
128 PLACE-NAMES IN WALES. 
 
 Llangwnadle. — The church is dedicated to Guynodl, 
 son of Seithenyn, and a celebrated saint of the sixth 
 century. 
 
 Llanrhychwyn. — According to the " Myvyiian," 
 the chuich was dedicated to Rhychwyn, son of Ithel 
 Hael. 
 
 Llandwrog. — The chuich is dedicated to Twrog, 
 son of Ithel Hael. 
 
 Llanfor. — The church is dedicated to Alor ah 
 Ceneu ab Coel, a saint of the fifth century. 
 
 Llaniestyn. — The chuich is dedicated to lestyn ab 
 Gerainf, the founder of it. He flourished about the end 
 of the sixth centur}?. 
 
 Llandudwen. — The chuich was dedicated to 
 Titdwcii, a Welsh saint. 
 
 Llandudno. — The church is dedicated to Tudno, 
 son of Seithenyn, and a saint of the sixth century. A 
 curious rocking stone, called Cryd Tudno, Tudno's 
 cradle, is seen on the Great Orme's Head. 
 
 Llanberis. — The chuich was dedicated to Peris, a 
 saint of the sixth century, and a caidinal missioned 
 from Rome, took up his abode and died here. 
 
 Llanarmon. — The church is dedicated to Garmon,- 
 or Germanus, a saint and bishop of the fifth centuiy. 
 
 Llangystenyn. — ^The church was probably dedi- 
 cated to Cystenyn Gerneu, and not to Constantine the 
 Great, as some believe. 
 
 Llanfaelrys. — The church was dedicated to- 
 Maelfrys, a descendant of Emyr Llydaw, and a saint 
 of the sixth century. 
 
CARNARVONSHIRE I29 
 
 Llanystumdwy. — Ystum, a bend, a turn, a curve, a 
 form ; dwy, two ; signifying the form of two rivers. 
 
 Llanbeblig. — ^The church is dedicated to Peblic, 
 (Pubhcus), son of Macsen Wledig, and a saint of the fifth 
 century. 
 
 Llanllyfni. — Llyfni, the name of the river that 
 flows through the village. The name signifies a church 
 on or near the smooth water. 
 
 Llandegai. — Tegai, son of Ithel Hael, and a pop- 
 ular saint of the sixth century, founded the church 
 In " Achau y Saint," he is Tegai Glasog o Maelan. 
 This beautiful little place is called a " model village." 
 
 Llanbedrog. — ^The church is dedicated to Pedrog, 
 son of Clement, who is supposed to have founded it in 
 the seventh century. 
 
 Llanrhos. — Rhos, a dry meadow, a plain ; the 
 name signifies a church on the meadow. The church 
 is celebrated for the death of Maelgwyn Gwynedd, who 
 had taken shelter here to avoid the fad felen, yellow 
 plagu«, which at that time raged through Europe. How- 
 ever, he fell a victim to the plague, and was buiied in 
 this church ; hence the adage—" Hun Maelgwyn yn 
 Eglwys y Rhos " — i.e., the sleep of Maelgwyn in Llanrhos. 
 
 Llanfaglan.— The church is dedicated to Baglan, 
 son of Dingad. 
 
 Llanfihangel-y-Pennant.— The church is dedi- 
 cated to St. Michael, and is situated near the river Pennant. 
 
 Llangybi.— The church is dedicated to Cybi, a 
 popular British saint of the sixth century. 
 
 Llanfair Fechan.— The church is dedicated to 
 
130 PLACE-NAMES IN WALES. 
 
 St. Mary, and the adjective fechan, small, little, was 
 added probably to distinguish it from other and larger 
 churches dedicated to the same saint. 
 
 Llithfaen. — Llith implies attraction ; maen, stone. 
 There is a stone in the vicinity that partakes of the 
 nature of a loadstone, from which, probably, the place 
 derives its name. 
 
 Meini Hirion. — Meini, plural of maen, stone ; 
 hirion, plural of hir, long. Druidic monuments, such 
 as cromlechs and other large stones, are still visible in 
 this vicinity. The place took its name from the long 
 stones that weie seen above the Bwlch, which, accord- 
 ing to tiadition, weie conveyed there by a giant. 
 
 Moel Trypan. — Moel, bare, bald ; tryfan, high 
 place, upland. 
 
 Mynytho. — A corrupted foim of mynyddoedd, 
 mountains. The name is quite descriptive of the 
 place, which is situated on a rugged eminence. 
 
 Nazareth. — ^This village takes its name from 
 Nazareth, the Congregational Chapel. 
 
 Nannau. — Plural form of nant, a brook. 
 
 Nantfprancon. — Nant, a brook ; ffrancon, a beaver ,; 
 the name signifies the beaver's hollow. 
 
 Nantlle.— A compound of nant, a brook, and lief, 
 a cry, a voice, so called from the traditional belief that 
 some sorrowful cries were heard near the brook at some 
 remote period. 
 
 Nepyn. — The church was probably dedicated to 
 Nefyn, daughter of Brychan Brycheiniog, and a saint 
 of the fifth century ; hence the name of the place. 
 
CARNARVONSHIRE. 131 
 
 PoRTMADoc. — In 1813, Mr. Maddock, Tan-yr-Allt, 
 jnade an embankment to save the site of the present 
 town from the incursions of the sea ; and in 1821, he 
 obtained an Act of Parhament for opening a port in the 
 place, so he is naturally called the founder of the town, 
 and his name was deservedly bestowed upon it. 
 
 PONTNEWYDD. — Pont, bridge ; newydd, new ; so 
 •called from a certain bridge, that was built over the 
 river Gwyrfai. 
 
 Pwllheli. — Pwll, pool ; heli, salt water ; the sea- 
 port is situated on the edge of Cardigan Bay. The 
 '" Myvyrian " derives heli from Heli, the son of Glanog. 
 
 PoRTDiNORWiG. — Din, a hiU fort ; The Rev. Isaac 
 Taylor derives it thus : Port Dyn Norwig, the " Port of 
 the Norway men," founding his reasons upon the pro- 
 bability that the Normans frequently visited that haven. 
 His derivation in our opinion, is rather far-fetched 
 and misleading. Dinorwig probably means " fort of the 
 ■Ordovices." 
 
 Penygroes. — So called- after an insignificant cot- 
 tage of the name, which stood near a crossway. 
 
 Penmaenmawr. — Pen, head ; maen, stone, rock ; 
 mawr, great. The prefix pen is frequently found in the 
 names of mountains, such as Ben Nevis, Appennines, 
 Pennignant ; La Penne, Penard, &c. Penmaenmawr is a 
 huge mountain, 1545 feet perpendicular from its base, 
 being the terminating point of the Sr.owdonian rarge 
 of mountairs. The beautiful waterir.g-place, which 
 shelters at its base, takes its name from it. Some thir.k 
 the right wording is Penmonmawr. The adjacent, promon- 
 tory is now frequently called — 
 
132 PLACE-NAMES IN WALES. 
 
 Penmachno. — Machno, a mutation of Machnawf ; 
 mach-moch, ready, quick, swift ; nawf, swim. " Moch. 
 dysg nawf mab hwyad " — i.e., the young of the duck 
 soon learn to swim. Machno is the name of the river 
 near which the village is situated. Some are of opinion, 
 that the name signifies the head of Machno, a descend- 
 ant of one of the Irish princes that visited these shores 
 about the fourth century. The common opinion of the 
 inhabitants is that machno is a corruption of mynachlog^ 
 monastery, founding their reason upon the supposition 
 that a monastery stood here in time of yore. 
 
 Pentir. — The name means headland. Centire has 
 the same signification. Pen in Gaehc is cen. The 
 place is also called Llangedol, from the dedication of 
 its church to Cedol, a Welsh saint. 
 
 Penrhyn. — Rhyn means a promontory. Rhe, run. 
 rain, and rhyn, are derivatives of the Sansciit ri. Rhedeg, 
 running ; reindeer, the running deer ; rhe, swift. Penr- 
 hyn, a point of land that runs into the sea. Rhine, a rapid 
 river. The Rhyns are numerous in our island. Rindow 
 Point near Wigton ; Penrhyn in Cornwall ; Rhynd in 
 Perth ; the Rins of Galloway, &c. 
 
 Pen Isa'r Waun.— The name signifies a place 
 situated at the lower end of the meadow. 
 
 Penllech.— This name signifies " the head of the 
 rock," from the situation of the place at the extremity 
 of some rocks on the coast of St. George's Channel. 
 
 Port Penrhyn.— The late Lord Penrhyn made 
 this a shipping-place for the slates that \\ere conveyed 
 from his quarries in the Vale of Nant Ffrancon ; hence 
 the name. 
 
CARNARVONSHIRE. I33 
 
 PiSGAH. — So called from Pisgah, the Congrega- 
 tional Chapel that was built in the place. 
 
 Pencarth. — A compound of pen, head or end, and 
 garth, a promontory, a ridge. 
 
 Pen Morfa. — The name signifies the head or end 
 of the marsh. The village is situated between some 
 high rocks at the end of a tract of meadows on the wes- 
 tern bank of Traeth Mawr, the great beach. It was 
 anciently called Y Wem, and supposed to be a seaport 
 before Mr. Maddock raised the embankment at Port 
 Madoc. 
 
 Rhiw. — The name means a slope, which is in corres- 
 pondence with the physical aspect of the village, being situ- 
 ated on a rising eminence. 
 
 Rhiwaedog. — Rhiw, slope, brow of a hill ; gwaedog, 
 bloody ; signifying the bloody brow. The place is noted 
 for a battle fought between Llywarch Hen and the 
 Saxons, in which Cynddelw, his last son, fell. 
 
 Roewen. — Probably a corruption of yr wy wen, 
 the v/hite river. A place called Gorswen is contiguous 
 to it. 
 
 Rhydgoch. — The name signifies the red ford, 
 
 Rhydyclafdy. — Rhyd, a ford ; clafdy, hospital ; sig- 
 Tiifying a ford near the hospital. Several names in this 
 Tieighbourhood point to the probability that it was once 
 a scene of war. 
 
 Rhosfawr. — Rhos, a moor ; fawr-mawr, great. 
 
 Rhoslan. — Rhos, a moor ; lan-Uan, a sacied in- 
 closuie, a church. 
 
134 PLACE NAMES IN WALES 
 
 Rhostryfan. — Rhos, a moor ; tryfan, high place. 
 The village is situated on a high elevated place. 
 
 Sarn. — The name geneially means a road. Six 
 roads meet at a certain point in the village ; hence 
 the name. 
 
 Trefor. — A compound of tref, place, town, and 
 fawr, large, great. 
 
 Ty'nlon. — Ty, a house ; yn, in ; }', the ; ion 
 NorthwaUan word for a narrow road. The name sig- 
 nifies a house in or near the road, and the \dllage pio- 
 bahly derived it from a farm-house of the name. 
 
 Talsarn. — Tal, end ; sarn, road ; the name signifies 
 the end of the Roman load. Sani y Cyfiawn, the high- 
 way of the righteous. Sarn Helen occurs fiequently in 
 Welsh history. Helen was a Welsh princess, the daugh- 
 ter of Euddaf, that is, Octavius, a Cambiian piince, 
 and the wife of Macsen Wledig, or Maximus, the emperor.- 
 Sarn Helen is an old Roman road , so called by the emperor- 
 in honour of his wife. 
 
 Tydwaeliog. — Some are of opinion that the church 
 was originally dedicated to Tydwal, a Welsh saint. 
 
 Tremadog. — The derivation of Poitmadoc is almost 
 equally applicable to this name. The only diffeience 
 lies in the prefix. Tre means an abode, a town. 
 
 Talycafn. — Tal, front, end ; y, the ; cajn, a tray or 
 trough ; signifying the head or end of the trough. The- 
 name faithfully represents this isolated and encircled 
 spot of the parish. 
 
CARNARVONSHIRE. I35 
 
 Trefriw. — Tref, a place, a town ; rhiw, a slope, a 
 brow of a hill. This pretty little village is situated on 
 a small eminence, commanding an extensive view of 
 the beautiful Vale of Llanrwst. 
 
 Ty'ndonen. — ^The correct wording probably is 
 Tyddyn yr Onnen, the ash tenement. This is one of the 
 many place names in Wales where tyddyn is reduced to tyn. 
 
 WAE'NFAWR.—Waen or Waun, a meadow, a com- 
 mon ; fawr-mawr, great ; the great meadow. The 
 site of the present straggling village was once a large 
 meadow, covering one square mile, where the neigh- 
 bouring farmeis were wont to turn theii cattle in the 
 summer to graze, and quench their thiist in the river 
 Gwyrfai. 
 
 Ynys Enlli. — From Ynys Fenlli, i.e., Benlli Gawr, 
 or Benlli the Giant. 
 
 The English called it Bardsey Island, the isle of 
 the bards. It is said that the bards resorted there, 
 preferring solitude to the intrusion of foreign invaders. 
 
DENBIGHSHIRE. 
 
 Anglicized form of Dinbych, which is variously de- 
 rived. A variety of very forceful derivations have been 
 suggested, such as Dimbach, which mears " no hook," 
 in allusion to the time when fishing hooks were obtain- 
 able in the place. Is it not Dinbach ? Din, a hill ; bach, 
 little or small. The last derivation is amply supported 
 by the geographical position of the place, being a 
 small hill in comparison wiih the loftier eminences that 
 tower above it. The county derives its name from the 
 town. 
 
 Abergele. — This pleasant market town is so called 
 from its situation near the mouth of the river Gele. The 
 river, according to some, derives its name from gele, 
 leech. A considerable number of leeches were seen at 
 the estuary in olden times. 
 
 AcTYN. — A corrupt form of ac-tiut-oakto-wr.. 
 
 Bangor Iscoed. — The woid Bangor here means the 
 superior or principal church or college. Iscoed, under 
 the wood. This place is famous for being the site of the 
 most ancient monastery or rather seminary in Britain. 
 It was founded according to the old writers by Lucius, the 
 son of Coel, and first Christian king of Britain, prior to the 
 year i8o. Pelagius was here about the j^ear 400. The 
 institution sometime contained 2,400 monks. It was also 
 the site of the supposed Bonium or Borium, a Roman 
 station. 
 
 Bersham. Bers is supposed to be an Enghsh personal 
 name. It occurs in the Cheshire Doomsday Book. The 
 name, probably, signifies Bers' ham, settlement, or manor. 
 
DENBIGHSHIRE. I37 
 
 BoNTNEWYDD. — A Compound of font, a bridge, and 
 
 ■newydd, new. 
 
 Brymbo. — Brym is a corruption of bryn, hill. Bo, 
 accordir.g to some is an abbreviation of the word boda, 
 the kite, which is supposed to have made this place a 
 iavourite place of refuge at times of peril. Some say it 
 is a corruption of Brynbaw, hill of dirt. It was spelt Brin- 
 baw in 1339, and also the forms Brenbowe and Brimbo 
 are four.d in the same year. 
 
 Brynkinalt. — ^A compound of bryn, a hill ; cyn, 
 prior ; gallt, a woody slope. The name imphes that a 
 .mountain exisled before the trees that grew on it. 
 
 Bodrhychwyn. — Bod, a dwelling ; Rhychwyn, the 
 ■n.ame of the son of Ithel Hael, who is supposed to have 
 taken up his abode here. 
 
 BwLCHCYNBRYD. — Bwlch, a gap, breach, pass ; 
 ■Cynbryd, the name of a saint of the fifth century, 
 supposed to have been killed by the Saxons at the place 
 which bears his name. 
 
 Cefx MAVi'R. — The name signifies a high- ridge, so 
 ■called to distinguish it from Cefnbychan, which is in 
 ■close proximity. 
 
 Cristionydd. — The name means a worshipper of 
 Christ, a Christian. 
 
 Chirk. — In Welsh the place is called Eglwys y Waen, 
 the church of the moor. Pennant is of opinion that Chirk 
 is a dialectic variety of the word whence church is derived. 
 Compare the Scotch kirk. Some think the name is a muti- 
 lation of Ceiriog, its ancient name. The place is in close 
 proximity to the river Ceiriog. 
 
138 PLACE-NAMES IN WALES. 
 
 Clog Caenog. — Clog, a detached rock ; caenog,- 
 having a cover enclosed. Caenen, a covering. There 
 are some excellent quariies of stone in this mountain- 
 ous district, and some parts of it abound with heaths. 
 
 Ceryg-y-Drudion. — A corruption of Ceryg-y- 
 Dewrion, the stones of the champions or wairiois, so 
 called fiom a large heap of stones that stood a century 
 or two ago, near the church in memory of some cele- 
 brated warriors. Some think drudion is a corruption 
 of dntydion, or derwyddon, druids ; hence the interpre- 
 tation would be " stones of the Druids." 
 
 Derwen. — ^The name means an oak, so called, 
 probably, from the abundance of oaks in the district. 
 
 Dolwen. — Dol, a meadow ; wen, feminine form of 
 gwyn, white. 
 
 Eglwys Bach. — Eglwys, church ; Bach, the name 
 of the son of Corwel, who took refuge in North Wales 
 in the seventh century, devoted himself to religious 
 life, and founded a church on the banks of the Conwy ; 
 hence the name of the place. 
 
 Esgair Ebrill. — Esgair, & shank, a long ridge, that 
 which stretches out ; Ebrill, April. 
 
 Efenechtyd. — A corruption of y fyneichdyd, the 
 monk's land ; mynach, monk ; dyd, or dud, land. 
 
 EsCLUSHAM. — Esglyw, protection, defence, and //(;;;;, 
 a place, but much more probably from Eglwys:=Ecclesia, 
 a church. The place is in close proximity to Offa's 
 Dyke. 
 
 Fron. — An inflection of bron, a pointed or breast- 
 shaped hill. 
 
DENBIGHSHIRE. 139 
 
 Ffrwd. — -The name means a stream, a torrent. 
 " Ffrwd yr afon," the stream of the river. 
 
 Glynceiriog. — Glyn, a narrow vale ; Ceiriog, the 
 name of the river that fiows through the valley. 
 
 Garthen. — From gaerddin, fortified hill, so called 
 from an old British camp in the place. In this place 
 Owain Gyfeiliog vanquished the Saxons in 1161. 
 
 Gresford. — A corruption of Groesffordd, so called 
 from its close proximity to an old cross. 
 
 Gwersyllt. — The name signifies a camp or encamp- 
 ment. 
 
 Gwytherin. — From Sant Gwytherin, to whom the 
 church was dedicated. He flourished about the end 
 of the sixth centi^ry. Gwyth, vein ; erin, gold. 
 
 Gefailrhyd. — Gefail, smithy ; rhyd, ford. 
 
 Henllan. — Hen, old ; llan, church. A name of 
 frequent occurrence in Wales. The old church, dedi- 
 cated to St. Sadwrn, was demolished, and re-built in 
 1806. 
 
 Holt. — ^The Norse for wood, 01 hold of wild animals. 
 We find Birg-hoU in Essex, which means the fortress 
 in the wood. According to Lewis's " Topographical Dic- 
 tionary," the ancient name was Castell Lleon, the " castle 
 of the legions," and the present name was probably derived 
 from a family of the name of Holt, who are said to have 
 held the castle in remote times. 
 
 Llanrhaiadr-yn-Mochnant. — Rhaiadr, waterfall ; 
 yn, the ; mochnant, quick, swift-brook. According to 
 this interpretation, the name signifies a church built 
 near the swift water. Others say that moch means 
 
140 PLACE-NAMES IN WALES. 
 
 swine, ard that the word nant is applied to the whole 
 valley, irxlusive of the brook that flows through it, 
 on the traditional belief that the place was some time 
 abounding with wild hogs. The latter is the more 
 plausible and acceptable. Dr. Wm. Morgan , the first trans- 
 lator of the Bible into Welsh, was vicar of the place. 
 
 Llanelian. — From Elian Geimiad, a saint of the 
 sixth century, to whom the church was dedicated. Elian's 
 "Well is near the village. 
 
 Llanegwestl. — From Egwestl, to whom the old 
 ■church was dedicated. Einion Waun alludes to him 
 in the following couplet : — 
 
 " Gwr a wna'j fel Gwair fab Gwestl, 
 Gwyr wawr yn IlAwr Llanegwestl." 
 
 i.e.' — Like Gwestyl's son, he lies in gloom profound 
 In Valle Crucis Abbey's holy ground. 
 
 Llanelidan. — The church is dedicated to St. 
 Elidan. 
 
 Llangollen. — From Collen, a saint of the seventh 
 century. A Welsh legend recounts his martial deeds 
 when he was in the Roman army, and shows how he 
 became Abbot of Glastonbury, and spent the latter 
 end of his life in that delightful vale which still bears 
 his name. 
 
 Llanfair Dyffryn Clwyd. — Llanfair, St. Mary's 
 church ; dyffryn, vale ; Clwyd, the name of the pic- 
 turesque and fertile vale in which the church is situa- 
 ted. Clwyd is probably a mutation of llwyd, vener- 
 able, adorable. " Duw Iwyd," the adorable God. 
 
 Llaxrhaiadr Dyffryn Clwyd. — Rhaiadr means 
 ■cataract, waterfall. Rhaiadru, to spout out. " Ffynnon 
 Ddyfrog," Dyvrog's well, a short distance from the 
 
DENBIGHSHIRE. 141 
 
 church, suddenly disappears in the fissures of the rock. 
 Dy-ffryn Clwyd has been explained alrea dy. 
 
 Llanrhudd. — A corruption of Llanrhyd, the church 
 by the ford. 
 
 Llansantffraid-glan-Conwy. The church was 
 
 dedicated to St. Ffraid, and the village stands on the 
 banks of the river Conway. The name of the rail- 
 way-station is Carog, to distinguish it from the other 
 Llansantffraid. 
 
 Llandyrnog. — From Dyrnog, a descendant of 
 Seithenin, to whom the church is dedicated. 
 
 Llansilin. — ^The church is dedicated to Silin, a 
 descendant of Emyr Llydaw, and a saint of the sixth 
 century. Eglwys Sulien, Cardigan, also bears his name. 
 
 Llangwyfen. — From Cwyfen, a descendant of 
 Caradog Breichfras. 
 
 Llandrillo. — From Trillo, son of Ithel Hael, and 
 a saint of the sixth century. He was a member of 
 the Enlli seminary. This village is famous for being the 
 residence of Maelgwyn Gwynedd in the fifth century,, 
 and afterwards of Edn3rfed Fychan, chief of one of the 
 royal tribes of Wales. 
 
 Llanhychan. — From Hychan, a descendant of 
 Brychan, and a saint of the fifth century. 
 
 Llangynhafal. — ^The church is dedicated to Cyn- 
 hafal, a descendant of Caradog Fieichfras, and a saint 
 of the seventh century. 
 
 Llangernyw. — ^The church was founded by St. 
 Digain in the fifth century, and probably dedicated it 
 to his father, Cystenyn Gemeu, a British king, and son 
 
T42 PLACE-NAMES IN WALEB. 
 
 •of Cadwr, the prince of Cernyw (Cornwall) ; hence the 
 name Llangernyw. 
 
 Llanewst. The old church was built in 1170, and 
 dedicated to Crwst, a descendant of Urien Rheged, and 
 a saint of the seventh century. Lord Herbert burned 
 the church in 1468, and the present one was built in 
 1470. Pennant says the church was dedicated to St. 
 Rhystid, or Restitutus, Archbishop of London, in 361. 
 
 Llangadwaladr. — The church is dedicated to 
 Cadwaladr, the Blessed, who succeeded his father, 
 Cadwallawn, to the throne of Britain in 634. He was 
 the last of the Welsh princes who assumed the title of 
 King of Britain. 
 
 Llangedwyn. — From Cedwyn, a descendant of 
 ■Gwrthefyr, the king, and a saint of the sixth century. 
 It is supposed he was buried in the church. 
 
 Llansant Sior. — The church, probably, is dedicated 
 to St. George, hence the name. Kinmel Park is close by, 
 where, according to tradition, Oliver Cromwell was con- 
 cealed when Carter, his general lived there. A very big 
 spur was seen in St. George's church, called Oliver 
 Cromwell's spur. 
 
 Llansantffraid Glyndyfrdwy. — The church was 
 dedicated to St. Ffraid. Glyn, glen, a narrow, deep valley; 
 Dyfrdwy, Dee. The Dee valley extends about seven miles 
 in length, and lies in the paiishes of Llangollen, Llandj'si- 
 lio, Coiwen, and Llansantffraid. In this parisih was the 
 prison where Owen Glyndwr confined his captives, and the 
 place was called Cavchardy Owen Glyndwr, Owen Glyndwr's 
 prison. 
 
DENBIGHSHIRE. 143 
 
 Llandegla. — The church was probably dedicated 
 to Tegla, who, according to tradition, was converted to 
 Christianity by the Apostle Paul, and suffered martyr^ 
 ■dom under Nero at Iconium. The celebrated Tegla's 
 Well is about 200 yards from the Church. 
 
 Llanddulais. — From Dulais — du, black ; glais, a 
 brook — ^the river on which the church is situated. 
 Here the unfortunate Richard the Second was be- 
 trayed into the hands of his formidable rival to the 
 throne. The cantrev is called Is-Dulais. 
 
 Llanferres. ^The church was probably dedi- 
 cated, about the latter end of the fourth century, to 
 Berres, a disciple of St. Martin, the Hungarian. Dr. 
 John Davies, the eminent antiquarian, and the author 
 of the Welsh-Latin Dictionary, was a native of this 
 parish. 
 
 Llangwm. — ^The name signifies a church in the 
 vale or dingle. 
 
 Llanddoged. — ^The church was dedicated to Doged 
 a descendant of Cunedda, and a saint of the sixth century. 
 " Bonedd y Saint " calls him Doged the King. 
 
 Llanefydd. — Nefydd, a descendant of Brychan, 
 and a saint of the fifth century, founded the church. 
 
 Llansannan. — Senau, or Senanus, was a saint and 
 an Irish bishop of the sixth century, and it is in- 
 ferred that he lived in Wales from the fact that this 
 church was dedicated to him. 
 
 Llanfair-Talhaiarn. — The church is dedicated to 
 St. Mary. Talhaiarn was a celebrated bard and saint 
 of tfie sixth century. He was also a chaplain to Emrys 
 
144 PLACE-NAMES IN WALES. 
 
 Wledig ; but after the latter was killed, he became a. 
 hermit, and founded the church which bears his Name. 
 
 Llanarmon-yn-Ial. — ^The church was dedicated to 
 St. Garmon, bishop of Auxerre. lal, the name of the 
 cantrev, means an open space or region. Tir ial, open 
 land. Yale, Derbyshire, is derived from the same root. 
 Ial is the differentia, added to distinguish the place 
 from the other Llanarmon. The ' Topographical 
 Dictionary of Wales " says that " within a niche in the 
 outer waU of the church is the figure of a bishop, six 
 feet four inches in height, which is said to be that of 
 St. Germanus, Bishop of Auxerre, who, with St. Lupus, 
 gained over the Picts and Saxons at Maesgarmon, near 
 Mold, in the year 420, the celebrated victory called by 
 historians Victoria AUeluiatica." 
 
 Llanarmon Dyffryn Ceiriog. — The village is 
 situated on the river Ceiriog ; hence the differentia. 
 The parish is supposed to have been the burial-place 
 of St. Germanus. 
 
 Llysfaen. — The name signifies the stone court or 
 palace. 
 
 Lodge. — The village is situate on the Lodge Estate. 
 In 1844 there was only one house in the place, which is 
 now so densely populated. 
 
 Marchwiail. — March, perhaps, is the same as marc, 
 a mark, and wiail is the plural of gwialen, a rod. View- 
 ing the geographical position of this place, being in 
 close proximity to Wat's Dyke, we are of opinion that 
 the line of demarcation was made of- rods or poles ; 
 hence the origin of the name. 
 
 MiNERA. — The name of this place was Mwyn-y- 
 
DENBIGHSHIRE. 145 
 
 ClawM, the mine-ditch, in allusion to Offa's Dyke, 
 which passes through it ; and the present name is pro- 
 bably derived from the abundance of minerals it 
 contains. It is supposed that the Welsh name was not 
 mentioned until 1685, whereas the name Minera can 
 be tiaced back to 1339. 
 
 MocHDRE. — Moch, quick, swift ; or, perhaps, it is 
 the plural for pigs ; dre-tref, a dwelling-place. 
 
 MoELFRE. — Moel, bare, bald ; fre-fryn, hill. 
 
 Moss. — A corruption, perhaps, of ffos, a ditch, or 
 trench. Ffos is cognate with the Latin fossa, a ditch. 
 Moss is the Norse for bog. 
 
 Nantglyn. — Nant, brook ; glyn, glen, vale. 
 
 Oernant. — Oer, cold ; nant, brook. 
 
 PoNTYGLYN. — The bridge of the glen. This biidge 
 stands at the head of a woody glen. 
 
 Pentre'r Bais. — ^The village of the petticoat. The 
 name is supposed to be a nickname. It appears that 
 Mary Bartley's cottage was the first to form the nucleus of 
 the village, hence the name. 
 
 Rhostyllen. — The modern village has grown up 
 between two farmhouses : the first of them was called 
 ■ y Rhos,' and the other ' Bryn y pentre.' Perhaps 
 the correct foim is ' Rhos Astyllen,' the Ribwort moor. 
 
 Penrhos. — A compound of pen, head, end ; and 
 rhos, a meadow, a moor. 
 
 Pensarn. — ^The name signifies the end of the Roman 
 road. Castell-y-cawr, the giant's castle, which is con- 
 sidered to be one of the most complete Roman camps 
 in the kingdom, is in this vicinity. 
 L 
 
146 PLACE-NAMES IN WALES. 
 
 Pentre Celyn (Cuhelyn). — The village of Cuhelyn. 
 
 Pentrefoelas. — Pentre, village ; moel, a pile, a 
 conical hill ; las-glas, blue. Many of our mountains 
 and hills bear the name moel, such sis Moel Siabod, 
 Y Foel (Cwmavon), Moelyfamau, Moelwyn, Y Foel 
 Goch, and the Foel Las. Some think the correct wording 
 is Pentre-foel-aes, the village of the Bald Shield. 
 
 PoNTLLOGELL. — Pont, bridge ; llogell, pocket, so 
 called, probably, from the pedestrians being obliged to 
 put their hands into their pockets to pay a certain fee 
 before crossing the bridge. 
 
 PoNKEY. — A corruption of Poncyn, a small hillock, 
 or it may be a contraction of the plural fonciMi. 
 
 Pantygroes. — Pant, small dirgle ; y, the ; croes- 
 groes, cross. It is said that the form of a cross which was 
 once visible on a certain spot in the neighbouihood, 
 was descroyed by Cromwell's soldiers, but from which 
 circumstance the place was called Pantygroes. 
 
 Rhydonen. — Rhyd, ford ; onen, the ash tiee. One 
 writer thinks it is a corruption of Rhyd Hen, the old 
 fold ; but this is rather far-fetched. Hewcis of wood 
 in olden times might have co--^.veyed the ash trees over 
 the ford, neai which a bridge now stands. 
 
 Rhoshobyn. — Rhos, meadow ; hobyn, pig ; Yr Hob 
 was in ar.cient times the popular word for swine. " Hob 
 y deri dan do," i.e. — The boar of the wood safely lodged 
 ur.der roof. Having captured the boar in the woods and 
 brought him safely to the house, the popular Welsh song 
 " Hob y deri dan do " was sung with rapture and joy. 
 
 Rhosllanerchrugog. — Rhos, meadow ; Uanerch, 
 glade ; crugog, abounding with tumps. 
 
DENBIGHSHIRE. 
 
 147 
 
 Rhosymedre. — ^A compound of Rhos and yn, the, a 
 •corruption of mhen-pen, and dre-tre, a dwelling place, 
 signif3dng a meadow at the er.d of the town. Some say, 
 that medre is a mutation of mydreu, measures or circles. 
 The former derivation is supported by the geographical 
 position of the village. 
 
 RossET. — A corruption of rhosydd, the plural of rhos. 
 
 RuABON. An Anglicized form of Rhiw Fabon. 
 Rhiw, slope, ascending path ; Mabon, the name of a 
 Welsh saint who lived here, and founded a church about 
 the time of Llewelyn ab lorwerth. Some think the 
 place took its name from its physical aspect, being 
 situate on a rhiw, a slope, near a streamlet called Afoti ; 
 hence Rhiwafon. The foimer is the more popular view. 
 
 Ruthin. — ^This name is variously deiived. Some 
 say that a woman named Ruth once kept a large inn 
 near the (then) village, and, when the place began to 
 ■develop into a town, the people began to call it Ruth 
 Inn. Red is the pie vailing coloui of the soil in the 
 district. The principal parts of the town are situated 
 on red sands or ashes ; hence the name was taken from 
 the ruddy hue of the soil. Rhuih-rhudd, ruddy, crimson, red; 
 in an abbreviation of din ; signifying a ruddy town. The 
 town was burnt by Owen Glyndwr, September 20th, 1400. 
 
 Rhufoniog. — ^This place was given to Rhufawn, 
 son of Cunedda Wledig, for the gallar.tiy shown by 
 -him in driving the Picts from North Wales ; hence the 
 name. 
 
 Threapwood. — Some think threap, is derived 
 from Throp, the meeting of cross roads. Pennant 
 •derives it from Threapian, an Anglo-Saxon word signify- 
 ing to persist in a fact or argument, be it right or wrong. 
 
148 PLACE-NAMES IN WALES. 
 
 Trefnant. — A compound of tref, place, a town, 
 and nant, brook. 
 
 Trefor. — Tref, town ; for-fawr, great ; in contra- 
 distinction to trefan, a small hamlet or city. 
 
 Tre'r Ynys. — Ynys Cyrys, to whom is geneially 
 dedicated the honour of having been the first to collect 
 the Welsh proverbs. The collection is called " Mad- 
 waith hen Gyrys o lal," the good work of old Cyrys of lal.. 
 
 Wig Fawr, or Wicwer. — Wig-gwig, a wood or 
 f 01 est ; Mair, St. Maiy, signifying Mary's wood. There 
 is also a well in the place dedicated to St. Mary. 
 
 Wrexham. — Someone, more wittily than correctly, 
 said that Gwrecsam means Gwraig Sam, Sam's wife. 
 
 " Such short-lived wits do wither as they grow." 
 
 The most ancient forms of the name are Wrighesham 
 and Wrightesham. Old form, Wrightes ham, i.e., 
 Wright's ham. Churchyard, the Elizabethan bard,, 
 described it as " trim Wricksam town, a pearl in Den- 
 bighshire." The name, we think, is a compound of 
 rex, king, and ham, signifying the king's hamlet. A few 
 Latin words were introduced into the speech of the 
 Cj/mry in the middle ages. In the elegy of Meilyr on 
 " Graffydd ab Cynan " (twelfth century) we find the 
 epithet " rex radau," king of gifts, or graces. 
 
 Wynstay. — It was once called Wat-stay from its 
 situation on the famous dyke. The present name was 
 given to it by Sir John Wynn. 
 
 YsBYTTY Ifan. — This village, situated on the banks 
 of the Conwy, took its name from an ysbytfy, hospital, 
 that was founded here in 1189, by Ifan ab Rhys. Tir 
 Ifan is another place in the parish. 
 
FLINTSHIRE. 
 
 The name probably arose from that of the Castle, 
 Castellum-supev-Fluentum, i.e., the castle near the sea. 
 The county is exceedingly rich in minerals, especially 
 lead and coal ; but flintstones have not as yet 
 been discovered there ; so that we must seek elsewhere 
 foi the origin of the name. Some think the name refers 
 to the oblor.g form of the county, which, when looking 
 on the map, reminds one of the ancient Celtic knives 
 which were made of flint. 
 
 Adwy'r Clawdd. — Adwy, gap, breach ; Clawdd, 
 dyke. The place is in close proximity to Offa's Dyke ; 
 hence the name. 
 
 St. Asaph. — The Welsh name is Llanelwy, 
 from its situation on the banks of the liver Elwy. 
 The English name was bestowed upon it in honour of St. 
 Asaph, who became the second bishop of the see in 560, 
 died in 596, and was interred in his own cathedral. The 
 township in which it star.ds is called Bryn Paulin, in honour 
 of Paulinus, a Roman general, who made the hill a place 
 of encampment on his way to Mona. Some think the 
 right woiding is Bryn Polyn, the hill of the pole. 
 
 Argoed. — The name signifies a place on or above 
 the wood, and is cognate with Arghait in Scotland. 
 
 BoDiDRis. — From Idris, the son of Llewel}^! Aur 
 dorchog (the golden -torqued), one of the lords of lal. 
 
 BoDFARi. — The common opinion is that the Roman 
 station called Varis was here, and recent discoveries 
 corroborate the theory ; hence the name. 
 
150 PLACE-NAMES IN WALES. 
 
 Bettesfield. — The general opinion is that the 
 field belonged to a woman called Betty. A field below 
 the Baily hill, caUed Cue Owain, Owe I's field, is sup- 
 posed to be the place where Owen and his men encamped 
 when they stormed the Baily castle. There are several 
 fields in this distiict either suffixed or prefixed by proper 
 names. The right wording would be Bettysfield. 
 
 Bagillt. — This name is a perversion of Btigeillt, 
 which is a compound of bii, a cow, an ox, and geillt, the 
 plural foim of gallf, a cliff, an ascent. 
 
 Broughton. — In Doomsday Survey and other 
 old records, the name is spelt as Brocfune, and that in 
 modern English is Brook-town. The Broughton family 
 took their name from this place in the reign of Henry 
 VIII. 
 
 Brynteg. — From an old farm-house so called. The 
 name signifies ' fair-hill.' 
 
 BwLCHGWYN. — The name signifies ' white gap or 
 pass.' The eailiest mention of the name is in a document 
 dated 1649, wheiein Bvvlchgwyn is described as a Common. 
 It takes its name, pi obably, from the white limestone cliffs 
 which lined the old road from Wiexham to Ruthiii. 
 
 Caergwrle. — Caer, fortress ; gwr-aer, boundary ; 
 le-lle, a place, signifying the border fortiess. An old 
 castle beaiing the name is situate about a mile from the 
 village called Hope. It is supposed to have been an out- 
 post to Deva. On the supposition that it was once a 
 Roman station, some think the full woiding is Caer-gawr- 
 lleng, the camp of the great legion ; cawr-Ueng 
 was the name given by the Britons to the twentieth 
 legion. 
 
FLINTSHIRE. I5I 
 
 CiLOWEN. — Cil, a hidden place. Tbis name was 
 given in honour of Owen Gwynedd, who camped there 
 in order to avoid the intrigues of Henry II. 
 
 Caerwys. — Caer, a fortress, a city, from Latin 
 castrensis ; wys-gwys, summons. Some think that the 
 Romans had a station here, where they held theii 
 judicial courts. The bards, in time of yore, frequently 
 held their sessions here. An eisteddfod was held here 
 by royal commission on the 2nd of July, in the 15th 
 year of Henry VIII. The last royal summers for 
 holding these national festivals was issued in the ninth 
 year of the reign of Elizabeth. 
 
 Caerfallwch. — A corruption piobably of Caer, 
 stronghold ; Afallach, proper name. In the pedigree of 
 Sir Owain Tudor we find the name of " Afallech ap 
 Afflech, ap Beli Mawr." This Afallech is supposed to 
 be a nephew of the renowned Caswallawp.. On an 
 adjacent hill called " Moel-y-gacr " theie aie some remains 
 of a British stronghold, which is supposed to have been 
 under the command of Afallech during the Roman incur- 
 sions. 
 
 Cefn. — The name signifies a lidge, which is quite 
 descriptive of the place, being situated on a high emi- 
 nence on the left bank of the river Alun. 
 
 CoEDMYNYDD. — A Compound of coed, wood ; and 
 mynydd, mountain. 
 
 CoEDPOETH. — ^The name signifies " Burnt wood." 
 In Norden's Survey of A.D., 1620, it is described as a 
 " Common." It was at one time the resort of charcoal 
 burners, but it is doubtful whether that sufficiently ex- 
 plains the name. The probability is that the Common 
 
152 PLACE-NAMES IN WALES. 
 
 was sometime covered with tiees which were burnt down. 
 Poeth-offrwm means " bumt-offeiir.g." 
 
 Coed Talon. — Coed, wood, trees ; talon, plural form 
 of tal, towering, high, tall. 
 
 CoLESHiLL. — Literally, hill of coal. The Welsh 
 name is Cwnsyllt, which mear-S the anvil of a smith, 
 and the other English name, Englefield, means the 
 field of the English, which was given to it, perhaps, 
 because the Eail of Chester, and his followers were 
 encamping there when Owain Gwynedd marched to 
 meet him and impede his progress through his territory. 
 
 Cilcain. — Cil, a place of reticat ; cain^iak, beau- 
 tiful. Eurgain was the name of St. Asaph's niece. 
 Pending the religious persecution that lagcd at the 
 time, Eurgain lepaiied to a sequestered spot in this 
 vicinity, built a cell there, and became a reUgious devo- 
 tee. Shoitly afterwaids, she built a church near the 
 cell, which was dedicated to her memory. 
 
 CoEDLLAi. — Coed, wood ; llai, less. It is generally 
 called in Enghsh Leeswood, taking llai to mean less ; 
 but the proper English name is Lesswood. Owing to 
 the abundance of wood in the district, Edward, befoie 
 his conquest of Wales, was obliged to cut a passage 
 through them ; hence there were less trees than bcfoie. 
 
 DoLFFiN. — A compourd of dol, a dale, a meadow ; 
 and ffin, boundary, limit. 
 
 Dyserth. — Dysevth or diserth from latin desertus, 
 a deseit. The village probably takes its name from 
 the ancient castle which occupied the summit of the 
 rock. In time of yore, it was known by the names 
 of Dincolyn, Castell-y-Ffaidon, and Castell Ceri, and 
 
FLINTSHIRE. 153 
 
 is supposed to have been the last of the chain of 
 British posts on the Clwydian hills. Pennant calls 
 it Dissarch. We have Dysart on the Firth of Foith, and 
 Dyzard in Cornwall. 
 
 Ffrith. — ^The right woidir.g, probably, is ffridd, a 
 forest, a plantation. Ffiidd Celyddon, the forest of 
 Calcdoria. The old Welsh fruith, and the modem 
 Welsh ffrwyth from Latin fruit, fructus, belong to the 
 same family of words. 
 
 Garneddwen. — Carnedd, heap of stones, c;drn ; 
 wen, white. 
 
 Gelli. — Celli, a grove, a bowei. 
 
 Glanyrafon. — Glan, brink, side, bank ; yr, the ; 
 afon, river. Glanymor, the sea-shore. Glanydwr, the 
 water-side. Glanyrafon, the river-side. 
 
 Gop. — So called from its close proximity to Gop-ar- 
 leni. — It means the top, the summit. Copa'r pen, the 
 crown of the head. 
 
 GwAENYSCOR. — A Corruption of gwaen, meadow ; is 
 below ; caer, wall, fortress. 
 
 GwESPYR. — Has nothing to do with gwesty, an inn, 
 and pyr, lords, but is a corruption of Eng. Westbury. 
 
 GwERN AFIELD. — A compound of gwern, a swamp, a 
 bog ; and field. Perhaps gwern here means the common 
 aider trees. 
 
 Gronant. — Probably a compound of croyw, clear, 
 sweet, fresh, and nant, a brook ; or gro-nant, sandbrook. 
 
 Hanmer. — A mutation of Handmere, with the d 
 and the final e omitted. Hand requires no comment ; 
 
154 PLACE-NAMES IN WALES. 
 
 mere, cognate with the Latin mare, sea, lake, or pool. The 
 village is situated near a lake, which lies between its 
 banks in the form of a man's hand. The celebrated bard 
 Dafydd ab Edmunt was born in this palish. 
 
 Hawarden. — A corruption of Haordine, which is 
 really a Welsh name ; haw, fixed ; ar, upon ; den-din, 
 hill ; signifying a castle built on a hill. In " Dooms- 
 day " it is Harodin. The " Biut " calls it Penharddlech. 
 Penard or Penarth Halawg is the Welsh name, which 
 means the headland above the lake. Garth, hill, is 
 forcibly expressed in the word lluarth, an entrenchment 
 on the hill. Halawg comes from hal, salt marsh, referr- 
 ing to the Saltney and other marshes, which were for- 
 merly covered by the sea. The modem. Welsh name is 
 Pennar Lag. Penard, high enclosure. Leg, lake. This 
 place is world-renowned for having been the residence 
 of the late Right Hon. W. E. Gladstone, M.P. 
 
 Halkin. — A corruption of the Welsh name Helygen, 
 which means a willow, a willow tree. At the time of 
 the Norman Conquest, the district was called Alchene, 
 a COD traction, probably, of Helygen. The village lies 
 at the base of a mountain called Helygen. 
 
 Holywell. — A free translation of Trefjynnon, so 
 called from St. Winifred's Well, of legendary renown. 
 The original meaning of holy is healing. The water of 
 this well was believed to be efficacious in the 
 cure of all corporeal infirmities. It discharges 21 tons 
 of water in a minute. It is covered by a beautiful 
 Gothic building, supposed to have been erected by 
 Margaret, Countess of Richmond, mother of Henry VI. 
 
 Hope. — The old name was Caergwrle, previously 
 
FLINTSHIRE. 155 
 
 explained. Edward I. took possession of Castle Estyn 
 June 1282, and bestowed it upon Queen Eleanor when 
 on her journey to Carnarvon, where she gave birth to 
 Edward II., the first Englishman that was titled Prince 
 of Wales, from which circumstance the place was called 
 Queen's Hope, and sometimes East Hope to distinguish 
 it from North Hope. 
 
 LicswM. — A compound of Hug, from Greek, lychos, 
 and Latin htx, a light, a gleam ; and cwm, a dingle, a 
 vale, signifying a luminous vale. 
 
 Llanasa. — Asa is an abbreviation of Asaph, a 
 popular saint of the sixth century, who succeeded St.. 
 Cyndeyrn in the see of Llanelwy in 560. The church,, 
 and hence the village, were named in honour of him. 
 Pantasaph took its name from him. 
 
 Llangynfarch. — Cynfarch, a prince of the North 
 Britons, and a saint of the sixth century, founded the 
 church, which was afterwards destroyed by the Saxons. 
 in the battle of Bangor Orchard, 607. 
 
 Llancilcen. — Cil, a hidden place ; Cen-cain, an 
 abbreviation of Eurgain, niece to St. Asaph. She 
 was the founder of the Church. Vide Cilcain. 
 
 Llanerch-y-Mor. — Llanerch, a glade ; y, the ; mor, 
 sea. This town, as its name signifies, is situate near 
 the sea. 
 
 Lloc. — ^The word means a mound, a dam, a fold. 
 Lloc rhag y Llifeiriant, a dam against the flood. Llochi, 
 to protect. Lloches, a covert, a refuge. Lock-gates- 
 are employed on rivers and canals for penning back 
 
J56 PLACE-NAMES IN WALES. 
 
 the water and forming locks. The word here probably 
 implies a sheepfold. 
 
 Llong. — Llong, a ship. The village derives its 
 naiae from a small inn which had. the figure of a ship 
 in full sail on its sign-boaid. 
 
 Meliden. — This place is supposed to derive its 
 name from the dedication of the church to St. Meliden 
 -or Melid. 
 
 Mancot. — A compound of iiian, a place, a spot ; 
 and coed, wood. 
 
 MosTYN. — A corruption, probably, of maes-ddin, 
 Avhich signifies the fortress field. Thomas ap Richard 
 ap Hywel ap Ithel Fychan, at the suggestion of Rowland 
 Lee, Bishop of Lichfield, was the first to adopt the place- 
 name, as a personal name. 
 
 Mold. — Gwyddgrug is the Welsh name, which 
 means " the conspicuous mount or hill," so called 
 from the great heap (now known by the name Bryn 
 Beili, Bailey hill, from the word ballitim, castle-yard), 
 which is near the principal road. The prevalent opinion 
 is, that this heap was once a towei of defence, which stood 
 so conspicuously in the Vale of Alun, that it was called 
 1' Wyddgnig. The Normans partially translated it I\Iont 
 Haul, or Monthmdt, the high mount, and some think it 
 may be a corruption of moel iad, bald pate. The name is 
 obviously one of the few memoiials left us of the Norman 
 Conquest. 
 
 Maesgarmon. — Named in honour of St. Gaimon, 
 who, with Bishop Lupus, led the Britons against, and 
 -obtained a glorious victory over the Pagan Saxons 
 and Picts. This took place in Easter week, 440, and 
 
FLINTSHIRE. 
 
 157 
 
 is to this day called the " Hallelujah yictory " Nehemiah 
 Giifhths, Esq, of Rhual, erected an obelisk in 1736, with 
 an insciiption to commemorate the event. 
 
 Maelor. a corruption of mael, mart, and llawr, 
 ground, signifying a place wheie trade could be cairied 
 on unmolested, or it may be a variant form of maenor. 
 
 Newmarket. — ^The old Welsh name was Rhiwlyf- 
 nwyd, but Pennant calls it Treflawnyd, which signifies 
 " a place full of com.." About the beginning of the 
 i8th century, John Wyr.n, Esq., of Gop, the then owner 
 of the estate succeeded in getting a market here, which 
 had been a long-felt desideratum, and, probably, from that 
 circumstance, the place was henceforth called Newmarket. 
 
 Nannerch. — A compound oinant, a brook, and erch 
 a dark colour, 
 
 Nerquis. — A corruption of Nercwys ; ner, a sovereign; 
 cwys, a furrow. Cwys dir, a furrow of land. 
 
 Xorthop. — In ancient records the name is North- 
 orpe, from North an.d Thorpe, the latter word is the 
 Saxon for village or town. The appellation North was 
 given to it in order to distinguish it from East Hope and 
 East Thorp. 
 
 Llaneurgain is the Welsh name, given from the 
 church having been dedicated to Eurgain, the daughter 
 of Maelgwn Gwynedd, and a saint of the 6th century. 
 She died in 586. 
 
 Overton. — A corruption of Owrtyn. It was anciently 
 called Owrtyn Fadoc from Madoc ab Meredydd, the prince 
 of Powys, who is supposed to have built a castle here. 
 The town is situated on a rising eminence near the 
 river Dee. 
 
158 PLACE-NAMES IN WALES. 
 
 Pentre Hobyn. — Pentre, a village ; hobyn, a pig. 
 Hanerhob, a flitch or side of a hog. This place in ancient 
 times was famous for its abundance of wild boars. Vide 
 Rhos-hobyn, Denbigh. 
 
 Penygelli. — Pen, head, end ; y, the ; gelli, grove. 
 
 Penymynydd. — The name signifies a place situated 
 ■on a mountain. 
 
 Pontbleiddyn. — Pont, a bridge ; bleiddyn, a wolf's 
 cub. 
 
 Prestatyn. — A corruption of Pvysgoed-ddin. In 
 ancient times there was a castle here called Prysgoed- 
 ddin, evidently built by the Kymry, a few ruins of 
 which still remain. Prys, a covert ; coed, wood ; din, 
 fortress ; the name signifies a place of resort. Some 
 say it is a corruption of Prys Tydain, Tydain's place of 
 resort. Prys form a part of many names, Prysaddfed, 
 Pryseddfod, Prystalyn, &c. 
 
 Rhuddlan. — This name is variously derived. Some 
 derive it from Robert de Rothelan, a military chief, 
 who visited the place. Others derive it from rhudd, 
 red ; and glan, bank, from the town being situated on 
 the red banks of the rivei Clwyd. The castle was anciently 
 called Castell Coch yn Ngwernfor, i.e., the red castle 
 on the great plain. The most natural explanation is 
 Rhyd-y-llan, the ford by the church. The name is written 
 even now by the oldest inhabitants Rhydlan. There 
 are three fords in the district ; Rhyd-y-ddau-ddwfr, the 
 ford of the two waters, which is fordable to this day ; 
 For-ryd, the ford by the sea ; and Rhyd-y-llan, the 
 ford by the church. To the north of this ford, on an 
 eminence, there is a church dating back many cen- 
 
FLINTSHIRE. 159 
 
 turies ; and the ford is spanned by a bridge which dates 
 back to 1595. Ere the building of this bridge, the 
 church-goers, undoubtedly, were wont to cross the 
 river by means of this ford, hence it was called Rhyd-y- 
 llan. It is spelt by some Rhyddlan, perhaps from its 
 having been made a free borough by Edward I., whose 
 son was pioclaimed here the Prince of Wales, the first 
 English Piince of Wales, 1283. In 1288, Edward I. 
 held a parliament 01 a council here to divide his new con- 
 quests into coun ties and to give laws to the Welsh. Morfa 
 Rhuddlan is the celebrated marsh where that memorable 
 battle was fought in 795 between the Saxons under Offa and 
 and the Welsh under the vahant Caradog, when the last fell 
 in the cor'.fl.ict. Many names in the vicinity point to the 
 sad catastrophe, such as Bryn y saethau, hill of ariows ; 
 Bryn y lladdfa, hill of slaughter ; Pant y gwae, the vale of 
 woe ; Cae yr orsedd, field of the throne or tribunal. 
 
 Rhyl. — ^This beautiful wateiing-place is situated 
 at the extremity of Saltney marsh, which is called in 
 Welsh Morfa yr Hal, or Yr Haleg. We find the names 
 Penarleg rear Chester, and Plas-yr-hal near Ruthin, and 
 an old mansion in the vicinity is called Ty'n y-Rhyl, 
 which means a house in the salt marsh. Another 
 suggestion is that the form Yr hel from hela, the hunt- 
 ing grourd of Rhuddlan Castle, gave rise to the name. 
 
 Saltney. — An abbreviation of Salteney, which is a 
 translation of the Welsh halenog, abounding with salt. 
 The site of the present village was nothing better than 
 a marsh until the year 1778. 
 
 Sealand. — Soon after the incorporation of " The 
 River Dee Company," in 1740, six hurdred acres of 
 
l60 PLACE-NAMES IN WALES. 
 
 the waste marsti land of this district were purchased 
 from the lord and freeholders of the manor of Hawarden, 
 through which a new channel was cut for the Dee, and 
 soon afterwards some thousands of acres of the sands 
 were redeemed, which are now covered with good crops 
 of com, &c. ; hence the name Sealand. 
 
 Trallon. — A compound of tra-llwng, beyond the 
 marsh, adjoining the marsh, a sinking place, a quagmire. 
 
 Trelan. — A compound of tref, a place, and llan, a 
 church. The parish church is in Trelan. 
 
 Tremeirchion. — Tref, place ; meirchion, a plural 
 form of march ; a word denoting a line of demarcation,, 
 made of rods or poles. Compare Marchwiail, Denbigh- 
 shire. 
 
 Treuddyn. — The name is variously spelt. Treuddyn 
 Tryddyn, and Treddyn. The latter is the most acceptable. 
 Tre, a dwelling ; dyn, a man. 
 
 Talar. — The name means a headland in a field. 
 Tal, head or end ; ar, land, ploughed land. 
 
 Tre'r Abbot. — The abbot's habitation. 
 
 Wepre. — A corruption of Gwybre, its ancient name. 
 Gwy, water ; bre-bryn, a hill. The place is situated on 
 the river Dee. 
 
 YscEiFiOG. — A corruption of Yscawog, abounding 
 with ysgaw, the elder wood. The correct name of the 
 palish is Llan fair Ysceifiog, so called, it is supposed,, 
 from its abundance of elder wood. 
 
GLAMORGANSHIRE. 
 
 Aberavon. — Aber means the mouth of a river, a par- 
 ticular point at which the lesser water discharges itself 
 into the greater. Professor Rhys derives it from ber, the 
 Celtic equivalent of fer, in Latin jer-o, Greek phero, 
 English bear. Its pristine meaning was a volume of 
 water which a river bears or brings into the sea, or into 
 another river, but the general meaning assigned to it 
 now is an estuary, a confluence, the mouth of a river. 
 It is cognate with the Norman French haver, and the 
 Irish inver. 
 
 This ancient town was originally called Aber-Afan, 
 from its situation at the mouth of the river Afan. Some 
 derive Afan from Ban, height ; but we are inclined 
 to think the word is related to one of those many roots 
 that contain the idea of motion. Compare the Sansc. 
 a, ap ; obs. Gael, ahh ; Irish Abhaini, Celtic Awon ; 
 Anton, Afan, and Aman. 
 
 Aberaman. — This place takes its name from the 
 junction of the river Aman with that of the Cynon. 
 For Aman see Aberavon. 
 
 Aberbarri. — A small parish in the Cantrev of Dinas 
 Powys. Some think the postfix comes from Baruch, a 
 disciple of Gilsach, who was buried in Barry Island in 700. 
 
 Abercanaid. — The rivulet Canaid discharges itself 
 here into the river Taff, hence the name. Canaid means 
 white, pure, bright. 
 
 Abercenffig. — Cenffig is a corruption of Cefn-y- 
 FiGEN, the ridge, or elevated ground above the bog. 
 
l62 PLACE-NAMES IN WALES. 
 
 Abercwmboy. — Some say that boy is a corrupted 
 form of bwci, bugbear, hobgoblin, from a tradition that 
 a hobgobUn once haunted the place. Bwci was in course 
 •of time reduced to bo, and ultimately y was added. We 
 rather think the right wording is Aber-cwmbwaau. 
 Bwa is the Welsh for bow. 
 
 The place is also called Cap Coch, red cap. There 
 was a public house here as early as 1650, and tradition 
 has it that the eccentric landlord who was also a cock- 
 fighter, was wont to wear a red cap on a cock-fighting day, 
 hence the name. 
 
 Abercynon. — Cynon means the chief brook or 
 water. 
 
 Aberdar. — Some think that the river Dar takes its 
 name from the abundance of oak trees [coed dar neu derw) 
 that grew upon its banks. Others derive it from du-ar ; 
 dit, black ; ar, arable ground. The right wording pro- 
 bably is dyar, which signifies sound, noise, or din, 
 so called perhaps from its noisy waterfalls in the upper 
 part of the valley. In Aberdyar we have the name in 
 its pristine form. 
 
 Aberdulais. — From its situation at the junction of 
 the rivers Nedd and Dulais Du, black, and dais a brook, 
 river. A little distance from the village the ruin of one of 
 the most ancient tinworks in the count}' still remains. 
 It is called Ynysygerwyn. Ynys anciently signified a 
 quasi-island in the marshes. Bonedd y Saint says that 
 Gerwyn, son of Brychan, was killed in Ynysgerwyn. 
 
 Aberddawen. — Ddawen signifies the silent river. 
 
 Aberfan. — Ban, high ; alban, the upper part. The 
 brook FAN discharges itself here into the river Taff. The 
 
GLAMORGANSHIRE. 163 
 
 village is also called Ynys Owen, Owen's island, from a 
 farm of that name. 
 
 Abergwynfi. — From a farm so called which is 
 situated at the mouth of the brook Gwynfv. Gwynfai, 
 blessed plain. 
 
 Aberrant. — The full name is Aberrant- y-Wexallt: 
 nant, brook ; y, the ; we7i, feminine of gwyn, white ; allt:::^ 
 •gallt, a woody slope or eminence. Nant originally meant 
 a \'ery narrow deep ravine or valley, but it now refers 
 in South Welsh only to the stream that flows through it. 
 
 Abertridwr. — Tri-dwr, three waters, so called from 
 the situation of the place at the junction of three brooks. 
 
 Sion Cent, the famous bard and classical divine was 
 born here about the year 1350. 
 
 Abwrthin. — A corruption, probably, of Aberthin, 
 which signifies a place of sacrifices. It is supposed that 
 Druidical sacrifices were offered here. 
 
 Alltwex. — Allt, a cliff ; gallt goed, a woody slope or 
 eminence ; wen, feminine of givyn, white. 
 
 Baglax. — An abbreviation of Llanfaglan. The 
 church \\-as dedicated to Baglan, a Welsh saint of the 6th 
 century, and son of Dingad, the son of Nudd Hael. 
 
 Bargod. — The full name is Pont-aber-Bargod, 
 signifying the bridge near where the river Bargod flows 
 into the river Rhymney. Originally the river-name means 
 a boundary or march. Bargodiox means the marches of 
 Wales. Comp. the Latin margo, ' margin.' 
 
 Barry. — The island belonged to the family of 
 Giraldus de Barry, who were lords of the island, and gave 
 their name to it. A person of that name was one of the 
 
164 PLACE-NAMES IN WALES. 
 
 inquisitors in the survey of the Lordship of Glamorgan 
 in 1262. 
 
 Bedlinog. — Some think it is a corruption either of 
 Bedd llwynog, fox's grave, or Bod-llv^^ynog, fox's 
 house. There is a farm adjoining called Blaenllwynog. 
 We rather think the right wording is Bedw, birch trees ; 
 and llwynog having a grove. The old house, from which 
 the village is named, is almost surrounded by birch 
 trees. 
 
 The village is also called Cwmfelin, from an old 
 miU in the place. 
 
 Berthlwyd. — From a farm so named. Berth= 
 perth, bush ; llwyd, venerable, blessed ; the name signify- 
 ing the sacred bush. We are told that the Baptists were 
 wont to preach the Gospel and administer the Lord's 
 Supper in this house as early as 1610. 
 
 BiSHOPSTOX. — The Welsh name is Llaxdeilo Fer- 
 wallt. The church is dedicated to Bishop Teilo. Ber- 
 WALLT is a compound of benr, the water-cress, and gallt, 
 a wooded declivit}'. In the ''Liber Landavensis " it is 
 spelt Lanberugall. 
 
 Blackmill. — This is a semi-translation of the Welsh 
 name Melin Ifan Ddu. Melin, mill ; Ifan, Evan, the 
 owner of the mill, who lived in a farm called D6l Ifax 
 Ddu ; hence the name.. 
 
 Black Pill. — Pill is a corruption of the Welsh pil, 
 a creek, a small islet of the sea. The hamlet probably 
 took its name from the blackened stumps of a submerged 
 forest which are to be seen all along the shore. 
 
 Blaengwrach, — The place lies near the source 
 (blaen) of the rivulet Gwrach, cwr, extremity, and ach. 
 
GLAMORGANSHIRE. 165 
 
 water (?) ; the word signifying a ri\-er flowing at the 
 extreme end of a vale. 
 
 Blaenllechau. — Blaen is frequently used as a pre- 
 fix in the names of places that are situated at the extreme 
 «nd of a valley or near the sources of brooks and rivers. 
 The river Llechau was so called probably from the rocky 
 or slaty nature of its channel. 
 
 Blaenycwii. — C'd-m, a low place enclosed with hills. 
 The Saxonised forms are comb, combe, and cum. This 
 village is situate at the extreme end of the Rhondda 
 Valley, hence the name. 
 
 BoDRiNGALLT. Bod, a dwelling place. It originally 
 meant a lord's residence, and in course of time the word 
 was used to denote any house, or residence, or abode. 
 Ringallt is variously derived. Some think it is a corrupt 
 form of rhyngyll, a summoner, from the supposition that 
 Cadwgan y Fwyall, the summoner, took up his abode 
 here. Some think the right wording is dringallt 
 dring, to climb ; and galU, an ascent, a slope. 
 
 BoNviLSTONE. — The Welsh name, Tresimwn, and the 
 English name, Bonvilstone, were bestowed upon the place 
 in honour of Simon Bonville, the chief steward of Sir 
 Robert Fitzhamon. The Normans gave their own names 
 to many villages in the vale of Glamorgan for the simple 
 reason that they could not enunciate the Welsh names. 
 
 Bridgend. — The Welsh name in full is Penybont-ar- 
 Ogwy, 'Bridgend on the Ogmore. The two townships, 
 into which the town is divided take their names from the 
 Oldcastle and Newcastle, built by the Noimans. 
 
 Briton Ferry. — The Welsh name in the sixteenth 
 century was Llan-is-awel, the sheltered church, but the 
 
l66 PLACE-NAMES IN WALES. 
 
 most popular form is Llansawel, from the rhurch being 
 dedicated to Sawyl Benuchel. In ancient M.S.S. the 
 place is called Bert on Ferry, and Brittone Ferry. Some 
 say that Moigan ab Caradog ab lestyn erected a 
 wooden tower on the river-side to stop the Normans 
 from crossing the Ferry on their way from Aberogvvr to 
 Cy dwell. 
 
 Brithdir. — This word means land or soil of medium 
 quality. Briton is denved by som.e from brith, spotted, 
 or parti-coloured. 
 
 Broughton. — From an old form of brook. The root 
 is Barrow, a sepulchral m.ound form_ed of earth or stones. 
 Several tumuli or barrows were found on each side of 
 the road from Llantwit Major to Ewenny, hence the name. 
 
 Bryncethix. — Some say it is so called after a man 
 named Gethin, but we offer the following derivation,. 
 bryii, a hill ; cethiii, dark, terrible. 
 
 Bryncoch. — From a farm so called. Bryn, a hill ; 
 coch, red, is frequently applied to a sun-parched field or 
 hill. 
 
 Brynxa. — A villa;, e perched on the hills near 
 Pencoed, hence Brynna-brvniait, hills. 
 
 Beynsadler. — An old thatched house on the site 
 of the present Calvinistic Methodist chapel was called 
 Ty'r Sadler, the sadler's house. In the deeds of the 
 above chapel Ty'r Sadler is the description given of the 
 site whereon the edifice is built. Tradition has it that a 
 saddler occupied the house about 200 years ago. The 
 saddler's house, in course of time, developed into Bryx- 
 sadler, the Sadler's hill. 
 
GLAMORGANSHIRE. 167 
 
 Bryntroedgam. Some think the right wording is. 
 Bryntroedygarn, but we rather take it with its iroed- 
 gam, crooked foot, the word signifying a place at the 
 crooked foot of a hill, which is in full correspondence 
 with the physical aspect of the place. 
 
 BuTETOWN. — The village takes its name in honour 
 of the father of the late Marquis of Bute. 
 
 Cabalfa. — Some spell it Cae-balja, ferry or ford 
 fields. There are several fords and ferries over the river 
 both in upper and lower Cabalfa. Some think it is a cor- 
 rupt form of ceu-hawlfa, a scooped out trunk of a tree, 
 the old Kimmric name for a canoe. It is probably a cor- 
 rupt form, of Ceubalfa, which signifies a ferrying-place. 
 The village with all its lands and commonage was given 
 by Gwyddgen, son of Brochwael, to Bishop Oudoceus, 
 " in exchange for the heavenly kingdom." (Liber Lan- 
 davensis, p. 394). 
 
 A 
 
 Cadle. — Cdd, battle, a field of battle ; Cad ar faes, 
 a pitched battle ; le-lle, place ; signifying a place of battle. 
 Cad is derived from the Sanscrit Kad, to hurt or kill. 
 
 Cadoxton. — The church was dedicated to Catwg, 
 Sant, ap Gwynlliw ap Glywys ap Tegid ap Cadell Deyrn- 
 llwg, hence the Welsh nam.e Llangattwg. The Saint was 
 called Catwg the wise, from his superior wisdom in all 
 councils. 
 
 Caerau. — Caer is an enchorial name for a wall or 
 m.ound for defence, such as the wall of a city or castle. The 
 root is cau, to shut up, to fence, to enclose with a hedge. 
 Cae is a field enclosed with hedges. Caerau is the 
 plural of caer. This place derives its nam_e from an old 
 Rom.an fortress or encampment, called " Tibia Amne." 
 
l68 PLACE-NAMES IN WALES. 
 
 Caerphili. — Opinions differ as to the origin of the 
 postfix PHiLi or FFiLi. The original name of the place was 
 Senghenydd (Saint Cenydd) who founded a seminary here. 
 When the saint m.oved to Gower he left the seminary 
 under the care of his son Ffili, who built a caer, fortress 
 or defensive wall round it, hence it was called Caer 
 Ffili, according to some, but we rather think the right 
 wording is Caer Philip. The castle was in the possession 
 of Philip de Braose, in the 12th century. Having 
 enlarged it, his name was probably conferred upon it. 
 
 Cardiff. — Many forms of the name have been found. 
 The first was probably " Cairti." In 1126 it was spelt 
 Kardi, but later on the form was Kaerdiv, when it began 
 to be modified in two directions, one towards Kaerdeethe, 
 and the other towards Kaerdeef . The former is the Welsh 
 modification, and the latter the Enghsh modification, 
 hence Caerdydd and Cardiff. In a grant by King 
 John in 1205 it is spelt Kaerdif. In JISS. that range 
 from the thirteenth to the sixteenth centuries the form 
 is Kaer Dyf. lolo Morganwg gives Caer Dyf and the 
 mahinogion Kaer diff. The dd in Caerdydd may be 
 accounted for by the com.m.on colloquial change of F to 
 DD, as goDDerbyn for gyrerbyn. The correct wording, 
 probably, is Caerdaf, a fortress on the Taff. 
 
 Caersalem Newydd. — A straggling village between 
 Swansea and Llangyfelach. It was known by the name 
 TiRDEUNAW until the Baptists erected a splendid chapel 
 in the place and called it Caersalem Newydd, which is 
 by interpretation. New Jerusalem. 
 
 Casllwchwr. The full name is Castell Llwchwr, 
 the castle of Loughor. The castle was built on a hillock 
 above the estuary of the river Llwchwr, hence the name. 
 
GLAMORGANSHIRE. 169 
 
 Llwch, an inlet of water, a lake, a lough ; wr — dwr, water. 
 It corresponds to the Irish lough, the guttural ch changed 
 into gh ; the Scotch loch, and the English lake. The 
 expanse of the water at the place resembles a lake. 
 The place was anciently called Treafanc, from the 
 great number of beavers abounding in the contiguous 
 waters, afanx being the old Welsh for beaver. The 
 Romans had a station here called Leucarum, which 
 was the fifth on the road known as Via Julia. 
 
 Castella. — A corrupt form of Castellau, plural 
 form of Castell, castle. The place was probably an out- 
 post to the Llantrisant castle. 
 
 Cefnpennar. — Cefx in place-names means a high 
 ridge. The Chevin Hills in Yorkshire, and Cevennes in 
 France, derive their nam_es from the same root. Some 
 think pexxar is a mutation of fenor, bright, fair ; but we 
 rather think it is a corruption of Pen-ar, the end of 
 the arable land. 
 
 Cellywion. Some think the correct wording is 
 Celli Gwion, Gwion's grove, whilst others incline to 
 think it is a mutilated form of Celliwyn, the white 
 ^rove. 
 
 Cerryg Li.wydion. — Cerryg, stones, Uwydion, plural 
 of llwyd, grey ; so called from a number of grey stones 
 in the place. 
 
 Cheriton. a parish in Gower, originally, called 
 ■Cherry Town, from its abundance of cherries in, olden 
 times. 
 
 CiLFYNYDD. — CU, a sequestered place, a place of 
 retreat. Cil-y-Uygad, the corner of the eye. We find 
 the root in cilio, to retreat, to go away ; and in Cilfach, 
 
170 PLACE-NAMES IN WALES. 
 
 a place to retreat to, a creek, a nook. In early times 
 churches were built in sequestered places, but in Scotland 
 and Ireland kil, signifying a church, is not the same word. 
 Mynydd, mountain ; the name signifies a mountain recess, 
 
 CiLYPEBYLL. — CU, a Sequestered place ; y, the ; 
 pebyll, tents ; the name signifies the retreat of the tents. 
 It was customary in olden times to repair to temporary 
 abodes in sequestered and quiet places in the summer. 
 The ancient seat of the Herberts was situate in a seques- 
 tered glen in this parish, where they retired in the summer, 
 in order to indulge in the rural enjoym.ent of the district. 
 
 CiLFFRiw. — Cil, a place of retreat ; ffriw, mien, coun- 
 tenance, visage. The name is applied to hill tops 
 and eminences. 
 
 CiMLA. — A corruption probably of ceimle, a portion 
 of land not owned by anybody, but used occasionally by 
 everybody. 
 
 Clwydyfagwyr. — Chvyd, a hurdle, a wattled gate ; 
 y, the ; fagwyr^magwyr, a structure, a wall, an enclosure. 
 Magwyr is frequently used to signify the remains of a 
 dem.olished or decayed building, fortress, &c. In the 
 district of Gwent it means a house, a dwelling. 
 
 Clydach. — A few villages and rivers in the county 
 bear the name. Some derive the name from cludo, to 
 carry. Others trace it to the Gaelic dith, strong. We have 
 the Clyde in Scotland, the Glyde in Ireland, and the 
 Clwyd in Wales. We offer the following derivation : 
 dyd, sheltering, warm., comfortable. Lie clyd, a cosy, 
 comfortable place. Ach, a river ; the nam.e signifying 
 a river flowing through a sheltering place. 
 
GLAMORGANSHIRE. I7I 
 
 CoEDFFRANC. — The name signifies '' the Norman's 
 wood." The parish takes its name from a farm so named. 
 
 Clyxe,— A corrupt form of dun, a meadow or field, 
 or it may be a corruption of dyn, a place covered with 
 brakes. 
 
 CoGAN. — A corruption of Gnvgan, the name of a Welsh 
 personage, according to some. We rather think the 
 place takes its name from Cogan, one of the leading 
 Norman settlers, who held lands at Huntspill. Sir 
 Milo de Cogan was one of the conquerors and settlers 
 in the South of Ireland, and the same family probably 
 gave their name to this place. 
 
 CoRLANAU. — A small village between Abera\-on and 
 Cwmavon. The name is the plural form of corlan, 
 a sheepfold. The place is conveniently situated for folding 
 the flock. 
 
 CoRNELLY. — A manor near Cenffig, which gave or 
 received its name to or from some early Norman settlers. 
 Thomas de Cornell gave ten acres of arable land in his fee 
 of Cornelly to Neath before the 9 John. (Arch. Camb. 
 XIV. 195). 
 
 CoRNTWN. — Corntown, a down or hilly tract of land 
 where corn was grown. 
 
 CoRSEiNiON. — Cors, a bog ; Einion, the name of a 
 descendant of Howel the Good. He led an army twice to 
 Gower, and probably encamped here before he reached 
 his destination. Port Eynon also preserves his name. 
 Einion means " our leader." 
 
 CoYCHURCH. — ^The prefix is a contraction of coed, wood,, 
 the name signifying the church in the wood. Pencoed 
 
172 PLACE NAMES IN WALES. 
 
 and Coetty are not far distant. The Welsh name is Llan- 
 GRALLO. Llan, church ; Crallo, the name of the founder 
 and patron saint of the church, and a nephe-w to lUtyd. 
 Mynydd y Gaer, the fortress on the mountain, is in this 
 parish, where the remains of an old Roman camp are sup- 
 posed to be seen. 
 
 Coetty. — Coed, wood ; tv, house ; signifying a wood- 
 house, or a house in the wood, Bod, was the residence of a 
 superior, but ;■)' is of a later date, signifying an ordinary 
 house, a cottage. The two d's as in Coed-dy, are gener- 
 ally hardened in pronunciation into t. Diotty comes from 
 diod-dy. 
 
 Craigcefnparc. — Craig, a high rock, or crag ; cefn, 
 ridge, back ; pare, a iield, an enclosure. Craig takes the 
 form of carraig, carrick, carrig, crick, &c. Pare is equi- 
 valent to cae, a piece of land enclosed with hedges, and is 
 used in that sense in the south-west counties. Compare 
 the English ' park ' which has a m.ore extensive m.eaning. 
 
 Crossvane. — Croesfaen is the correct wording, 
 which signifies the cross stone. In the time of Howel the 
 Good, stone crosses were used chiefly to mark land pro- 
 perty, and sometimes they were set up to caution pedes- 
 trians not to cross the fields. Those with the names of 
 British saints inscribed upon them were placed on the road- 
 side to commemorate the blessed fact that the glad tidings 
 had been preached there. 
 
 Crwys. — A corrupt form of croes, a cross. When a 
 corpse is lying in its shroud, it is said to be ' dan ei grwys,' 
 ' under the cross,' from the Popish custom of putting a 
 cross on the bosom of the dead. We find the word in 
 Bwlchycrwys, Pantycrwys, &c. 
 
GLAMORGANSHIRE. lyj 
 
 Crynant. — Some think the prefix is crai, implying a. 
 narrow place ; crai V nodwydd, the eye of the needle ; 
 nant, a brook ; the name signifying a brook that has to 
 make its way through an extremely narrow place. We 
 rather think it is a contraction of Croyw-nant, the clear 
 brook. 
 
 Cwmafox. — The place was originally called Cwm- 
 BYCHAX, the little vale, from a place which is situate near 
 Woodland Row, and in order to distinguish it from 
 CwjiJiAWR, the large comb, hard by. The right wording 
 is CwM Af.-vn. Cwm, a low place, enclosed with hills ; 
 A/an, the name of the river that flows through it. For 
 Afan see Aberavon. 
 
 CwMAMAX.- Cmvm, a low place enclosed with hills. 
 For Aman see Aberavon. 
 
 CwMBACH. — The name signifies a small vale, from an 
 old cottage bearing the name. 
 
 CwiiBWRLA. — In old documents the name is spelt 
 ' CvvM-BwRLAis.' Civm, vale ; burr, ebullition ; dais, 
 a little rivulet ; the name, therefore, signifies the bubbling 
 rivulet running through the combe. Some think the true- 
 orthography is CwM-BwRLE ; bwr, a place of defence ; 
 le-Ue, a place. " Ni sefis na thwr na bur " — " there stood 
 nor town nor wall ! " 
 
 Cwm Garw. — Garw, rough. The river Llyfnwy, 
 smooth water, is not far distant, and in order to introduce- 
 a little variety in nature, the river Garw rushes \-ery hur- 
 riedly and noisily through a wild and rugged valley. The- 
 Gaelic garble, perhaps, belongs to the same class of roots. 
 We find Garry in Perth and Inverness, Yarrow in Sel- 
 kirk, Garonne in France, and Guer in Brittany. 
 
174 PLACE-NAMES IN WALES. 
 
 CwMGiEDD. — GiEDD is the name of the rivulet that 
 runs through the vale. Some have derived it from Gwy- 
 eidden, noisy water, in contradistinction from its neighbour 
 Llyfnell, the smooth or silent water. Gwy~ydd 
 literally means waterer or aquatic. Gwvach, gwylan, 
 gwydd, Itwyad, are all aquatic birds. 
 
 CwiiGWR.'^CH. — Cicm, a narrow vale ; gwrach, a fairy 
 •or witch. 
 
 CwMLLYNFELL. — Llyfnell is the right wording, 
 which means the smooth or silent river. 
 
 CwM Ogwy. — The valley of the Ogwy river. Og, apt 
 to move, and gwy, water. 
 
 Cwmehydyceirw. — Rhyd, ford ; y, the ; Ceirw, 
 stags. 
 
 CwMTWRCH. — The river Twrch rushes furiously 
 through the place and empties itself into the river Tawy. 
 Tyrchtt, to turn up, to burrow. The mole is called in Welsh 
 twrch daear, from, its burrowing nature. 
 
 Cwmygors. — Cit'm, com_be ; y, the ; gors-cors, a bog, 
 a fen. 
 
 Cymmer. — The word means the junction of two ri^■ers 
 or brooks bearing the same nam.e, such as Cymmer Cefn- 
 COED, v/here the Taf favrr and the Taf fechan join ; and 
 Cymmer Glyx Rhondda, where the Rhondda fach 
 empties itself into Rhondda P^awr ; and Cymmer Glyx 
 CoRRWG, where the Corrwg fach loses itself in Corrwg 
 fawr. 
 
 Derl — Deri means oaks, and is cognate with Derry 
 and Kildare. The village takes its name from a fann so 
 called, which is situate in a place abounding with oaks. 
 
GLAMORGANSHIRE. I75 
 
 The place is also called Darran, from Darren ysgwydd- 
 gwyn, which overlooks the valley in a very majestic 
 manner. Darren — rocky hill. 
 
 DiNAS. — The place was originally called Dinas y Glo, 
 the coal city, on accomit of its being so abundantly 
 blessed with the black diamond. The word is derived 
 from din, a fortified hill, a camp. Compare the Irish 
 ■dun, the Anglo-Saxon iun, the Roman dinium, and the 
 English town. 
 
 Dinas Powis. — The m.ost popular opinion is that 
 Denis is the correct wording here. When lestyn ab 
 -Gwrgant married Denis, the daughter of Bleddyn ab Cyn- 
 fyn. Prince of Powys, he built a magnificent mansion for 
 her about 1043, and called it Denis Powys, in honour of 
 his wife. 
 
 DowLAis. — Opinions differ widely as to the derivation 
 of this name. Some derive it from du, black ; and dais, a 
 little trench or rivulet. Others say it is a corruption 
 of DwYLAis, from the confluence of the two brooks in 
 the place. We offer the following : du, black ; glas, 
 blue, signifying the livid \vater. River-names are 
 frequently derived from the respective hue of their 
 waters. Dulais is of frequent occurrence in Welsh 
 topography. We have five Dulas, at least, in Wales ; 
 three in Scotland ; and one in Dorset. It has different 
 form,s : Douglas in the Isle of ]\Ian, in Scotland, in 
 Ireland, and in Lancashire ; Doulas in Radnor ; Dowles 
 in Salop ; Dawlish in Devon ; and Dowlais in Glamorgan 
 
 Dyffryn. — Dwjr, water ; and hynt, a way, a course ; 
 the word signifying a vale through which a river takes its 
 course. Dyffrynt was anciently used to denote a river. 
 
176 PLACE-NAMES IN WALES. 
 
 The village is situate near Dyffryn Goluch, the valley 
 of worship or adoration. Golychwyd means worship or 
 adoration. " Amser i jwyd, ac amser i olychwyd," 
 "There is time for meat and time for worship." It is 
 supposed that the ancient Druids met together in this- 
 vale to celebrate the m.ysterious rites of their religion. 
 
 Efail Facil — Gefail, a smithy ; fach, bach, small, 
 little ; ' so called from a smithy in the place. 
 
 Eglwys Brewis. — Eglwys, church. The ancient 
 llan has been superseded by the ecclesiastical term 
 eglwys in many places in the Principality. Brewis is diffi- 
 cult to explain. The roots, perhaps, are bre, hill ; and 
 wys, rest, signifying the hill or place of rest; Or it may be 
 a corrupt form of Breos, from William De Braeos, who 
 was consecrated Bishop of Llandaff in 1265. 
 
 Eglwys Ilan. — In lolo MSS., p. 637, we are told that 
 Elian founded the church. Others think it was dedicated 
 to Elen Deg (the Fair) the sculptor of Morgan the Cour- 
 teous. The derivation is supported by the fact that 
 CwM Elen Deg, the fair Elen's vale, is in this parish. 
 
 Ely. — The ^'\'elsh name is Trdai, the river Llai, 
 which, according to some, means a dun-coloured water,, 
 runs through the place. We rather think the correct 
 wording is Elwy ; el, active, swift ; and n'y-gwy, water ; 
 the name signifying the active or rushing river. 
 
 Ewenny. — Ewyn-wy, the frothy water, is the name 
 of the river that flows through the place. Some think 
 the correct wording is y-wen-wy, the white water. 
 
GLAMORGANSHIRE. 177 
 
 Felindre. — The word, perhaps, is a corrapt form of 
 vileindref, or mileindref , a township under villain soccage 
 tenure ; a county farm. 
 
 Flatholm. — The Norse " holme " means an island, 
 generally an island in a lake or river. 
 
 FocHRiw. — ^The physical aspect of the place has 
 induced some to derive the name from moch, ready, quick, 
 swift ; and rhiw, slope ; signifying a steep hill-side. 
 Moch-ddivyreog, quickly rising. Boch, check, and iach, 
 little, have been suggested as the prefix. We rather derive 
 the nam.e from moch, pigs ; and rhiw, slope. Rhiw'r 
 Fuwch, the slope of the cow, on the other side of the 
 mountain, induces us to think that this is the slope of 
 the pigs. 
 
 Flemingstoke. — The ancient name was Llanfi- 
 HANGEL-Y-iWYN, St. Michael's church on the hill. Some 
 think the present name is derived from the fact that the 
 Flemings settled in the parish of Llantwit Major in the time 
 of Queen Elizabeth ; but we are inclined to think the place 
 was named in honour of Sir John Fleming, one of Sir 
 Robert Fitzhamon's knights, to whom he gave the 
 manors of St. George, Llanfaes, &c. 
 
 Fforchdwm. — Fforch, fforchi, to fork, to part into 
 two ; and twm, a round heap ; the name signifying a hil- 
 lock forming a divergent point between two vales, which 
 is in full correspondence with the physical aspect of the 
 place. 
 
 Gadlys. — The roots are cad, battle, battlefield ; 
 and llys, court. This name is a momento of that terrible 
 battle fought in the upper part of the Aberdare Valley, 
 between Rhys ab Tewdwr, and lestyn ab Gwrgant. 
 
lyS PLACE-NAMES IN WALES. 
 
 Garnant. — The roots are garw, rough ; and nant, 
 a glen. The old name of the place was Cross Keys. 
 Gellideg. — Gelli, grove ; deg,z=zteg, fair. 
 
 Gelligaer. — The name signifies a m.ilitary station 
 in a^woody place, and derived from Caer Castell, the 
 remains of which are still to be seen. It was built by 
 lorwerth ab Owen in 1140 or 1240. In this parish we find 
 traces of an old Roman road, named Strata Julia, from 
 Maretima Julius Fontinus or Frontinus, which took its 
 course from Caerleon to Brecon. 
 
 Gellionen. — Gdli, grove ; onnen, ash tree ; signify- 
 ing the ash grove. 
 
 Gelly. — Gelli means a wood, a grove, a copse. Cell 
 originally meant a grove, and the Irish coill has an iden- 
 tical meaning. The aborigines of Scotland were called 
 Gcevill davin, ' the people of the wood." 
 
 Gileston. — Llanfabon-y-Fro is the \\'elsh name, 
 from the dedication of the church to St. Mabon, and its 
 situation in the vale of Glamorgan. The English name 
 was bestowed upon the place by the Giles famity, whose 
 pedigree seems not to have been preserved. 
 
 GiLFACH GoCH. — Cilfach, a place of retreat ; coch, 
 red. The place appears to have taken its name from a 
 aeap of red cinders, which still remains as a momento of 
 the ironworks that stood there in time of yore. Ruins of 
 jld furnaces are still to be seen in the vicinity. 
 
 Glais. — Glais means a trench through which a stream 
 of water flows. It is som.etimes used to denote the stream 
 itself, and not the trench through which it runs. 
 
 Glanybad.— G/fl«, bank, side, brink ; y, the ; had, 
 boat 
 
GLAMORGANSHIRE. I79 
 
 Glyncorrwg. — Glyn, a vale narrower but deeper 
 than a dyffryn, through which a river flows. Compare 
 the Gaehc gleann, and the Anglo-Saxon glen, both signify- 
 ing a small narrow valley. Two rivulets called Corrwg 
 embrace each other in the glen. Corrwg is variously 
 derived. Some have derived it from Gorwg ab Eir- 
 CHiox ; others from carrog, an obsolete form for brook. 
 Another explanation is : corr, a Celtic name for sheep ; 
 corlan, sheep-yard ; and wg, unplying a place or locality. 
 It is said that a certain farmer here was wont to keep as 
 many as two or three thousand sheep at the time. 
 
 Glyxnedd. — Glyit, glen ; 7iedd, river-name. (See 
 Neath). 
 
 Gower. — The root is gwyr^^gwyro, to deviate, to 
 swerve, suggested probably by the deviation of the 
 peninsula from the mainland, and its irregular character. 
 
 GowERTON. — ^The old name was Gower Road, from 
 its physical connection with Gower, but at a vestry meet- 
 ing of the ratepayers of the parish of Loughor, held October 
 15th, 1885, it was unanimously passed : " That the name 
 of this village be changed from Gower Road to Gowerton." 
 The necessary arrangements were made for the new 
 name to be adopted January ist. 1886. 
 
 Goytre. — Coed, wood ; and tre, a dwelling place, 
 signifying either a dwelling in a wood, or a house built 
 of wood. 
 
 Groeswen. — Croes, cross ; wcn^gwyn, white ; liter- 
 ally the word means ' white cross,' but figuratively ' blessed 
 cross.' In olden times, white was an emblem of purity, 
 and, therefore, a source of blessedness. 
 
l80 PLACE-NAMES IN WALES. 
 
 Grove's End. — A village near Gorseinon. It takes 
 its name from a farm so called. 
 
 GwAELODYGARTH. — Gwaelod, bottom, base ; y, the ; 
 garth originally meant an entrenchment on a hill, but in 
 course of time it came to signify a ridge, a hill, a rising 
 eminence, a promontory. Compare the Norse garth, the 
 Persian gird, the Anglo-Saxon yard, and the \\'elsh 
 gardd. The mountain that towers above the place is called 
 Mynydd-y-Garth, and the village resting quietly at its 
 base is called Gwaelod-y-Garth. 
 
 GwARYCAEAU. — Gifdr, the nape of the neck ; y, the ; 
 caeatt, fields. These fields belong to a farm called Ty 
 draw, above which a few houses were built and called 
 Gwarj'caeau. The place has now developed into a strag- 
 gling ^"illage. 
 
 GvFEiLLiox. — Some think the name is a mutilated 
 form of Gafaelox. Gafael means the share which each 
 brother held in their father's land, however numerous the 
 brothers were. Gafael cenedl the hold or tenure of a 
 family. In an old document the name is Ynys Gof- 
 HOELiox, the nailor's island. 
 
 Hafod. — Haj-hod. summer residence. Hendref was 
 a verv common appellation in olden times for residence 
 in the valley, and Hafod or Hafotty was used to signify 
 a residence in the hills. The hafod consisted of a long 
 low room, with a hole at one end to em.it the smoke 
 from the fire which was made beneath. Its stools were 
 stones, and beds were made of hay ranged along the 
 sides. 
 
 Hendre. — Hen, old ; tref, homestead. Hvdnf 
 October), was the harvest season — the time to gather 
 
GLAMORGANSHIRE. l8l 
 
 thg' produce of the fields to the barns, and leave the 
 hafod, summer-house to spend the winter months in the 
 hendref, the older establis'iment. 
 
 Hendrefadog. — Hendre, already explained ; ■madog= 
 madoc, beneficial, goodly. Madog also is a rare nam_e for a 
 fox. 
 
 Hexgoed. — Hen, old, aged ; coed, wood. 
 
 Heolyfelin. — Mill Street is a translation of the name, 
 so called from the old mill that stood on the river Cynon. 
 It is also called Trecynon from its situation on the banks 
 of the Cynon. Cynon, Cyn, chief. 
 
 HiRWAUX. — Hir, long ; waun, meadow. It was 
 anciently called Hirwaun Gwrgaxt, Gwrgant's long 
 meadow. In olden times it extended from Blaengwrach 
 to Mountain Ash, a distance of ten miles. 
 
 HoPKiNSTOWN. — The place was so called in honour 
 of Henry Hopkin, a landowner, about 40 years ago. 
 
 Ilstox. — II is an abbreviated form of lUtyd, Iltutus, 
 the name signifying lUtyd's town. Llanilltyd is the 
 Welsh name, from the dedication of the church to Illtyd, 
 a descendant of Emyr Llydaw, and a saint of the fifth 
 century. 
 
 Kenffig Mill. — Some spell it Cefn-y-figen, the ridge 
 above the swamp. The spelling in the Abbey deeds 
 is almost invariably Kenefeg. Cen and pen are synony- 
 mous, hence we are inclined to think the right wording is 
 Cen-y-ffig, the head of the swamp. 
 
 Killay. — CiLFAi is the right wording ; oil, a seques- 
 tered place ; fai=mai, a plain. 
 
152 PLACE-NAMES IN WALES. 
 
 Laleston. — Trelales is the Welsh name, which 
 means the town of Lales. De Grenville went on a pil- 
 grimage in mi to the Holy Land, and brought back 
 with him an architect named Lalys. He built Neath 
 Abbey, Margam Abbey, and several castles and man- 
 sions in Wales. 
 
 Landore. — Glandwr is the correct wording ; 
 glan, bank ; dwr, water. The old farmstead, which 
 gave the name to the place, was situate on the banks 
 of the Tawy. 
 
 Langland. — The right wording is Longland, so 
 called from the promontory that forms one of the horns of 
 the bay. 
 
 Lavernock. — This is probably a Norman corruption 
 of Llanwernog, or Llywernog, which signifies a church 
 on a meadow. 
 
 Leckwith. — ^This name is another instance of the sad 
 havoc the Normans played with Welsh names when they 
 settled in Glamorgan in the eleventh century. It is a cor- 
 ruption of llechwedd, the steep or shelving of a hill. 
 
 Lewistown. — So called in honour of W. Lewis, Esq., 
 Bontnewydd House, because the village is situate on his 
 estate. 
 
 Llanbedr-ar-Fynydd. — Llanbedr-ar-fynydd has 
 been translated Peterstone-super-Montem. At the Nor- 
 man Conquest Fitzhamon divided the country between 
 his followers, when Sir Peter le Soore was rewarded with 
 the lordship of Peterstown, which he called after his own 
 Christian name. 
 
 Llanbedr-y-fro. — The church was called Llanei- 
 NYDD until the Norman Conquest in 1091. It was built 
 
GLAMORGANSHIRE. 183 
 
 by Rhys ab Einydd, Prince of Glamorgan, hence the name. 
 After the Conquest the parish fell into the hands of Sir 
 Peter le Soore, hence the new name Llanbedr, Peter's 
 Church, which is situate on the river Ely in the beauti- 
 ful vale of Glamorgan. 
 
 Llanblethian. — History tells us that Bleiddian 
 (Lupus) a contemporary of Garmon, founded the first 
 church here in the sixth century. The root is blaidd, a 
 translation from lupus, a wolf. 
 
 Llancarfan. — We are informed that in this place 
 the first monastery was built in Britain by Germanus, 
 from which circumstance lolo Morganwg thinks that 
 Llancarfan signifies the church of Germanus, Carfan 
 being a corruption of the saint's name. Others are of 
 opinion that the monastery was founded by Cattwg 
 Ddoeth, and that the name was Latinized into Carhani 
 Vallis. 
 
 Llandaf. Llan, church ; daf^Taf, the name of the 
 river on which the ancient edifice was built, according to 
 the ' Welsh Chronicles,' in 173 by Lleurwg (Lucius). This 
 see is reckoned to be the most ancient in Britain. Dyfan 
 is said to have been its first bishop, 173-180. 
 
 Llandeilo-Talybont. — ^The church was founded by 
 Teilo, Bishop of Llandaff, in the sixth century. Taly- 
 bont literally means the end of the bridge. When 
 applied to places tal means ' end ' but when applied to per- 
 sons it signifies ' front,' Tal-cen, front of the head ; 
 Taliesin, radiant front or luminous head. 
 
 Llandochwy. — The church is dedicated to Dochwy, 
 an Armorican saint, as some assert, who founded a 
 seminary here in the second century. 
 
184 PLACE-NAMES IN WALES. 
 
 Llandyfodwg. — The church was founded by and 
 dedicated to Tyfodwg, a saint of the sixth century. 
 Several cairns are to be seen on the mountains of this 
 parish. 
 
 Llanddewi. — The Church is dedicated to Dewi, 
 David, the patron saint of Wales, who it is said, vi-as the 
 rector before he was consecrated a bishop. 
 
 Llanedeyrn. — The church, according to the ' Welsh 
 Records ' was founded by Edeyrn ab Gwrtheyrn, 
 together with a seminary for 300 saints. 
 
 Llanfabon. — The patron saint is Mabon, Teilo's 
 brother, \\-ho is said to have built the church in the sixth 
 century. Mabon is derived from mapon, in old Welsh 
 map, now viab, a boy, a youth, a son. 
 
 Llanfadog. — The church is dedicated to Madog, 
 son of Gildas, y Coed aur, and a saint of Cenydd's College. 
 
 Llanfaes. The original name of the church was 
 Lean Ffagan Fach ; for the reason that it was built by 
 Ffagan. Llanfaes generally means a church built on a 
 spot where a memorable battle was fought. 
 
 Llanfedwy. — In lolo MSS. it is recorded that 
 Meudwy, the saint, built Llan Fedwy, which Church was 
 burned during lestyn's war, and it was never renovated 
 afterwards. 
 
 Llanfrynach. — The church, according to Bonedd y 
 Saint, vv-as founded by Brynach Wyddel of the city of 
 Ffaraon, in the fifth century. 
 
 Llangenydd. — Cenydd founded a seminary here in 
 the sixth century, having committed that of Caerphih to 
 the custody of his son Ffili. 
 
GLAMORGANSHIRE. 185 
 
 Llangiwc. — CiWG ab Arawn ab Cynfarch built the 
 first church here m the sixth century. 
 
 Llangyfelach. — The church is supposed to have 
 been founded by Cyfelach, Bishop of Llandaff, in the 
 sixth century. Cyfelach means one resembling his ances- 
 tors. 
 
 Llaxgynwyd. — The church is dedicated to Cynwyd, 
 a saint of the sixth century. His sons were Cynan and 
 Cr.drod \vhose names are still preserved in the names of two 
 of the largest farms in the neighbourhood, viz., Bryn- 
 cynan, and Maescadrod. The parish is affectionately 
 called ' yy Hen Blwyf,' ' the old parish.' 
 
 Llanharan. — It is written Llanaron in some ancient 
 MSS., from the church being dedicated to Julius and 
 Aaron. 
 
 Llanharri. Llanarai was the original name, 
 bestowed in honour of Garai, the founder of the church. 
 He was the son of Cewydd, the son of Caw Cawlwyd. 
 
 Llanilid. — From the • dedication of the church to 
 Ilid, who is supposed to have been the first to introduce 
 Christianity to the Celts in the first century. 
 
 Llanilltern. — Ellderyn=:^Illtern, the saint who 
 founded the church here in the fifth century. Elldeyrn 
 means a strange or foreign king. 
 
 Llanilltyd Faerdref. — Illtyd=Iltutus is the 
 patron saint of the church. Faerdref =maerdref, demesne 
 land, dairy hamlet. The dairy-houses were kept at a little 
 distance from the castles and courts of the noblemen. 
 Two farm-houses in the neighbourhood still preserve the 
 names of Faerdref Fawr and Faerdref Fach. 
 
l86 PLACE-NAMES IX WALES. 
 
 Llanilltyd Fawr. — One of the nurseries of early 
 Christianity. It was originally called Cor Eugain. 
 Cor means a circle, a stall, and sometimes it is rendered 
 ' college.' The common churches were called corau, and 
 the chief or superior churches hangorau. This ancient 
 institution is said to have been founded here by Eurgain, 
 daughter of Caradog ab Bran, in the first century of the 
 Christian era, hence Cor Eurgain . This institution appears 
 to have flourished for about fifty years, when it was 
 destroyed by Irish pirates, and Patrick, the Head Teacher 
 and Superior of the seminary was taken prisoner to Ireland. 
 
 About the year 450 it was re-built by Garmon, who, 
 together with Dyfrig, Bishop of Llandaff, dedicated 
 Illtyd, Garmon's nephew, to be the head teacher thereof,, 
 in consequence of which it was called Cor Illtyd, Bangor 
 Illtyd, and Llanilltyd. 
 
 Llanisan. — The church is dedicated to Isan, a 
 disciple of Illtyd. 
 
 Llanrhidian. — From Rhidl\n, a student in 
 Cenydd's seminary in Gower, and the founder of the 
 church. The ruins of Weobly Castle are still overlooking: 
 Llanrhidian marsh. 
 
 Llansamlet. — The church, according to Bonedd y 
 Saint, was founded by Samled, who flourished in the 
 seventh century. 
 
 Llantrisant. — Anciently called Llangawrdaf, in 
 honour of Cawr daf, who founded a seminary here, 
 which is supposed to have taken fire, and levelled to the 
 ground. After the destruction of the seminary, Einion 
 ab Collwyn, as some assert, built a church here, which was- 
 dedicated to three saints, viz., Illtyd, Tyfodwg, and. 
 Gwynno, hence the present name. 
 
GLAMORGANSHIRE. iSj 
 
 Llantryddyd. — ^The church was originally built by 
 Treiddyd, of Illtyd's seminary. 
 
 Llanwyno. — From the dedication of the church to- 
 GwYxo, son of Caw, called Euryn y Coed aur, and a saint 
 in the colleges of Illtyd and Cattwg. 
 
 Llwydcoed. — Llwyd, grey ; coed, wood. The forest 
 of Llwydcoed, in the sixteenth century, was considered 
 to be one of the finest in the Principality. 
 
 Llwynbrwydrau. — Llwyn, bush, grove ; hrwydrau, 
 battles. The name has reference to some battles fought 
 here in olden times. 
 
 Llwynpia. — Llwyn, bush, grove ; pia, magpie. 
 
 Llysfaen. — Llys, court, hall of judicature ; maen, 
 stone. It appears there was a large hall built of stone 
 in the place, where the law court may have been held 
 in time of yore. 
 
 Llysworney. — ^A gross mutilation of Llys-Bro- 
 NuDD. — lolo Morganwg tells us that Nudd Hael, son of 
 Senyll, a royal saint, of Illtyd's seminary, built the place. 
 Bro means a cultivated region, a vale ; and Nudd, the royal 
 saint, is supposed to have held a court (llys) here. 
 
 Maerdy. — Maer is synonymous with the English land 
 agent, steward, and bailiff. There was an officer called 
 Maer in every commot, who regulated the villeins and 
 their concerns. He was the king's land agent ; but the 
 word eventually came to signify any land steward. 
 Maer-dy means a dairy-house. 
 
 Maesteg. — Maes, a field ; teg, fair ; so called after 
 a farmstead. 
 
PLACE NAMES IN WALES. 
 
 Manselfield. — So called in honour of the Mansel 
 family. \\'illiam Mansel, Esq., Penrice Castle, was the 
 owner of the estate in the reign of Henry VI. 
 
 ^Iarcross. — Many think the place derives its name 
 from a large cross that is supposed to have been raised 
 here in memory of St. Mark ; but we rather think the name 
 is an Anglicanism of the Welsh Mer-groes, the cross on the 
 sea-shore. The place is situate on the Bristol Channel 
 coast. A large cromlech, called " vr hen eglwys," the old 
 church is still visible, around which the ancient Christians 
 are supposed to ha\'e assembled for worship, ere any sacred 
 edifice was built here. 
 
 Margam. — Some maintain that the abbey was 
 founded by Morgan the Courteous, which was known 
 for some centuries by the name of Morgan, and ultimately 
 it assumed the name of ]Margam. But there is a pre- 
 ponderance of opinion now that this ancient place derives 
 its name from Morgan, the son of Caradoc, the son of 
 lestyn ab Gwrgant. 
 
 Mawdlaji. — The name is a corruption of M.agdalen. 
 In the Charter of Thomas le Despenser, \vhich was granted 
 in 1397, mention is made of St. Mary Magdalen's chapel. 
 
 .Melin Crythax. — So called from a mill situated on 
 the brook Crythan. Crythan, a little crooth ; or it may 
 come from cryddii, to stretch or extend round : crythu 
 implies swelling. 
 
 Melin Griffith. — Melin, mill, which was kept by 
 a Mr. Griffith to grind corn for the farmers of the district, 
 hence the name. 
 
 Merthyr Dyfan. — Merthyr, martyr ; Dyfan, 
 Ihe first Bishop of Llandaff, and the son of Alwn Aflerw 
 
GLAMORGANSHIRE. l89> 
 
 He introduced Christianity to this neighbourhood in the 
 second century, and is supposed to have fallen a martyr 
 to his faith on the very spot where the church now stands. 
 
 Merthyr Tydfil. — Merthyr, martyr ; Tydfil, 
 the name of a daughter of Brychan Brycheiniog, the 
 wife of Cyngen ab Cadell, and mother of Brochwel Ysgy- 
 throg. In the latter part of Brychan's life it seems that 
 he retired with some of his family to this neighbourhood. 
 A marauding party of Pagan Saxons and Irish Picts 
 attacked the family and murdered Brychan, the father, 
 and also Tydfil, the daughter, and her husband. The 
 parish church was probably erected on or near the scene 
 of murder by St. Tewdrig, son of Teithfallt, and called 
 after her Merthyr Tydfil. Her name is also retained in 
 Tydfil's well, and her brother Rhun in Pontrhun. 
 
 MiSKiN. — In ancient literature the word is spelt 
 Meisgl^x. Meis=maes, field, land ; ciin. leader, chief, 
 lord. MiSKiN, near Llantrisant, formed a portion of the 
 hereditary estates of lestyn ab Gwrgant, Lord of Gla- 
 morgan, hence the name signifies ' the lord's land,' or 
 ■ the royal land." 
 
 Moxknash. — In 1091 this manor fell into the hands 
 of Sir Richard Gren villa, who is supposed to have conferred 
 it, with the castle and the lordship of Neath, on the monks 
 of Neath Abbey, hence the prefix Monk. Rem_ains of 
 monastic establishments are still to be seen here, whose • 
 names are still preserved in the parish : ^Monks' Court, 
 Monkton Tower, Clawdd y Mynach. The suffix seems 
 to be a memento of the piratical incursions of the Vikings 
 and Danes. Nash is cognate with ness or naze, and sig- 
 nifies a nose or promontory of land. 
 
igo PLACE-NAMES IN WALES. 
 
 MoRRiSTON. — Sir John Morris, Clasmont, built a large 
 copper works here in 1876, around which a large \-illage 
 grew very rapidly, and took its name from its great bene- 
 factor. The English ham and ton, the Norse hy, the 
 Danish thorpe, the German dorf, and the Welsh tref, may 
 be considered as equivalents. 
 
 MoRGANSTOWN. — The place was sometime called 
 Pentrepoeth, the warm village. The present name was 
 conferred upon it in honour of Morgan Thomas, Tvnyher- 
 llan, on whose land the village is built. 
 
 Mountain Ash. — The ancient name was Aber- 
 pennar, from a farm so named, and the new name was 
 conferred upon it by John Bruce Pryce, Esq., the then 
 owner of the estate. In a very short time after Mr. Pryce 
 came to reside here, a man named Dafydd Shon Rhys 
 went to him one day and asked if he would lease a certain 
 piece of land for building a public house and a private 
 house. Having measured the land, Mr. Pryce was asked 
 to name the public house. Observing a cerdincn (moun- 
 tain ash) close by, he turned to Mrs. Pryce, and said, 
 "We shall call this place Mountain Ash." 
 
 Mumbles. — The name was given originally to desig- 
 nate the detached rocks at the end of the headland, but in 
 course of time it was extended to the old village of Oyster- 
 mouth. Col. Francis derives the name from mammals, 
 which word gives a very fair description of the two 
 rounded breast-like rocks in the place. 
 
 Nantgarw. — Garw, rough, rugged ; nant originally 
 signified a ravine, a dingle. 
 
GLAMORGANSHIRE. I9I 
 
 Nantymoel. — Nant, brook; y, the; moel, bald, a 
 conical hill ; the name signifying a brook rushing from 
 a high hill. 
 
 Neath. — The Welsh nam.e is Castell Nedd, the 
 castle on the Nedd. This is the ancient Nidium of the 
 ' Itineraries,' and probably it was an important station 
 on the great Roman road, called ' Julia Maritima.' Nedd, 
 of which Nidium is a Latinised foim_, means turning, whirl- 
 ing ; the river was so called, perhaps, from its various 
 meanderings. Or it may mean a dingle or glen, implying 
 a place of rest, an abode. An-nedd, a dwelling ; nyth, is 
 the bird's place of rest. 
 
 Neath Abbey. — Leland called this ' the fairest in all 
 Wales.' The lordship of Neath was given by Fitzhamon 
 to his younger brother Richard de Grenville. Being of a 
 religious disposition, de Grenville went on a pilgrimage 
 to the Holy Land in iiii, and brought back with him 
 an eminent architect of the name of Lalys, whom he 
 engaged to erect an abbey about a mile from the town 
 of Neath. It was completed in eighteen years, i.e., in 
 1 129, when it was consecrated to the Holy Trinity in the 
 presence of de Grenville and Constance his wife. It 
 is stated that the first Abbot of Neath was Richard, 
 who died in 1145, and the last is said to have been a 
 Welshman of the name of John Lleision. Lewis Morganwg, 
 chief bard of the Principality, was domestic bard to 
 Neath Abbey in 1510. Also in 1520 when Lleision was 
 dedicated to his sacred office, a great Eisteddfod was 
 held in the Abbey, when Lewis Morganwg took the laurels 
 for the best Awdl to the Abbot and the Abbey. In the 
 Annates de Mar gam it is stated that Morgan ab Owen 
 
192 PLACE-NAMES IN WALES. 
 
 burnt the Abbey, destroying also 400 sheep, kilhng four 
 of the servants and a monk, and severely wounding 
 another. At the dissolution the estate was granted to Sir 
 Richard Williams, alias Cromwell, by Henry VIII. 
 
 Nelson. — ^This village was once called Ffos y 
 Gerdinen, the mountain ash bog, but when the collieries 
 of Llancaiach were opened, a number of houses were 
 built in the place, among which was a public house named 
 ' Lord Nelson,' and in course of time the gallant admiral's 
 name minus Lord was .conferred upon the village. 
 
 Newton Nottage. — In an old deed it was said that 
 William, Earl of Gloucester, gave to Richard de Kardif, 
 for his service, the New-town in Margam with all its appur- 
 tenances. 
 
 Nottage Court was a grange belonging to Margam 
 Abbey. 
 
 Nottage is probably a corruption of Nutage. The 
 place was once noted for nuts. 
 
 Overton. — Over, when a suffix, means a hill site ; 
 when a prefix it indicates the higher of two places. 
 
 OxwiCH. — The prefix seems to be of kindred origin 
 and meaning with the Sans, «,r, itks, to water ; Welsh 
 wysg, a current. We have Usk, Esk, Exe, Ock, elsewhere ; 
 and we find Oxwich in the peninsula of Gower. 
 
 Wich comes from the Norse wic, a bay, a creek. 
 The Vikings were attracted to this coast, and indeed they 
 derived their very name (Vik-ings) from the wics or 
 creeks in which they anchored. 
 
 Oystermouth. — In the Welsh Bruts, the place is 
 called Ystumllwynarth. Ystitm, form, shape ; llwyn, 
 
GLAMORGANSHIRE. I93 
 
 bush, or brushwood : arth, bear. The name is derived, 
 according to one, " from the configuration of tlae site 
 of the church, and its resemblance to the animal (bear)." 
 We rather think the suffix is garth, which originally meant 
 a buttress, an inclosure. Lluarth m.eans an entrench- 
 ment on a hill. Ystumllwynarth Castle was built by 
 Henry Beaumont, Earl of Warwick, immediately after 
 the Norman Conquest, for the defence of the territory 
 of Gower. 
 
 The present name Oystermouth has been popularly 
 derived from its abundance of oysters. In old docu 
 ments the name is written Ostremuere, which is, 
 perhaps, a corruption of the original name, omitting 
 llwyn. Col. Francis says" The origin of this name has 
 generally been connected with the local staple in oysters ; 
 but as the word in early deeds is generally written Ostre- 
 muere, which is neither Roman nor Saxon, it seems to me 
 to lead to the presumption that it will prove to be Danish." 
 
 Pandy. — The name signifies a fulling house. There 
 were several grinding mills in the Rhondda Valley called 
 Cwmsaerbren Mill, Tyle coch Mill, &c., and Pandy 
 was the fulling mill. 
 
 Pantcadifor. — Pant, a low place, a hollow, consider- 
 ably less than a combe or valley. Some think Cadifor 
 is a corruption of Cawd Ifor, signifying the place where 
 Ivor Bach was found dead after a terrible conflict with his 
 enemies. 
 
 Pantdu. — From a farmstead so called. The word 
 means a black hollow. The place is situate in a dreary 
 dingle between Aberavon and Cwmavon. 
 
 Pantscallog. — Pant, a hollow ; scallog — ysgallog,. 
 abounding with thistles. 
 
194 PLACE-NAMES IN WALES. 
 
 Pantyrid. — The right wording is Pant-y-rhyd, 
 the hollow near the ford. Rhyd originally meant a ford, 
 but it is now frequently used to designate a small stream. 
 
 Pantywaun. — Waun, meadow. The place is situated 
 in a bowl-shaped hollow on a mountain meadow. 
 
 Panwaunfawr. — Panwaiin, a wet meadow, peat 
 moss ; fawr — mawr, great, large. 
 
 Penarth. — Pen in geographical names means the 
 highest part or the extreme end, as of a mountain or a 
 field. Penrhyn, headland. In the Highlands of Scotland 
 we find it in many place-names, as Benmore (Penmawr), 
 great mountain, &c. The Gaelic cen or cenn has the 
 same signification as pen and hen. In European place- 
 names it points out the earlier settlements of the Celtic 
 race, as Pennine, Appenines, &c. 
 
 Garth here signifies a promontory or mountain. 
 The name means a headland, which is quite descriptive 
 of the place. This lofty place was in ancient times 
 chosen as vantage-ground for kindling the beacon fire 
 to warn the county of invasion. 
 
 Penclawdd. — Pen-cae-clawdd is the right wording, 
 a name given to an old camp on the Gaer mountain, near 
 an old Roman road. A dyke (clawdd) in olden time was 
 considered as a sign of defence and safety. Pen-clawdd 
 generally means the head or end of the embankment. 
 
 Pencoed. — Pen, head ; coed, wood ; the name signi- 
 fies a place situate at the top of the wood. 
 
 Penderry. — Pen, head or top; derry — deri, oak grove. 
 
 Pendeulwyn. — It means ' the top of two groves.' 
 The name was suggested probably by the physical aspect 
 of the place, and is now spelt ' Pendoylan.' 
 
GLAMORGANSHIRE. I95 
 
 Pengarnddu. — Pen, top, summit ; gam — earn, 
 heap of stones ; ddu, black. The village derives its name 
 from a black heap of stones that was once in the place. 
 
 Penllin. — Pen-llyn, the head of the lake. 
 
 Penmaen. — The name signifies " the head of the rock 
 •or stone,' from the situation of the place at the head of a 
 ridge of rocks, commanding magnificent views of the 
 •Oxwich Bay. 
 
 Penmarc. — ^The name is supposed to mean ' the head 
 -of St. Mark.' ,' O-fr. ^r . 
 
 Pennard. — Some say Pen-garth, the lofty hill ; 
 ■others give Penhardd, the fine or beautiful head. The 
 right wording probably is Penardd, a projection of a hill. 
 
 Penprysg. — Prysg, brushwood, or that which 
 -extends. The name signifies a place abounding with 
 brushwood. Prysg mountain is hard by. 
 
 Penrhiwceibr. — The right wording is Pen-rhiw- 
 ■CAE-BYR, signifying the top of the slope of the little field. 
 
 Penrhiwfer. — ^The name signifies the top of the 
 short slope. 
 
 Penrice. — A corruption of Pen Rhys, the head of 
 Rhys. Rhys, the son of Caradog ab lestyn, was beheaded 
 here .by the Normans in 1099. 
 
 Pentre. — Pen-tree, from a farm so called. The 
 name was originally applied to a few scattered dwellings, 
 forming a town end or otherwise, and finally it was applied 
 to a village in contradistinction to a town of the modem 
 
 type. 
 
196 PLACE-NAMES IN WALES. 
 
 Pentrebach. — The name signifies a small village. 
 It lies about a mile below the town of Merthyr Tydvil, 
 and so called in order to distinguish it from the latter which 
 was colloquially called by the old inhabitants, y Pentref, 
 the village. 
 
 Pextyrch. — The affi.x has been variously derived. 
 The traditional origin of the name runs thus : In olden 
 times a parish wake was frequently held in the neigh- 
 bourhood during which some very questionable pastimes 
 were indulged in. Previous to the festival a piece of wood 
 was fixed in the ground. Every young woman that 
 purposed being present in the wake was expected to make 
 a torch (torque or wreath), bearing her nam.e, and the 
 colour she intended wearing on that day plaited therein. 
 It was a foregone conclusion that one of the young women 
 would produce a better torque than all her rivals, round 
 which the people gathered and unanimously exclaimed 
 ' Wei, dyma ben y tyrch,' ' Well, this is the head of the 
 torques.' 
 
 The right wording is Pentir-yr-ych, the headland of 
 the ox. A combe hard by is called Cwm-y-fuwch, the 
 cow's vale, the extreme end of which bears striking resem- 
 blance to the form of an ox's head. Some say it is Pen- 
 twrch, boar's head, from the resemblance of the brow, 
 of the Garth mountain to a boar's head. 
 
 Penydaren. — Daren signifies a rocky hill. The old 
 cottage that originally bore the name was situated oa 
 a rising eminence. 
 
 Penwaun. — The head or end of the meadow, so called 
 from its situation at the extreme end of Gwrgant's meadow. 
 
GLAMORGANSHIRE. I97 
 
 Penycae. — The head or end of the field. In the 
 year 1818 a Mr. Letsom built a few houses at the east end 
 of a field belonging to Cefnydon farm, which from their 
 geographical position, were called Penycae. 
 
 Penyfai. — Fai — mat, a plain, a field. The name 
 signifies the head or end of the plain. The Welsh for 
 Militia is Meiwyr, signifying the men on the plain or open 
 field. 
 
 Penyrheol. — A \'illage in Loughor district. The 
 name signifies the top or end of the road. 
 
 Penyrheolgerig. — Pen, head, top ; yr, the ; heol, 
 road ; cerig, stones. The name signifies ' the top of the 
 stony road.' 
 
 Pontardawe. — Pont is derived from the Latin -pons, 
 pontis, a bridge. The Roman Pontiff derives his name 
 from the fact that the first bridge over the Tiber was 
 constructed and consecrated by the high priest. This 
 place takes its name from a bridge built by William 
 Edwards about 1757, which connects the parishes of Llan- 
 giwc and Cilybebyll. 
 
 PoNTARDDULAis. — The bridge on the river Dulais or 
 Dulas. For Dulais see Dowlais. 
 
 PoNTYCLOWN. — ClowH, the name of the rivulet over 
 which the bridge is built. It is probably a contraction of 
 dowyn, which implies a white swelUng water. The present 
 spelling is Pontyclun. 
 
 PoNTFAEN. — A corrupt form of Pontyfon, Cow- 
 bridge. Fon — man, an old Welsh word for a cow. In an 
 ancient MS., dated 1645, it is written Pontyfuwch, the 
 cow's bridge. It was originally called y dref Mr yn y Waun, 
 
PLACE-NAMES IN WALES. 
 
 the long town in the meadow. Its present name was 
 derived thus : Some time after the stone bridge was built 
 across the river Dawen, a cow ran under it, and the place 
 being so narrow her horns stuck in the arch. She could 
 neither move onwards or backwards, and ultimately the 
 owner had no alternative but to kill her on the spot. The 
 town's coat of arms ever since is the figure of a cow stand- 
 ing on a bridge, hence Pontyfon, Cowbridge. 
 
 PoNTLOTTYN. — ^The bridge that crosses the Rhymney 
 river in the place was named, according to some, in honour 
 of a man called Lot, colloquially Lottyn. Others think the 
 right wording is Pontyplottyn, which means a bridge 
 erected on a dry spot between two streams of the river. 
 It is spelt ' Pont Lydan,' on an old map, which means a 
 wide bridge. Some say that in olden times the bridge 
 was claimed by the inhabitants of Gwent and Morganwg, 
 as one end stood in each county, and here they met to play 
 games of chance-lotteries. In these games an umpire 
 was chosen, who was called ' Lottyn.' He stood on 
 the bridge to give his decision, hence Pontlottyn, the 
 umpire's bridge. 
 
 We think the name is a corruption of Pantyplot- 
 TYN, which was the name of a farm in that place long 
 before any bridge was built there. Pant, hollow ; y, the ; 
 ■plottyn, from the Anglo-Saxon plot, a spot of ground 
 
 PoNTLLiw. — LLiw, the name of the river that runs 
 under the bridge. Some think the root is Hi, a flux, a 
 stream ; but we rather think it is derived from lug, which 
 is a Romanised form of Uwch, a lake or hollow. Llwchwr 
 is close by. 
 
 PoNTRHYDYCYFF. — Pont, bridge ; rhyd, ford ; y, 
 the ; cyff, a stump, a trunk. 
 
GLAMORGANSHIRE. 199 
 
 PONTRHYDYFEN. — Rhydyfen has given rise to 
 many conjectures. Some say it is Rhydywaun, the 
 meadow ford ; others call it Rhyd Efan, Evan's ford ; 
 others think it is Rhydyfon, the cow's ford. We rather 
 think the name is a corrupt form of Pont-ar-rhyd-afan, 
 the bridge on the ford of Afan ; and is derived from the 
 small bridge that was built to cross the ford near Rhyslyn. 
 Or jen may be the Welsh men, a cart or wagon, and the 
 name would mean the bridge of the wagon ford. 
 
 PoNTYCYMMER. — Pont, bridge ; y, the ; cymmer, 
 the junction of two rivers or brooks bearing the same name. 
 
 PoNTYGWAiTH. — Gwaith, work or works. It is gener- 
 ally believed that an ironworks stood here at some remote 
 period. A smelting furnace was standing here as late as 
 1850, but who built it is a matter of conjecture. 
 
 Pontypridd. — In the reign of Henry VIII. Leland 
 refers to this locality as Pont Rhehesk, which is a corrup- 
 tion of Pont-yr-hesg, the bridge of the rushes. Craig-yr- 
 HESG, the rock of the rashes, is about half a mile to the 
 north-east of the town. When Leland passed through 
 the place, the only bridge crossing the Taff river in the 
 locahty was a footbridge over the rocks of the Taff 
 waterfall, hence the name Pont-yr-hesg. The place 
 afterwards took its name from Pont-yr-hen-dy-pridd, 
 the bridge near the old earthen house, which was erected 
 by William Edwards in 1755. 
 
 Port Talbot. — In an Act of Parhament which 
 received Royal assent July 4th, 1836, it was enacted 
 " that from and immediately after the passing of this 
 Act the said harbour shall cease to be called the " Aber- 
 avon Harbour,' but shall be called, known, and distin- 
 guished by the name of ' Port Talbot." ' The founda- 
 
200 PLACE-NAMES IN WALES. 
 
 tion stone of the harbour was laid by one of the Talbot 
 family, Margam Park, September, 1837. The name is 
 extended now to the whole district. 
 
 PoRTEYXON. — The name is derived from Einion, a 
 descendant of Howel Dda. The wonderful cave called 
 Twll yr afr, goat's hole, is in this parish. In 1822-23 
 remains of elephants and mam_moths were discovered here. 
 
 PoRTKERRY. — The name is derived from. Ceri ab 
 Caid, king of Essyllvrfr. Ancient history tells us that he 
 was a remarkably wise m_an, and a ship-builder, and that 
 he took up his abode here. Font-de-Gery, Ceri's well, 
 is not far distant. Here the Normans landed when they 
 came to Glamorgan at the request of Einion ab CoUwyn. 
 (lolo MSS., p. 345). 
 
 Port Tennant. — So called in honour of H. T. 
 Tennant, Esq., Cadoxton Lodge, who built it at his 
 own expense in 1826. 
 
 Porthcawl. — One writer thinks the right wording is 
 PoRTHCAWELL ; forth, port ; cawell, a weii, so named from 
 two fishing weirs formerly placed here, ^^'e rather think 
 that cawl is a corrupt form of Gaul. It is supposed that 
 the Gauls or Gaels left their mem.orials here as well as in 
 Galloway, Gcf/way, Donegal, Portugal. 
 
 PwLLCWM. — Pwll, a pit, a small pool ; cunn, a valley ; 
 so called from an old coal pit that was opened in the 
 place. 
 
 Pyle. — From pil, which means a creek, a small inlet 
 of the sea filled by the tide. It is supposed that the place 
 was sometimes inundated by the sea, hence the name. 
 
 Quakers Yard. — The place derives its name from the 
 following incident ; Lydia Fell, who lived in Cefn Forest — 
 
GLAMORGANSHIRE. 201 
 
 a farmhouse in the parish of Merthyr Tydfil — was a 
 wealthy member of the Quaker fraternity. In course 
 of time a burial-place for the Quakers became a desider- 
 atum. She owned considerable land in the northern 
 part of Llanfabon parish, and v/as charitable enough to 
 give a portion of it to be made a suitable repository 
 for the dead about the year 1670 or 1680. A wall was 
 built around it, six feet high, which is still standing. 
 Lydia Fell was buried here. 
 
 Radir. — Some think the name is a contraction of yr dr 
 dir, the arable land. lago Emlyn thinks the oiiginal form 
 was rhaiadr, cataract or waterfall. We are inclined 
 to think the name is an abbreviated form of Rhad-dir, 
 cheap or free land, belonging to the diocese of Llandaff. 
 Morgan Mwynfawr held his court here in preference to 
 Caerleon-on-Usk. 
 
 Raven Hill. — A farm in the place is called Penlle'r 
 Brain, which signifies the chief rendezvous of the raven 
 tribe in the district, and the present name may be a trans- 
 lation of the sam.e. If we could satisfy ourselves that the 
 Danes visited the place, we would be inclined to identify 
 the place-name with pvaefn, a raven, the Danish standard. 
 There are several Danish names in Gower and along its 
 coast. 
 
 Resolven. — The name, according to some, is a com- 
 pound of rhiw, slope ; and Solven, the name of the m.oun- 
 tain at the base of which the village is situated. Sol — siol, 
 head ; and pen — maen, stone. Others think it is a 
 contraction of Bryn Soflen, the hill of stubble. After 
 the Norman Conquest the lands of Solven Were allotted 
 to Rhys ab lestyn, and called, according to some, after 
 his name, ' Rees-Solven.' Solven is doubtless a changed 
 
202 PLACE-NAMES IN WALES. 
 
 fonn of Sylfan, a place to gaze, which fully corresponds- 
 with the physical aspect of the place, the Solven mountain 
 commanding an extensive view of the Vale of Neath. 
 
 Reynoldston. — So called in honour of Reginald de 
 Breos, who was sometime lord of the manor, and is sup- 
 posed to have been the founder of the church. 
 
 Rhigos. — In ancient MSS., it is spelt Rhygoes, 
 Rhegoes, and y Rygoes. Some think it is a corruption 
 of Rhydgroes, the ford of the cross. Grug-rhos, the 
 meadow heath has been suggested. The physical aspect 
 of the place suggests another derivation : rhug, what has 
 breaks or points ; rhos, meadow. The right wording,, 
 others think, is Grugos, heath, heather ; signifying a 
 heathy place — a true description of this romantic spot, 
 which is noted for its small batches of heath. Thomas 
 Llewelyn, Rhigos, is a name that has not had the place 
 it deserves in Welsh history. It is supposed that he 
 was born in a farmhouse called Clyn-Eithinog, Eithen- 
 — a furse brake, in the earlier part of the sixteenth century. 
 
 Rhondda. — In ancient documents it is spelt 
 Glyn Rothere, Glyn Rodneu, Glyn Rotheney, 
 and Glyn Rhondda. Some have derived the name from 
 the Latin unda. We rather think the name is a 
 contracted form of Yr Honddu ; yr, the ; hoen, 
 complexion, hue ; ddu, black. Many Welsh rivers 
 received their names from the peculiar hue of their 
 respective waters. 
 
 Rhossili. — The word means a moorland near the sea. 
 Rhos, moor ; heli, brine. Reginald de Sully had nothings 
 to do with this place. 
 
 Worm's Head is in this parish, which is evidently 
 
GLAMORGANSHIRE. 20j 
 
 another memorial of the Vikings. Worm is a Saxon- 
 ized form of the Norse ormr, a serpent. This promontory 
 has been compared to a huge sea serpent raising its 
 head and half of its length above the waves. 
 
 Rhws. — The name signifies a cultivated region. 
 
 Rhydri. — A contraction, say some, of Yr-yw-dre, 
 the home of yew trees, from the abundance of yew trees 
 in the neighbourhood. It may be a corruption of Rhiw- 
 Y-DERi, literally, the slope of the oaks, or it may be an 
 Anglicised form of Rhudd-dre, the hamlet of the red 
 soil. 
 
 Rhydyboithan. — Rhyd, a ford ; y, the. Boithan 
 may be a corruption of bwthyn, hut or cot. 
 
 Rhydyfelen. — The true etymology is Rhyd-y-felin 
 the ford or stream of the mill. The word signifies a stream 
 of water that turns a mill. 
 
 Rhydyfro. — ^The name signifies ' the stream of the 
 vale.' 
 
 Senghenydd. — {See Caerphili). 
 
 SiGGiNGTON. — ^This place lies near Cowbridge, and 
 seems to have belonged to a fam.ily named Syggin or 
 Siggin, who, however, left no other record. 
 
 Skerry. — From the Norse scar, a face of rock or cliff. 
 Skeara, to shear, or cut asunder. The rocks of Sker Point 
 run sheer down into the sea. It is cognate with the 
 Gaehc and Erse sgeir, a cliff ; the Welsh esgair, a shank, 
 a long ridge ; and the Anglo-Saxon sciran, to divide. A 
 scar is the mark where the flesh has been divided ; a 
 share is a divided part and shire is a division of land. 
 
204 PLACE-NAMES IN WALES. 
 
 Sketty. — The name is probably an abbreviated form 
 of Is Ketti. The village lies at the base of the hill where 
 Maen Ketti stands, hence the name is Ketti, which signi- 
 fies a place below the stone of the Arkite power. 
 
 Skewen. — The right wording, say some, is Is-cae- 
 YWEN, a place below the field of the yew-tree, but we rather 
 think it is a corruption of Ysgawen, the Welsh for elder- 
 wood, so called from the abundance of that wood in the 
 neighbourhood. 
 
 St. Athan. — According to the Welsh Chronicles the 
 church was bdilt by St. Tathan, son of Annwn Ddu, and 
 Anna, the daughter of i\Ieurig ab Tewdrig, King of 
 Essyllwg, in the sixth century. It is said that Tathan 
 founded a monastic establishment here for 500 saints, 
 and that his mortal remains were interred here. 
 
 St. Bride. — The church was dedicated to St. Ffraid, 
 according to some ; but lolo Morganwg thinks it was dedi- 
 cated to St. Bride, the daughter of Dwpdagws, an Irish 
 saint. 
 
 St. Donnatt's. Donnatt is an Anghcanism of the 
 Welsh Dunawd, the name of the saint to whom the 
 ■church was dedicated. Another ^'illage, Welsh St. 
 Donnatt's, was so called for the purpose of distinguishing 
 it from St. Donnatt's proper, which was occupied by a 
 portion of the Flemish colony. 
 
 St Ffagan — The parish church is dedicated to St. 
 Ffagan, who is said to have come to Britain with 
 Dyfan and Medwy and Elfan in the year 180, at the 
 ■solicitations of Lleurwg, to preach the Gospel to the 
 people. 
 
GLAMORGANSHIRE. 205- 
 
 St. Hilary. — ^The church is dedicated to St. Elari. 
 The remains of Beaupre Castle are in this parish. 
 
 St. Nicholas. — ^The Welsh name is Llan-einydd, 
 from the church being built by Einydd, King of Morganwg, 
 and grandson of Morgan Mwynfavvr. The new name was 
 probably conferred by the Normans. 
 
 St. Lythan. — Lythan is probably a corruption of 
 Bleddian. The Welsh name is Llanfleiddian Fach, 
 so called in honour of Bleiddian, a contemporary of Gar- 
 mon, the adjective bach, little, being added in order to 
 distinguish it from Llanbleiddian Fawr. 
 
 Sully. — ^The Welsh name is Abersili, from, its situa- 
 tion at the mouth of the rivulet Sili. Sully is perhaps a 
 corruption of Sili, hissing water ; or of Sylwy : syl — 
 sylhi, to gaze ; and wy, water. Som.e think the word is 
 the Norse for ' ploughed island,' and others think it is a 
 modified form of Sulwy or Sule, a woman's name. 
 
 Swansea. — The original name of the town was Caer 
 Wyr, the fortress of Gower. It is called Abertawy, 
 from its situation at the estuary of the river Tawy. 
 The roots are taw, silent ; and wy — gwy, water ; signifying 
 the silent river. Some think the root is ta or tam, which 
 m.eans what spreads or expands, and that it is found in 
 the river-nam-es Tay in Perth ; Tan in Devon ; Tame, 
 Thames, Taf, Teifi, Tawy. 
 
 There are different views respecting the origin of 
 Swansea. Col. Francis traces the name in Common 
 Hall Books, Charters, and Chronicles, to the reign of 
 Henry II (1188), and finds that it always points to the 
 place which bears the nam.e of Sweyn, the Danish hero. 
 Hearne, in 1722, records : " King Swanus, his fleet,. 
 
206 PLACE-NAMES IN WALES. 
 
 drowned at Swanawick, . alias Swanasey, [i.e., Swanus- 
 sea). Swanus' fleet was destroyed in the Swansea Bay 
 by a storm in 877. It is said that 120 ships were lost 
 at the time, and that he himself perished. 
 
 Taibach. — The name signifies ' small houses,' so called 
 from the four small thatched houses that once stood at the 
 bottom of the road, which was afterwards called ' Water 
 Street.' 
 
 Talygarn. — Tal, front, end ; y, the ; gam — cam, 
 a heap, a cairn. 
 
 Three Crosses. — So called from the junction of the 
 three roads in the hamlet. 
 
 TiRPHiL. — Tir, land ; phil, a clipped form of Philip, 
 the name of the then owner of the land on which the 
 "village was built. 
 
 Ton. The name signifies unploughed land, a grassy 
 plot of ground. The village derives its name from a 
 farmstead so called. 
 
 Tonna. — Plural of ton. {See Ton). 
 
 ToNDU. — Ton, a grassy plot of ground, a green 
 sward. Ithel Ddu, grandson of Morgan Hen, kept a sum- 
 mer-house here, called Ton Ithel Ddu. He was called 
 Ithel Ddu from his very black hair and beard. In course 
 ■of time the appellation Ithel was omitted, and the name 
 contracted to Tonddu and Tondu. Ithel is written in 
 old Welsh Judhael, and on one of the Llantwit stones it 
 it spelt Juthahelo. Professor Rhys thinks it is composed 
 of jud, fight ; and had, generous, a generous man. 
 
 Tongwynlais. — Ton, green sward ; gwyn-las, white 
 and green. Some call it Ton-gwyrdd-las, a green, grassy 
 
GLAMORGANSHIRE. 2O7 
 
 plot of ground. A mansion near the village is called 
 ' Green Meadow,' which is an approximate equivalent to 
 the village name. 
 
 ToNYREFAiL. — Yr-efail, the smithy. The name in 
 full means a smithy built upon or near a green sward. A 
 very old smithy is in the place. 
 
 Trealaw. — Tref, the primitive Welsh for homestead, 
 a dwelling house. Having built a house for himself the 
 lord of the manor would proceed to erect dwellings for his 
 people and his cattle, and then formed what was called 
 tref. The word, in course of time, became to be applied 
 to an aggregate of houses. The Norse hy, the Danish 
 thorpe, the German dorf, and the English ham and ton 
 may be considered as its equivalents. This place was 
 called Trealaw in honour of D. Williams, Esq., father 
 of Judge Williams, Miskin, whose nom-de-plume was 
 Alaw Goch, and on whose land the village was built. 
 
 Trebanog. — Tref, homestead, dweUing place ; hanog, 
 prominent, high, conspicuous, lofty. Banau, beacons. 
 
 Treboeth. — The name signifies the dry parched 
 hamlet. 
 
 Trebanos. — Banos ; ban, a general term for high 
 places or mountains ; os, a plural diminutive, as in plantos, 
 children. 
 
 Treforgan. — A small village near Crynant, so called 
 after John Morgan, who built the first two houses in the 
 place in 1874. 
 
 Treforest.— So called from Craig-y-Fforest, the 
 rock of the forest, near which the village is situate 
 
208 PLACE-NAMES IX WALES. 
 
 Treharris. — So named in honour of Mr. Harris, 
 who opened a \'ery large coUiery here in 1873, and called 
 it Harris' Navigation Colliery. 
 
 Treherbert. — The name was conferred on the place 
 in 1851 by the Marquis of Bute, in honour of Herbert, a 
 favourite name in the Bute family. 
 
 Treorky. — The right wording, perhaps, is Tre- 
 GoRCHWY. — Gorchwy, river name, signifies encom.passing 
 or overflowing water. The root may be orch, a limit, a 
 border. 
 
 Troedyrhiwfuwch. — It is vulgarly spelt by some 
 Troed-rhyw-fuwch, the foot of som.e cow, in allusion to 
 a local tradition about a cow that had gone astray. Some 
 think it is a corruption of Troedrhiw-uchaf, a farm so 
 named, in order to distinguish it from Troedrhiw-isaf. 
 We take it to mean a place situate at the bottom of the 
 cow's slope. 
 
 Troedyrhiw. — From a farmstead so cnlled. Troed 
 is the Welsh for loot, base. The Irish traig signifies the 
 same both of which, according to some, are of the same 
 origin as the Greek trecho, ' Iran.' The English tread 
 m.eans to set the foot. Rhiw is the Welsh for ascent, 
 acchvity, slope. The Welsh Troedyrhiw and the 
 Italian pie di monte are almost synonymous. 
 
 Tylorstown. — The village derives its nam.e from Mr. 
 Alfred Tylor, who opened the first colliery here about 
 1872. 
 
 Tythegston. — Llandudwg is the Welsh nam.e. 
 The church is dedicated to Tudwg, a saint of the sixth 
 
GLAMORGANSHIRE. 2O9 
 
 century. Tytheg is a modification of Tudwg, pro- 
 bably a personal name. 
 
 TwYNRODYN. — Twyn is a smaller and flatter rising 
 of the ground than hryn. and forms no part of a range. 
 It would 'oe equivalent to ' knoll or hillock ; ' yr, the ; 
 odyn, lime-kiln. 
 
 Tylegwyn. — Tyle originally meant a place where a 
 house had been, but now it signifies a steep ascent, or 
 rising of a hill. Tyle Iscoed is an old appellation for Ire- 
 land. Gwyn, white. 
 
 Walnut Tree Bridge. — Three walnut trees had 
 grown near each other on a well-known plot of ground 
 in the place, and in order to proceed with the construc- 
 tion of the Taff Vale Railway in the place, it was necessary 
 to uproot these trees and build a bridge on the spot, hence 
 the name. The place is popularly called Taff's Well, from 
 the celebrated well that springs from the bed of the river 
 Taff. It is 4 feet deep, and its waters aie famous for 
 cuiing rheumatism. 
 
 Walterston. — The village bears the name of 
 Walter or Gualtier de Mapes, Fitzhamon's chaplain. 
 His father came into this country with Fitzhamon, and 
 received as his share of the plunder the estates of Gwenydd 
 ab Seisyllt, lord of Llancarvan. 
 
 Watford. — In old records it is written as y Fot 
 FFORDD, which is probably a corrupt form of Bodffordd, 
 a roadside residence. A very historic place in connec- 
 tion with Nonconformity. 
 
 Waunarlwydd. — Waun, meadow ; arlwydd, modern 
 Welsh ; arglwydd, a superior, a lord, a proprietor. Mr. 
 
210 PLACE-NAMES IN WALES. 
 
 Griffiths, Bryn Dafydd, purchased a piece of land which 
 belonged to the lord of the manor, from which circumstance 
 the place was called Waunarlwydd, the lord's manor. 
 
 Wauntrodau. — Waun, meadow ; trodau is variously 
 derived. Some derive it from trotian, to trot, to go on trot; 
 trodi, to journey ; from the supposition that the place 
 was sometime noted for horse-racing. Others think the 
 right worcling is Troed-y-da, signifying the meadow 
 where traces of cows' feet were visible. An old house, 
 called Castell Rhoda, Rhode's castle, once stood in the 
 place. This may be the ancient Treoda, which was burnt 
 by the Saxons in 831, and the waun, meadow, probably 
 belonged to the same mansion. 
 
 Wenvoe. — ^The roots are gwyn, white blessed ; and 
 fa — man, place. The name is a Norman transmutation 
 of the original Gwynfa. Gwyn was a sacred appellation 
 among the Celtic race. Cylch y Gwynfyd was the 
 Druidical Elysium. Gwynfa is the popular Welsh for 
 Paradise. 
 
 Wick. — Some think the name is indirectly derived 
 from the Norse wic, a bay ; but wic had a second- 
 ary meaning of hamlet, village. It was anciently 
 called Y Wig Fawr, the great wood, suggesting 
 that the locality was sometime thickly wooded, and the 
 present name is an Anglicized form of the Welsh minus 
 jawr, great, large. 
 
 Ynysboeth. — A village near Penrhiwceibr. ynys, 
 a quasi-island ; poeth, scorching, sun-parched. 
 
 Ynysawdre. — Ynys, island (?) ; nawdd, refuge ; and 
 ire, homestead. 
 
GLAMORGANSHIRE. 211 
 
 Ynyshir. — Ynys originally signified a quasi-island 
 in the marshes. It is equivalent to inch in Scotland, 
 Inch Keith ; and inis or ennis in Ireland, Ennis Killen, 
 Inniskia, &c. Ynys-hir- literally means long island, so 
 named after a farmstead in the place. It is noteworthy 
 that a very large number of villages in the mining dis- 
 tricts take their names from farm-houses. 
 
 Ynyslwyd. — From an old cottage so called, on the 
 river Cynon. Some say it is Ynys y tywod llwyd, a 
 •quasi-island of grey sands. 
 
 Ynyspenllwch. — Ynys, island ; -pen, head, end ; 
 llwch, lake, an inlet of water. The postfix corresponds 
 ■with the Scotch loch, the Irish lough, and the English 
 -lake. Tradition has it that the vale of Tawy was once 
 ■studded with many lakes or sheet of waters. Yslwch 
 means a gutter, and slough is a mire. 
 
 Ynystawe. — Ynys, island ; Tawe, the name of the 
 river. The ancient farmstead, which gave the name 
 to the place, was the residence of the celebrated bard, 
 Hopkin ap Thomas ap Einion in 1380. He served as a 
 mihtary officer in the reigns of Edward III. and Richard 
 II. 
 
 Ynysybwl. — Some think the affix is pwll, pit, hollow ; 
 the name, therefore, signifying the island in the hollow. 
 The true rendering, probably, is Ynys-y-bel, which is 
 by free interpretation, the ball-meadow. The place in 
 olden times was a noted rendezvous for ball-players. 
 
 Ystalyfera. — In some old documents the name is 
 spelt ynys-tal-fera. In the adjoining places we find 
 ynysmeudwy and ynyspenllwch. Some think the right 
 wording is Ynys-tal-furiau, the meadow at the foot of the 
 
212 PLACE-NAMES IN WALES. 
 
 high wahs (of Ahtgrug and Tarren Gwyddon). Ystal, a 
 stock or produce, a stall ; y, the ; fera:=hera, a stack of 
 corn or hay ; the name colloquially meaning ' the hay- 
 stall.' The place is also called y Cyfin, which is a clipped 
 form of Cyfyng, implying a narrow, deep gorge, in which 
 anyone on \-iewing the mountains on either side might be 
 inclined to exclaim like the apostle of old, " I am in a strait 
 betwixt two." 
 
 YsTRAD Dyfodwg. — Ystrad is a general term for a 
 low or fiat valley through which a river flows. It is derived 
 from the Latin strata, a paved way, from sterno, stratum, 
 to spread out, to strew ; and considered to be one of the 
 words recognised as inherited directly from the Roman 
 invaders. Compare the Scotch strath, and the English 
 street. The parish church was dedicated to Tyfodwg. 
 ab Gwilfyw, a saint of the sixth century. 
 
 Ystrad Mynach. — Mynach is the Welsh for monk. 
 Some have been led by the name to think that some 
 unknown monk must have lived here in time of yore. 
 The right wording is Maenarch. In the lolo MSS. we are 
 told that Maenarch, Earl of Hereford, built the parish 
 church of Llanfabon. 
 
 Ystrad Owen. — The parish derives its name from 
 Prince Owen, the son of Morgan Hen, King of Morgannwg, 
 who took up his abode here. In a field adjoining the 
 churchyard is a large tumulus supposed to indicate the site 
 of his house, or as some say, the grave of Ovi-en and his 
 wife. Owen's remains were buried here in 987. 
 
MERIONETH. 
 
 The county takes its name from the old cantrev of 
 Meirion, so called in honour of Meirion, grandson of 
 Cunedda Wledig. The affix eth is a modification of the 
 Welsh ydd, a particle denoting agency or personality. It 
 is the only northern county that has kept its original name. 
 
 Aberdyfi. — So called from its situation at the mouth 
 of the river Dyfi. Some think Dyfi means smooth water, 
 and that the right wording is Dof-wy, the tame or smooth 
 water. Others think it is Dyfn-wy, the deep water. Some 
 are of opinion that it is a corrupt form of Deifr-dyfroedd, 
 waters. But the most popular derivation is Dwyf-wy, 
 the sacred water. 
 
 Abeedysyni. — Some think that Dysyni, the name of 
 the rivulet, is a corruption of di-swn-wy , the noiseless 
 water, which is a true description of this lethargic stream. 
 
 Abercywarch. — ^The place is situated at the mouth 
 of the river Cywarch. Perhaps cywarch is a mutation of 
 cawerch ; caw, moveable , swift, and erch, terrible, rushing ; 
 signifying a swift and terrible water. 
 
 Abergwynolwyn. — Various forms are given of this 
 name, as Abergynolgwyn, Abergwernolwyn, Abergwer- 
 nolwy, Aber Cantolwyn, &c. Some think the place derives 
 its name from Cynolwyn, an unknown personage referred 
 to in the Black Book of Carmarthen. We find Cae 
 Cynolwyn in the district of Aberdyfi. Others think the 
 right wording is Abergwernol wy. The river is called, 
 Gwernol, and has its source in Gwernol's Well. Gwernol, 
 swampy, boggy, and wy, water. 
 
214 PLACE-NAMES IX WALES. 
 
 Aberllefeni. — Some think the name is a clipped 
 fonn of Aber-Uech-feini, signifying a river making its way 
 through and over slate-stones. Others think that 
 Llefeni is a mutation of Llyfnwy, the smooth water. We 
 have many rivers bearing the name Llyfnwy. We are 
 inclined to think the correct wording is Aher-llwyfeni- 
 In the works of Ifan Tew in the Library of the British 
 Museum the name is given as Aber-llwyfeni. Llwyfeni 
 means ehn-trees, which adorn the banks of the river. 
 
 Abertrinant. — Nant primarily signified a ravine, 
 a dingle, a commot. 
 
 Ardudwy. — Ar, a height ; dud-tud, a region, a dis- 
 trict ; wy-gwy, water ; the name signifying a watery dis- 
 trict. Some derive the name from ar, above ; du, black ; 
 and dwy, or gwy, water ; hence a place above the black 
 waters. 
 
 Argoed. — A contraction of ar-y-coed, a place situated 
 on or above a wood. Camps in time of yore were forti- 
 fied on emergencies, by felling trees to surround them,, 
 and one so constructed was called Argoed. 
 
 Arthog.— The older inhabitants call it Arthogof ; 
 Arth,h&a.r; ogo/, cave or lair. Tradition has it that bears 
 sometime found a resting-place here. Some think it is a 
 personal name. We find the forms Arthawc and Arthawg 
 in Bonedd y Saint. We rather think the right word is 
 Garthog, mountainous, hilly. Garth, a projecting ridge. 
 
 Bala.— Some think the word is Celtic, signifying a 
 village. Others derive it from halu, to shoot, or issue forth. 
 Bala coed, the budding or blossom of trees. Bala llyn, the 
 outlet or efflux of a lake. It is cognate with Balloch in. 
 
MERIONETH. 215 
 
 Scotland. The town is situate at the effluence of Llyn 
 Tegid, the lake of Tegid. The lake was so called from the 
 following circumstances. 
 
 " Tegid, the son of Baran, was a wise king, and a good 
 bard. He enacted excellent regulations for literature ; 
 restored ancient learning, which had nearly become 
 lost ; and instituted a council of bards and Druids, as of 
 old. He continued at war with his enemies, but they 
 took him at last, through treachery, and drowned him in 
 the great lake, called from that circumstance, Llyn Tegid 
 (Tegid's Lake) in Gwynedd. (" lolo MSS. p. 346). 
 
 CoRRis. — We find the forms Corys and Corus in the 
 Cambrian Register for 1795. Some think the place takes 
 its name from a saint called Corus. It is also said that 
 Cunedda Wedig had a son called Coras. Others think 
 that the river which gives the place its name, was called 
 Corus from its making round excavations in the angles 
 of its banks. 
 
 Barmouth. — An Anghcized form of the Welsh 
 name, Ahermaw, which signifies a place situated at the 
 mouth of the river Maw. Bar is a modification of Aher. 
 and mouth of Maw, or Mawddwy. Maw means broad, 
 expanding. Mawddach, according to Dr. Owen Pughe, 
 means overflowing water. " Oedd maw ei rhydau," broad 
 were its fords. The Anglicized name was adopted in 
 1768 by the seafaring fraternity in order to have an 
 English name inscribed upon the vessels. 
 
 Bryn y Crug. — Bryn, a hill ; y, the ; crug, a heap ; 
 signifying a heap on a hill. 
 
 Carrog. — From carog, which signifies a torrent or 
 brook. 
 
2l6 PLACE-NAMES IN WALES. 
 
 CwM Prysor. — Cwm, valley ; Prysor seems to be 
 derived from prysu, to form a resort or covert. The 
 name is quite descriptive of this deep and solitary vale, 
 in which the rains of Castle Prysor are still visible. 
 
 Ceinog. — The root is cain, clear, bright, fair. The 
 name was given to the place, probably, on account of 
 the beautiful views it commands. 
 
 CoRWEN. — Some derive the name from Corwena, 
 the name of the mother of Bran and Beli, twin brothers. 
 Others derive it from Corvaen, which implies a stone 
 in a circle. Others think it is a mutation of Caer Owain. 
 History tells us that the place is famous for being the 
 rendezvous where the Welsh assembled about the year 
 1163, under their valiant leader, Owen Gwynedd, against 
 Henry II., and also for being the place of encampment of 
 Owain Glyndwr when he defended his country against 
 Henry IV. We incline to think the name retains its pri- 
 mitive form ; hence it means the white choir or church. 
 
 CwMORTHiN. — A corruption probably of Cwm-certh- 
 hin. Cwm, valley ; certh, awful, dangerous ; hin, the 
 weather. The name is quite descriptive of the physical 
 aspect of this deep valley. 
 
 Cymerau. — The root is cymer, the juncture or union of 
 two streams. The place is situated near the confluence of 
 the rivers Erch and Heli. 
 
 Cynwyd. — ^The name, which signifies primary evil, 
 or mischief, was probably derived from Cynwyd ah 
 Cynwydion, once a very powerful prince in Edeyrnion, 
 but who spent the latter end of his life in hermitage. 
 
 Doldrewin. — Some are of opinion that the name 
 refers to the druidical circles, remains of which are 
 
MERIONETH. 217 
 
 now seen in the village. Dol, a meadow,; drewin, a 
 corruption of derwydd, a druid. 
 
 Derwen Las. — Derwen, an oak ; las-glas, green. 
 
 DoLGELLEY. — Dol, a meadow, a plain, dale ; gelley 
 is derived by some from celli, a grove. The name is 
 quite in correspondence with the physical aspect of the 
 town, which is situate in a fertile vale between the rivers 
 Aran and Wnion, and surrounded on all sides by lofty 
 and thickly-wooded mountains. We rather think that 
 gelley is a corruption of collen, hazel-tree, from the abun- 
 ■dance of hazel-wood in the district. 
 
 DiNAS Mawddwy. — Dinas, a hill fort. In olden 
 times it was the capital of an extensive lordship, pre- 
 serving the insignia of power, the stocks and whipping- 
 post, the feg fawr, or great fetter, the mace, and 
 standard measure. Mawddwy, broad water. 
 
 DuGOED. — Du, black ; goed — coed, wood. 
 
 Ffestiniog. — Edmunds derives the name from 
 ■mesen, an acorn, and wg, a district. Others derive it 
 from the Latin Festino, which, it is supposed, was bestowed 
 upon it by the Romans when they took up their abode 
 here. Dr. O. Pughe traces it to the Welsh ffestinio, to 
 hasten. The pedestrian was obliged to hasten through 
 the place if he destined to cross the mountains and reach 
 Bala or Ysbytty ere being enveloped in darkness. We 
 rather think the name is alhed with penffestin, a helmet. 
 Penffesiiniog, wearing a helmet. The name, therefore, 
 implies a district possessing fortified places. 
 
 Glyndyfrdwy. — Glyn, glen ; dyfrdwy, the name of 
 the river that flows through it. Various explanations 
 
2l8 PLACE-NAMES IN WALES. 
 
 have been given of Dyfrdwy. Some derive it from 
 dwfr-dwy-afon, the water of two rivers ; others maintain 
 it is a mutation of dwjr-du, black watei ; according to 
 others it is a corruption of Dwrdd-gwy, the roaring water. 
 The most popular derivation is dyfr-dwy (/), the 
 goddess' water, or the water of the divinity, from the 
 supposition that its waters were held in superstitious 
 veneration by the Kjmiry. 
 
 GwYDDELWERN. — Gwyddd, a man of the woods ; 
 gwerii, alder trees. Alder wood, perchrnce, abounded, 
 in the district, and the early inhabitants probably were 
 obliged to build their hut-homes in the woods. Or 
 perhaps, it means the alders of the Irish, indicating the 
 place where a band of Irishmen were defeated. Dr. 0. 
 Pughe translates the word thus : "A moor or meadow 
 overgrown with bushes," which signification tallies- 
 weU with the bushy aspect of the place. We also find 
 Y Wern Ddti, black moor, and Ty'nywern, the house on. 
 the moor, in the district. The term gwyddel originally 
 meant a brake, a bush, and the name probably means a 
 meadow full of brambles. 
 
 Harlech. — In ancient times the castle was known 
 by the names o^ Twr Bronwen, Bronwen's Tower, from 
 Bronwen, the White-necked, or rather Branwen lit, the 
 blessed crow, sistei to Bran ap Llyr, king of Britain ; 
 and Caer Collwyn, from CoUwyn ap Tango, head of one of 
 the fifteen tribes of North Wales, and lord of Eifionydd, 
 Ardudwy, and part of Lleyn. 
 
 When Edward I. built the present castle it was 
 denominated, according to some, Harddlech, the fair or 
 
MERIONETH. 219- 
 
 fine rock or stone. The county is exceedingly ricli in 
 cromlechs and tine stone monuments. A traveller, in 
 climbing an adjacent hill, may observe several meini 
 hirion, and circles formed of large common pebble-stones.. 
 
 Llandanwg. — From Tanwg, son of Ithel Hael, and 
 a saint of the sixth century. Tanwg means lowland. 
 
 Llandecwyn. — From Tecwyn, son of Ithel Hael,. 
 and a saint of the sixth century. Two lakes in the- 
 parish, Tecwyn Ucha and Tecwyn Isa, bear his name. 
 Some derive tecwyn thus — teg, far ; gwyn, white, lovely. 
 Llyn Tecwyn is near the village, whose waters are of 
 crystalline clearness. 
 
 Llandrinio. — Trinio, a descendant of Emyr Llydaw,. 
 is supposed to have been the founder of the church. 
 Trinio probably comes from trin, which means a battle or 
 combat ; trinio, to meddle, to manage. 
 
 Llanddwywe. — ^From Dwywau, a descendant of 
 Emyr Llydaw, and a saint of the sixth century. 
 
 Llanfihangel-y-Traethau. — The Parish Church 
 is dedicated to St. Michael, and is situated near the 
 two beaches, called Y Traeth Bach and Traeth Mawr. 
 
 Llanfihangel y Pennant. — The church is dedicated 
 to St. Michael, hence Llanfihangel. Pennant, the extreme 
 end of the dingle. 
 
 Llwyngwril. — Llwyn, bush ; gwril, the name of the 
 river that runs through the place. Some think the right 
 wording is Llwyn Cyril, from a tradition that a saint called 
 Cyril walked over the sea from Bardsey Island to this. 
 
220 PLACE-NAMES IN WALES. 
 
 place, where he took up his residence. Probably the 
 place takes its name from an unknown person called 
 Gwril or Gwryl. 
 
 Llanfor. — Some think the church is dedicated to 
 Mor Meirion. The right wording, perhaps, is Llanfawr, 
 ihe great church. 
 
 Llangar. — The right word probably is Llangaer, 
 which means the fortress church. The church is built 
 near an ancient fortress called Caerwem ; hence the 
 name. 
 
 Llangower. — Gower is a corruption of Gwawr, the 
 mother of Llywarch Hen, and a saint, to whom the 
 -church is dedicated. 
 
 Llanuwchllyn. — The name indicates a church 
 above the lake. The village is situated on the Dee a 
 short distance above Tegid lake. 
 
 Llandderfel. — From Derfel Gadarn, a celebrated 
 warrior in the sixth century. The church was remark- 
 able for a vast wooden image of Derfel, which was the 
 subject of much superstition in olden times. 
 
 Llandrillo. — From Trillo, son of Ithel Hael. 
 Trilo's well is near the village. 
 
 Llanfrothen. — From Brothen, son of Helig ab 
 ■Glanawg, and a popular saint of the sixth century. 
 
 Llangelynin. — From Celynin, son of Helig ab 
 ■Glanawg. 
 
 Llanegryn. — Egyyn, a saint of the seventh century, 
 is supposed to have founded the church. 
 
 Llanwrin. — From Gwrhin, son of Cynddilig, a 
 supposed saint of the sixth century. 
 
MERIONETH. 221 
 
 Llanelltyd. — From Illtyd, one of the most cele- 
 brated of the Welsh saints. 
 
 Llanferin. — Merin, a descendant of Seithenyn, is- 
 recorded to have been the founder of the church. 
 
 Llanbedr. — The church is dedicated to St. Peter. 
 This neighbourhood, according to some historians, 
 forms a part of Cantref y Gwaelod, the lowland hundred. 
 
 Llanaber. — The church stands on the south extre- 
 mity of the plain of Ardudwy, within about a furlong 
 from the sea. 
 
 Llanymawddwy. — The church and village are 
 situated at the base of Aran Fawddwy. 
 
 Llanycil. — The name indicates a church built in 
 a sequestered place. 
 
 Llanerchfydda. — Fydda is probably a corruption 
 of byda, a beehive. The name indicates a noted place 
 for bees. 
 
 Llwyn. — A village in the parish of Llanegryn. 
 The name m.eans a bush. 
 
 Maextwrog. — So called from the memorial stone- 
 of Twrog, a celebrated British saint of the fifth century, 
 which still remains at one angle of the church. 
 
 Mallwyd. — Some say this place derives its name 
 from maen, a stone, and Uwyd, grey. A Druidic monu- 
 ment is supposed to have been here ; whence came the 
 name. The name is a compound of ma-llwyd, the grey 
 district ; so called probably from the appearance of 
 the mountains. 
 
 Nannau. — A compound of nant, a brook, and au, a 
 
:222 PLACE-NAMES IN WALES. 
 
 plural termination. The t is dropped and n substituted 
 ior the sake of euphony. 
 
 Penrhyndeudraeth. — Penrhyn, headland ; dau, 
 iwo ; traeth, beach, seashore. The headland projects 
 into the Tremadoc Bay, between the Traeth Mawr and 
 the Traeth Bach. 
 
 Peniarth. — The right wording is probabl}- Peny- 
 garth, which means hill-top, from the village being 
 situate on a part of the Cader Idris range. 
 
 Pandy 'r Capel. — Pandy means a fulling-mill, which 
 was situated near what is supposed to have been some- 
 time a Roman Catholic Chapel. 
 
 Pennal.— A compound of Pen, head, top, and 
 tal, of the same meaning. The village lies on the 
 old Roman road called " Sarn Helen," Helen's cause- 
 way, and it is supposed that the Romans had a station 
 Jiere. 
 
 Rhyderin. — Rhyd, a ford ; erin, a corruption of 
 gerwin, rough. The name is derived from a rough and 
 perilous ford across the Dysyni river. The etymology 
 ■of Dysyni is di-swn-wy , noiseless water. 
 
 Rhydonen. — Rhyd, a ford ; onen. the ash tree. 
 
 Rhyduchaf. — The name signifies the highest ford. 
 
 Rhiwaedog.— 7?/jzw, slope, the brow of a hill ; 
 gwaedog, bloody ; so called from a battle that was fought 
 here between Llywarch Hen and the Saxons, in which he 
 lost Cynddelw, the last of his sons. A small lake in the dis- 
 trict is called PwU y Gelanedd, the pool of slaughter. 
 
 Saeth Marchog. — In this place Owen Gwynedd 
 is supposed to have surprised Reginald de Grey and 
 
MERIONETH. 223 
 
 seven knights [Saith Marchog) in his train ; hence the 
 right wording is Saith Marchog, and its EngUsh name is 
 Seven Knights. 
 
 TowYN.— Edmunds derives the name from twyn, a 
 curved hillock or bank ; but we think the right word 
 is Tywyn, which is derived from tywodyn, sand ; hence 
 the name signifies a place of sands. The village is 
 situate near the seashore, and is celebrated as a beautiful 
 bathing-place. Some translate Tywyn as sea-shore or 
 sea-land. Bronyclydwr is not far distant from here, where 
 the immortal Hugh Owen was bom in 1637. 
 
 TANyBWLCH. — The name signifies below the pass. 
 The place is situate at the brow of a hill overlooking the 
 vale of Ffestiniog. 
 
 Trawsfynydd. — Traws, across ; mynydd, a moun- 
 tain. The name indicates a place situate on the side of 
 a mountain. 
 
 Talsarnau. — Tal, front-; sarnau, causeways, roads. 
 
 Talyllyn. — The name signifies " the end or head 
 of the lake," from the situation of its church at the 
 head of a beautiful lake called Llyn Mwyngil. 
 
 Tanygrisiau. — Tan, under, below ; y, the ; grisiau, 
 steps, stairs. In coming down from Cwmorthin to 
 Dolredyn, the pedestrians used to descend over a series 
 of steps made of stones, called Grisiau Mawr, great 
 steps ; and, on account of the village lying below these 
 steps, it was called Tanygrisiau. 
 
 Y Cwrt. — The Court. We find the names Top y 
 Cwrf,. a.nd Tower Court in the locality, and a few Roman 
 remains are visible at Cefncaer. 
 
MONTGOMERYSHIRE. 
 
 The Welsh name is Trefaldwyn, Baldwin's town, so- 
 called in honour of Baldwin, a Norman general, who 
 built a castle on the border of the county. In 1090- 
 the castle was taken by Roger Montgomery, and the 
 Saxons called the place afterwards Montgomery. Some 
 seem to think the English name is a Norman corrup- 
 tion of Mynydd y Cymry, the mount of the Kymry. 
 
 Aberhavesp. — The place is situate at the con- 
 fluence of the rivers Havesp and Severn ; hence the 
 name. Havesp signifies a river whose channel is dry 
 in the summer. 
 
 Aberrhosan. — Aber, estuary ; rhosan, the name of 
 the river, which signifies the meadow brook. 
 
 Abermule. — The village is situated near the point 
 where the river Mule discharges itself into the Severn. 
 Mule is probably a contraction of mudliw, changing 
 colour, from which we have the English motley. 
 
 Berriew. — The correct etymology, doubtless, i& 
 Aher-rhiw. The river Rhiw flows through the parish 
 and empties itself into the Severn. Rhiw, perhaps,, 
 from rhiw, what breaks out. 
 
 Blaenglesyrch. — A place situate on the rivulet 
 Glesyrch. from which it takes its name. Glesyrch is a. 
 corruption of glas-erch, dusky blue. 
 
 BuTTiNGTON. — The Welsh name is Talybont, bridg- 
 end, from a bridge crossing the Severn near it. Offa's 
 Dyke passes through the parish, and here separates 
 
MONTGOMERYSHIRE. 225 
 
 England from Wales. During the Saxon period it was 
 called Butdigingtune ; hence Buttington. The name sig- 
 nifies Archer's town. 
 
 BwLCHYFFRiDD. — Bwlch, pass, breach ; y, the ; 
 ^ridd, plantation, forest. 
 
 Carno. — From cam, cairn, heap. Pennant says : 
 " The mountains of Carno, like those of Gilboa, are 
 celebrated for the fall of the mighty." On a mountain 
 called Mynydd y Gam, or Garnedd, a huge heap of stones 
 was raised to commemorate the death of a celebrated 
 warrior. 
 
 Cann Office. — An abbreviation of Cannon Office, 
 so called from the cannon used by Cromwell's soldiers 
 during their encampment in the place. 
 
 Ceri. — A corruption of Caerau, fortresses or walls. 
 according to some ; but some derive it from Ceri Hir 
 Lyngwyr, the name of Caradog's grandfather, who was 
 the owner of the estate, which, as it was customary 
 then, was called after his name. Others derive it from 
 ceri, the medlar tree, which, it is supposed, abounded in 
 the district in time of yore. The place takes its name, 
 probably, from the river Ceri, the swift water. 
 
 Cerrist. — ^From the river name, which means swift 
 
 * 
 
 water. 
 
 Cemmaes. — A compound of cefn, back, ridge, and 
 maes, a field, or better from cam and niaes=la.nd at the 
 bend of the river. 
 
 Clitterwood. — Perhaps from glitter and wood. 
 
 Crigion. — ^A corruption of crugiau, he^ps.', 
 
 Church Stoke. — ^From stoc, or stocce, p^ie stem or 
 main part of a tree. Woodstock, woody place. 
 2 
 
226 PLACE-NAMES IN WALES. 
 
 CwMBELAN. — Belan, signifies a woody ridge. 
 
 Cyfeiliog. — This pleasant vale is named in honour 
 of Owen Cyfeiliog, who, in 1130, became the sole owner 
 of the estate through the death of his grandfather, 
 Meredyth, the prince. The name means " compact 
 together." 
 
 Caersws. — It appears, that, the Romans had a 
 station and a road in this place. The latter was called 
 Sam Swsan, Susan's road, portions of which are dis- 
 cernible to this day. The station was probably called 
 after the same name, and the Britons decided to per- 
 petuate it, reducing Swsan to Sws ; hence Caersws. 
 
 Croesllwybir. — Crbes, cross, over ; llwybir, a cor- 
 ruption of llwyhr, a way, path. 
 
 Cyfronydd. — A compound of cyd, with, united, and 
 bronydd, sloping hills. Cyfronydd Hall is situated on a 
 rising eminence, commanding the beautiful sceneries of 
 the valley below, through which the river Manw flows. 
 
 Dolarddin. — Some are of opinion that this place 
 was named in honour of Arddun, daughter of Pabo Post 
 Prydain, and a saint of the sixth century. Arddun 
 means sublime, grand, from ddl+ ar + dinlas ^the meadow 
 beyond the fort. 
 
 Darowex. — A corruption of dar or den, oaks, and 
 Owain, name of a man. 
 
 Derllwyn. — From deri, oaks, and llwyn, bush, 
 grove. 
 
 DoLFOR. — A compound of dol, a meadow or plain, 
 and fawr, large, great. 
 
 Dolwen. — A compound of dol, meadow, and wen, 
 feminine form of gwyn, wiyj-e. 
 
MONTGOMERYSHIRE. 227 
 
 Doll. — A corraption of dol, a meadow. 
 
 DwYRiw. — A compound of dwy, feminine of dau^ 
 two ; and rhiw, slope, ascending path. 
 
 DwYNANT. — Divy, two ; nant, brook ; signifying a 
 place situated between two brooks that flow into the 
 river Bachog. 
 
 Dylifau. — Some think the name is the plural form 
 of dylif, a warp. Dylif goton, a cotton warp. It is 
 sometimes spelt Dyli^e, which is probably a contraction 
 of dylif-le, which means a high place whence water 
 flows to different directions. 
 
 DoLYFELiN. — Dol, meadow, dale ; y, the ; melin, 
 mill. Near this place is the site of an ancient British 
 smelting-hearth, where numerous pieces of lead-ore 
 have been found. 
 
 Dyffryn. — A village in the parish of Meifod. 
 
 Esgair-Geiliog. — Esgair means a conspicuous pro- 
 montory. Geiliog-geilig, hunting, exploring. The name 
 signifies a hunting-ground. 
 
 Esgair Maen. — Maen, a stone. The name signi- 
 fies a stony or rocky ridge. 
 
 FoRDEN. — Perhaps an Anglo-Saxon word, meaning 
 a shallow part of a river where a road crosses. The 
 use of the Anglo-Saxon verbal plural en is very common 
 in some parts of this county. 
 
 Gaer. — From caer, a fortress. This place is in the 
 parish of Caereinion. 
 
 Garth Mill. — Garth, an enclosure, a ness, a 
 promontory. 
 
228 PLACE-NAMES IN WALES. 
 
 Garthbeibio. — Peibio is a modification of Peibiaw, 
 the name of a king recorded in many of the Welsh legends. 
 
 Garth Gellin. — Gellin, perhaps, is a corruption 
 of collen, hazel-tree. 
 
 Glyn Clywedog. — Glyn, a glen, a narrow vale ; 
 Clywedog, the ' roaring river ' that runs through the glen.. 
 
 Glanynant. — The name signifies the bank of the 
 brook. 
 
 Glyn Trefnant. — Glyn, a glen, a narrow vale ; 
 Trefnant is a corruption of tri-nant, three ravines (?) 
 
 Gribbin. — A compound of crib, crest, summit ; y,. 
 the ; bryn, hill ; signifying a place situated high on the 
 hill. Crib mvnydd, the summit of a mountain. 
 
 Guilsfield. — The Welsh name is Cegidfa, signi- 
 fying a place of hemlock, or, perhaps, it is a compound 
 of cegid, the bird witwal ; and fan-man, place. Some 
 derive Guilsfield from St. Gulan's field. Perhaps it is a 
 compound of guild, an incorporation, and field. 
 
 GuNGROG. — A corruption of Gicaun-y-grog, the 
 m.eadow of the cross, so called from the supposition 
 that a cross was erected here in the middle ages in con- 
 nection with the Ystrad Farchell monastery. 
 
 GwESTYDD. — From gwest-ty-ddin, the camp resting- 
 place. 
 
 GwERN-Y-BwLCH. — Gii'em, a swamp, a bog ; y, the ; 
 hidch. a pass, a gap. The name is derived from a moun- 
 tain-pass in the district, from which a distant view of 
 Cader Idris is obtained. 
 
 GwERN Esgob. — Gwern, a swamp, a meadow ; 
 Esgob, a bishop. 
 
MONTGOMERYSHIRE. 329 
 
 HiRNANT. — Hir, long ; nant, a brook. The village 
 is situated in a narrow valley, and watered by an incon- 
 siderable stream, tributary to the Tanat. 
 
 Llangadfan. — ^The church was dedicated to St. 
 ■Cadfan. The " Myvyrian " says : — " This Cadvan, being 
 a nobleman and son-in-law of the king of Armorica, 
 ■came over with Uthr Bendragon, or his son king Arthur, 
 and a great number of pious and learned men in his 
 retinue, and chose for his residence Ynys Enlli (that is 
 the monastery in the Isle of Bardsey), where he was 
 an abbot, and many of his followers had churches dedi- 
 cated to them." Some of his followers were Cynon, 
 Padarn, Tydecho, Dochtwy, Mael, &c. Cadvan means 
 the battle-place. 
 
 Llangurig. — A village near Plinlimmon. The 
 church was dedicated to Curig, an eminent saint of 
 the seventh century. Eisteddfa Curig, Moel Gurig, in 
 "the same vicinity, bear his name. Curig-curiog means 
 bearing pain or affliction. 
 
 Llanfyllin. — From Myllin, to whom the church 
 was dedicated. Myllin is an old Welsh word implying 
 a violet. 
 
 Llanwyddelen. — From Gwyddelan, the patron saint 
 of the church. Gwyddelan is probably a compound of 
 gwydd, wood, and elain, a young hind, a fawn. 
 
 Llanidloes. — Idloes, a saint of the seventh century, 
 is the patron saint of the church. Professor Rhys refers 
 the prefix id to the Skr. yudh, " to fight ; " and loes is 
 probably a mutation of glwys, full of love, signifying one 
 -eager to fight ; or perhaps the suf&x is gloes, a pang, a 
 pain. We adopt the former. 
 
230 PLACE-NAMES IN WALES. 
 
 Llandinam. — Dinam is referred by some to the 
 Roman Dinum, a frequent termination in place-names- 
 in Gaul and Britain, equivalent to the English Tune, 
 now ton, town, &c. Others take Dinam to be a proper 
 name, hence the name signifies Dinam's Church. Dinam 
 was formerly Dinan=a httle hill fort. 
 
 Llangynog. — The church is dedicated to Cynog, 
 the eldest son of Brychan. 
 
 Llangwynog. — Gwynog, son of Gildas, a saint of 
 the sixth century, is the patron saint of the church- 
 
 Llandy'silio. — The church is dedicated to Tvsilio, 
 the son of Brochwel Ysgythrog. 
 
 Llanfair Caereinion. — Llanfnir, a church dedi- 
 cated to St. Mary. Caer. fortress ; Einion, the name 
 of the river near which the town is situated. The 
 latter part of the name is derived from an old British 
 encampment, about three miles from the town, parts 
 of which are discernible to this day. 
 
 Llanerfyl. — The church is dedicated to Erfyl, in 
 memory of whom a large stone is erected in the church- 
 yard. 
 
 Llanyiiechain. — Mechain is a compound of ma, a 
 place ; and cain, fair, the name of the river on which 
 the church is situate. This parish is famous for being 
 the birth-place of Gwallter Mechain, in 1761. 
 
 Llanfihangel-yn-Ngwynfa. — The church is dedi- 
 cated to St. Michael, and the village is situated in that 
 part of Powys called Gnynfa, the blessed place ; hence 
 the name. 
 
 Llanymynach. — Mynach here is probably a corrup- 
 tion of ntwnau, mines. The ch is frequently added to 
 
MONTGOMERYSHIRE. 23I 
 
 plural nouns ending with an. Mwnau is the right word, 
 but it is colloquially pronounced mwnach. The place 
 probably derives its name from the mines in which the 
 district formeily abounded, and which were worked so 
 early as the Roman period. Some think the word is 
 mynach, monk, from the supposition that a monk lived 
 some time in the vicinity. 
 
 Llansantffraid. — From St. Ffraid, to whom the 
 church is dedicated. 
 
 Llanwddyn. — ^The church was probably dedicated 
 to a monk named Wddyn, who, according to tradition, 
 lived in a sequestered spot in the neighbourhood. 
 
 Llanwrin. — From Gwrin, to whom the church is 
 dedicated. 
 
 Llandrinio. — Trinio is the patron saint of the 
 church. 
 
 Llanllwchhaiarn. — From Llwchhaiarn, to whom 
 the church is dedicated. 
 
 Llanbrynmair. — Bryn, a hUl ; Maiv, the Virgin 
 Mary. The church is dedicated to St. Mary, and 
 pleasantly situated on an eminence ; hence the name. 
 
 Machynlleth. — Some derive the name thus : Ma, 
 a place ; chyn, from cain, fair, beautiful ; lleth, an abbre- 
 viation of Uethr, a slope. Another derivation : Mach, a 
 high ridge, a barrier ; yn, in or on ; lleth-lleihr, a slope. 
 Edmunds thinks lleth is a contraction of llaith, dead, 
 and that the name signifies " the field of the dead by 
 the wayside." Others think the name signifies " Cyn- 
 llaith's field," and this is, no doubt, the right derivation. 
 
232 PLACE-NAMES IN WALES. 
 
 MocHNANT. — Moch, quick, swift ; nant, brook ; the 
 name of the swift stream, that flows through the place, 
 or more probably^swme dale. Compare Pant-y-moch 
 as a place-name. 
 
 Meifod. — Mai, a plain, or campaign country ; 
 bod, a dwelling. The parish consists of an open and 
 extensive tract of land. Or, perhaps, it is a compound 
 of maes, a field ; and hod, a dwelling ; signifying a dwell- 
 ing in a field. Some derive it from mai-fod. May resi- 
 dence. Others say that a hermit sometime resided in the 
 neighbourhood, hence meudwy-jod, the hermit's place. 
 
 Manledd. — A compound, probably, of ban, a high 
 place, a summit or top, a peak ; and Lethr, slope. In the 
 old parish registers it is spelt Manleth and Ban-lethr. 
 
 Moughtre. — A corruption of Mochdre. 
 
 Newchapel. — So called from the chapel which is 
 situated on the confines of the parishes of Guilsfield. 
 Llansantfiraid, and Meifod, for the accommodation of 
 those who reside at a distance from the parish church. 
 
 Newtown. — A translation of the Welsh name 
 Trefnewydd. Its ancient name was Llanfair-yn-N ghyd- 
 ewain ; but, in consequence of the large flannel manu- 
 factories that were built there, the place grew so rapidly 
 that, in 1832, the privileges of corporation were bestowed 
 upon it, and henceforth it was called Newtown. 
 
 Pool Quay. — A village near Welshpool, whence it 
 derives its name. 
 
 Pennant Melangell. — Pen, head or end ; nant, 
 brook ; Melangell, called in a Latin saint book St. Mona- 
 
MONTGOMERYSHIRE. 233 
 
 cella. Her remains were interred in Pennant Church, 
 ■which, henceforth, was called Pennant Melangell. 
 
 Penstrowed. — Pen, termination, head ; strowed, 
 perhaps from ystref-wydd, a dwelling among trees ; or 
 irom pen strata, the termination of a Roman road. Com- 
 pare Stroud (Gloucestershire). 
 
 Penybont Fawr. — A village in the parish of Pennant. 
 
 Penygelli. — The name signifies the head or termi- 
 nation of the grove. 
 
 PoNT-DoLGOCH. — This name signifies a bridge on 
 the red meadow. 
 
 Pentref Heilyn. — This pentref (village) derives its 
 name from a family named Heilyn, who flourished here 
 in the time of " Llewelyn, the Last Prince." Heilyn 
 means a cup-bearer, a waiter, a butler. Heilio gwin, to 
 serve wine. Heilyn was a personal name very generally 
 used in mediaeval Wales. 
 
 Penegoes. — A corruption of Penegwest. The place 
 derives it3 name from a supposition that a Welsh chief 
 named Egwest was beheaded near the church. 
 
 PoNTDOLANOG. — ^A compound probably of pont, 
 bridge, and dolenog, having curves or bows. 
 
 Pentre. Cilcwm — Pentre, village ; Cil-cwm, a 
 •sequestered place in a valley. 
 
 Rhiw Saeson. — RMw, slope ; Saeson, Saxons, 
 English. We find the name Saeson introduced into 
 many names in the district : Nantysaeson, Saxons' 
 brook ; Plas-rhiw-Saeson, and Rhiw Saeson. About 300 
 -years ago a number of Saxon soldiers were stationed 
 in the place which is now called Rhiw Saeson. 
 
234 PLACE-NAMES IN WALES. 
 
 Snead. — From the English snced, a piece of land, 
 separated from a manor. 
 
 Staylittle. — The ancient name was Penfforddlas, 
 the head or end of the green way. The present name 
 is derived from a public -house in the place bearing the 
 name. 
 
 Tylwch. — Tradition has it that the name is a corrup- 
 tion of tawelwch, calmness, tranquility, the word used by 
 a ^^'elsh Prince, probably Llewelyn ein llyw olaf, when he 
 was marching through the place. Ty, a house ; llwch, 
 a lake or inlet of water. 
 
 Tregynon. — From the dedication of the church to 
 St. Cynon. 
 
 Tafolog. — The name implies a place abounding in 
 dock plants ; dail tafol, dock leaves. 
 
 Trefeglwys. — The name means a hamlet or a. 
 district privileged with a church. 
 
 Tir-y-Mynach. — Tir, ground ; territory, r, the ; 
 myiiach, monk ; so called from the township having 
 som.e time formed a portion of the possessions of the 
 Abbey of Strata Marcella. 
 
 Welshpool. — The Welsh name is Trallwm, or 
 Trallwng. — Tra, extreme, very ; llwng, a corruption of 
 llwnga, so called from the great depth of the lake below 
 Powys Castle. The nam.e signifies a greedy swallow. It 
 has been prophesied that the pool is some day to swallow 
 up the whole of the town of Welshpool. It was called 
 Welshpool by the English to distinguish it from a town in 
 Dorsetshire called Poole. Tra+llwng^:the place beyond 
 the bog. 
 
PEMBROKESHIRE. 
 
 Some Welsh scholars think that the Old WelsL 
 form of the name was Penbrog or Penbrogh, and the 
 Latinized form Pembrochia, whence probably the Eng- 
 lish Pembroke. The roots are pen, head, end ; 
 and bi'o, a country, or extensive tract of land, signi- 
 fying a headland, which is a very proper appellation, 
 since the county forms the west end of Wales. The 
 name Dyved was once applied to the whole county^ 
 from which the Roman DimetcE was derived, but in the 
 time of Giraldus Cambrensis, the small peninsula of 
 Castlemartin, lying between Milford Haven, on the 
 north, and the Bristol Channel on the south, consti- 
 tuted the province of Pembroke. The nam.e was also 
 extended to the town and fortress built there by Arnulph 
 de Montgomery, in the reign of Henry I., and ultimately 
 it was given to the whole county. 
 
 Angle. — Probably from the angle-like form of the 
 district. It lies in angulo. 
 
 Amblestox. — This place was named in honour of 
 Hamill, one of the Vikings who founded the Welsh 
 colony. 
 
 Amroth. — Am, about, encircling ; roth, a corrupted 
 form of rhath, a mound or hill, and rhath is used to 
 denote a plain or moorland. Roath, Cardiff, comes 
 from the latter root. In " Liber Landavensis " it is 
 called Radh and Llanrath. 
 
 Brawdy. — Fenton thinks it is a mutation of Broad- 
 way. We incline to think it has a more ancient deri- 
 
236 PLACE-NAMES IN WALES. 
 
 vation. Brawd is an ancient Welsh word for judgment. 
 Dydd brawd, the day of judgment. Dy-ty, house. The 
 remains of an old British encampment that are dis- 
 cernible near a farmhouse called Brawdy points to the 
 probability that a judgment court was held here ; hence 
 the name Brawdy or Brawd-dy. 
 
 Butter Hill. — In an ancient deed it is called 
 "" the Grange of Butter Hill," supposed to have been a 
 grange to the Priory of Pill, settled by the founder, 
 Adam de Rupe. Butter, perhaps, is a corruption of 
 Buthar, the name of another Viking who visited these 
 ■shores. 
 
 Brimston. — From Brimi, the name of a Norse 
 ■settler. Brimi is the Norse for flame, and the name of 
 a magical sword mentioned in Norse poetry. Brimt 
 has left his name in Brimscomb, Somerset. 
 
 BucKSTON. — Named in honour of Bakki, a Norse 
 settler. 
 
 Burton. — An old Saxon form of Briton. Briton 
 Ferry was once called Burton Ferry. 
 
 Brynberian. — Bryn, a hill ; berian, according to 
 some, comes from Beran, the name of a rivulet, signify- 
 ing a short river ; but we incline to derive berian from 
 beri, a kite or glede. Beri Farm, near Newport, Pem., 
 was so called probably from the visit of the kite to this 
 district. 
 
 Boncath. — Named after another of the bird species, 
 the buzzard. 
 
 Bugely. — Bu, an ox ; gely, a corruption of gelly, a 
 g;ro\'e, signifying the buffalo of the forest. 
 
PEMBROKESHIRE. 237" 
 
 Blaenffos. — ^The village takes its name from a 
 farmhousq so called, signifying the head of the ditch. 
 We have Penyfoes, or, as it should be written, Penyffos, 
 near St. David's, so named from the tenement of Mynydd- 
 Din, bounded by a deep ditch. 
 
 Blaenconin. — The name signifies a place situate 
 at the source of the river Conin. 
 
 Barry. — ^The name means bare island. 
 Colby. — A compound of cold and the Norse hy, an: 
 abode ; signifying a cold place. 
 
 Caldy. — ^The name is Norse, signifying cold island. 
 
 CiLGERAN. — ^This name has been, more wittily than 
 correctly, derived thus : Cil yw dy gaerau, Ann — narrow 
 are thy walls, Ann. Cil or kil forms a part of a large 
 number of Welsh, Irish, and Scottish names of places. 
 It means a hidden place, a place of retreat. Cil haul, 
 the shade, or where the sun does not shine. Geran is- 
 an abbreviation of Geraint, son of Erbin, and a prince 
 of Devon. Before the castle was built the spot was 
 known by the name Dingeraint, Geraint's fortress. The 
 prefix din was changed into cil, and now the name signi- 
 fies the place of retreat of Geraint. 
 
 CiLFOWYR. — Some think the right wording is Cil 
 Ofwyr, signifying Ovates' place of retreat. Probably 
 Fowyr is a personal name. 
 
 Castle Martin. — So named in honour of Martin, a 
 descendant of Martin de Tours. The family built a 
 castle here in tim-e of yore, of which Leland remarks ■ 
 "Towards this extreme part of Pembrokeshire be the 
 vestigia of Martin Castle." The old name was Bwlchy- 
 clawdd, after a farm so named. 
 
238 PLACE-NAMES IN WALES. 
 
 Coed Glasan. — The name signifies " Glasan's 
 trees." 
 
 Creamston. — Cream is a corruption of Grim, the 
 name of a Norse settler. 
 
 Camrose. — An Anghcized form of Camrhos ; cam, 
 crooked, and rhos, heather. 
 
 Castle Morris. — So called in honour of a man 
 named Morris. 
 
 Cylch Bychan. — The parish is divided into four 
 districts, of which this is the smallest ; hence the nam.e. 
 Cylch Bychan, the small district. 
 
 Capel Newydd.— a small village not far from 
 Casiell Newydd. 
 
 Cilymaenllwyd. — Cil, hidden place ; y, the ; maen, 
 stone ; llwyd, grey. 
 
 Clydey. — So named in honour of Clydai, a daughter 
 of Brychan, to whom the church is dedicated. 
 
 Crymych. — We find the root crwm in crymlin and 
 cromlech. The name may be a contraction of crwm- 
 rhych ; crwm, bending, concave, crooked ; rhych, ditch, 
 trench. 
 
 Creseley. — The roots are cres, a heating or parch- 
 ing, and gelly, a grove, so called probably from the 
 abundance of culm and coal in the district (?) 
 
 Carew. — A corruption of caerait, walls, or fortifica- 
 tions. The castle was built by Nest, the daughter of 
 Rhys ab Tewdwr, Prince of South Wales, or from caer 
 +yw=ye\N tree. 
 
 Dale. — A Norse name, signifying a broad vJley, 
 answering to the Saxon " vale," and to the Welsh cwm. 
 
PEMBROKESHIRE. 239 
 
 One writer thinks it is a contraction of De Vale, the 
 name of one of its ancient lords, in whose time it was 
 •dignified with the title of a borough. 
 
 DiXAS. — This place derives its name from Pen dinas, 
 the promontory that forms a part of the Fishguard 
 anchorage. Fortified walls were once built on the 
 headland ; hence it was called Pen dinas. 
 
 Drewson. — A corruption of Druid's town. Near 
 the village there is an enclosure of nearly one acre 
 called Drewson chapel. The stones which formed the 
 Druidical circle were removed in 1740. 
 
 Eglwyswrw. — Eglwyseirw is the right wording, the 
 •church being dedicated to Eirw, whose remains are 
 supposed to have been interred here. 
 
 EsTiNGTON. — A translation of Tre lestyn, lestyn's 
 "town. lestyn was a Welsh prince. 
 
 Freysthorp. — ^The prefix refers to the goddess 
 Freya (Friday), and the affix thorp is the Norse word 
 ior village, and the equivalent of the Saxon ham. 
 
 Felindre. — ^This place has probably taken its 
 name from an old mill that was in the vicinity. 
 
 Fishguard. — Abergwaun is the Welsh name, from 
 its situation at the mouth of the river Gwaen or Gwain, 
 which implies a river taking a level or straight course. 
 It bore the name of Fishgarth as far back as the time of 
 Richard IL The Welsh garth and the Norse gardr, 
 •originally meant an enclosure or yard. The name 
 ■occurs in Normandy, as Fisigard, Auppegard, and Epe- 
 gard, the former of which may be compared with Fish- 
 guard, which means a fishing wear or fishing enclosure. 
 
240 PLACE-NAMES IN WALES. 
 
 Flatholm. — A large body of Danes took refuge 
 here in the year 918, and left their mark in the above 
 name, which was originally Fladholmene, signifying a. 
 flat island. Holm is the Danish word for a grassy bank 
 near water, or an island. Stockholm, the Swedish capital, 
 is situated on two grassy hills near the water. 
 
 Flemingston. — ^This name is a conclusive ethno- 
 logical evidence of the Flemish settlement. 
 
 Gellyswick. — Another hybrid. Gelly, a grove ; 
 wick, a creek or bay. 
 
 Gresholm. — A compound of grass and holm, signi- 
 fying a grassy island. 
 
 GoMFRESTON. — So Called in honour of Gornt or 
 Gomfre, a Norse settler. 
 
 Glynderwen. — A compound of clyn, a place- 
 covered with brakes, and derwen, oak. 
 
 GooDWiCK. — Some say it is a corrupted form of the 
 Welsh coedwig, a forest ; but we are inclined to think it 
 is a hybrid name, made up of good, and the Norse wick, 
 a creek or bay. Isaac Taylor is of opinion that the 
 Vikings, or " creekers," derived their name from the 
 wics or creeks in which they anchored. In the ninth 
 and tenth centuries the creeks and islands along the 
 Welsh coast, especially those of Pembrokeshire, were 
 infested with these marauders. The Anglo-Saxon verb- 
 wician means to run a ship on shore, to take up a sta- 
 tion, and finally it became to mean a village, 
 
 Haverfordwest. — The Welsh is Hwlffordd, from (?)■ 
 hwyl, a sail, and ffordd, a way, a striking appellation to 
 a place where a sea makes its way into it. Edmunds- 
 derives the English name from Gajr-ffordd-gwest, the ina 
 
PEMBROKESHIRE. 24I 
 
 on the goat's road. Haver is rather perplexing. It may 
 be a modification either of the Norse hofn or of the 
 Welsh aher ; ford, perhaps, from fjord ; and west is 
 probably a differentia added to distinguish it from 
 Haverford East. 
 
 Hakin. — Also called Hagin, which is probably a 
 modification of the Danish hagen, a port. Compare 
 Copenhagen. 
 
 Harroldston. — So called in honour of Harold, a 
 Norse settler, who became the lord of the manor. 
 
 Henllan. — The nam.e signifies an old church, so 
 called from the supposition that an old chapel of ease 
 stood here in ancient times, but whose ruins are not 
 now discernible. 
 
 Henry's Moat. — There is a mound called Castell 
 Hendref, the castle, of the old town, in the parish, sur- 
 rounded by a moat, and when the English settled here 
 they attempted a translation of the name, reducing 
 Hendref to Henry, and Castell to moat ; hence Henry's 
 Moat. 
 
 Harburston. — From Herbrandt, the name of a 
 Fleming, who, soon after the Conquest, fixed his abode 
 at that place. 
 
 HoNEYBOROUGH. — Honey is probably a corruption 
 of Hognt, the name of a Viking, who settled here soon 
 after the Conquest ; or perhaps, it is from Hunna, a 
 chief's name. We find Honeybourne, Hunna 's Brook, 
 in Worcestershire. Some think it was so called because 
 honey was so largely made here in olden times. 
 
 Hearston. — So called in honour of Hearn, a Norse 
 settler. 
 
242 PLACE-NAMES IX WALES. 
 
 HoDGESTOX. — A modification of Oggeston or Hogges- 
 ton, probably from some Norse chief called Ugga. 
 
 HuBBERSTON. — So Called in honour of Rubber, or 
 Hubba, a Norman warrior, who, with his brother Hingua, 
 led the Norsemen in that great invasion of 866. His 
 name is also preserved in Hubberst, Derbyshire ; and 
 probably in Obbeston, Somerset. 
 
 HuNGERSTON. — From Hingwar, the companion of 
 Ubba, 866. 
 
 Jameston. — So named in honour of James, a Fleming 
 ■who took refuge here after the submersion of Flanders 
 in the year mo. 
 
 Jeffreston. — From Jeffrey, another of the settlers 
 of Anglia Transwallia. Jeffrey or Geoffrey is probably 
 a Norman corruption of Godfred, the good peace, or 
 God's peace. 
 
 Johnstown. — Named in honour of John, an 
 English nobleman, it is supposed of the twelfth century. 
 
 Keston. — Probably from Kessa or Cissa, a Norman. 
 Keswick (Cumberland), Cissa' s dwelling. 
 
 Lawrenny. — Some think it is a corruption of Uaw- 
 reni, plural of llawren, or llawr, floor, ground. Others 
 think it is a corruption of Llan-yr-ynys, a church in the 
 island. This accords with the topographical situation 
 •of the place, as it is an island surrounded by water, 
 forming two creeks, one running to Carew, and the 
 other to Langwm. 
 
 Langum. — A corruption of Llangwm, signifying a 
 church in the valley. 
 
PEMBROKESHIRE. 243 
 
 LuDCHURCH. — The Welsh name is Eglwys Lwyd. 
 Lud is an AngUcism of Iwyd-lhcyd, adorable, blessed. 
 
 Lambstone. — So called in honour of Lamhi or 
 Lamha, one of the settlers of the Welsh colony, whose 
 name is also preserved in Lambeth, Lambourne, and 
 in the surname Lambe. 
 
 Lamphey. — A corruption of Llanyffydd, Fanum 
 Fidei, the church of the faith. It is spelt in some old 
 documents Llanfaith and Llanfeth ; then it was cor- 
 rupted into Llanfey and Lamphey. The consonant n is 
 frequently substituted in Welsh place-names in lieu of 
 the letter ni. 
 
 Lanteague. — Probably a corruption of Llan-dcg, 
 signifying a fair church. 
 
 Letterston. — A translation of the Welsh name, 
 Trelettert, from Lettard, the ancient owner of the land, 
 ^'ho gave the advowson of the church, with the chapel 
 ■of Llanjair annexed, to the commandery of Slebech. 
 
 Llaniaden. — laden is a corruption of Aeddan, the 
 name of the patron saint of the parish church. Pro- 
 fessor Rhys refers the name Aedd to the word udd, which 
 is explained in Dr. Davis's dictionary as meaning dominus, 
 master. " It would seem," he says, " to be matched in 
 O. Irish by Oeda, the genitive of Oed, later Aedh, Aodh, 
 Haodh, Anglicized Hugh, and the late Mr. Stephens, of Mer- 
 thyr Tydfil, was probably right in regarding the Aedd of 
 modern Welsh tradition as a Goidelic importation from 
 North Britain." 
 
 Llanfrynach or Llanfyrnach. — From Brynach, a 
 popular Irish saint, who accompanied Brychan Brych- 
 ■einiog to Britain in the fifth century. 
 
244 PLACE-NAMES IN WALES. 
 
 Llangloffan. — Ths church is dedicated to Cloffan^ 
 
 Llangolman. — From Colman, supposed to be an 
 Irish saint. 
 
 Llanwnda. — Wnda is a corruption of Gwyndaf, a 
 descendant of Emyr Llydaw, and a saint of the sixth, 
 century, who is supposed to have been the founder of 
 the church. Llanwnda Point is celebrated for the 
 surrender, in 1797, of the French troops under General 
 Tate. 
 
 Llantyd. — Tyd is an abbreviation of Illtyd, ta 
 whom the church is dedicated. It is also called Llaniwd. 
 
 Llandeloy. — A corruption of Llandeilo ; the parish 
 church is dedicated to Teilo. 
 
 Llanrhian. — Rhian is supposed to ha^■e been the 
 founder of the church. 
 
 Llanstinan. — Stinan or Justinian, a saint of the 
 sixth century, was the founder of the church. 
 
 MiLFORD Haven. — Some are of opinion that this 
 is a translation of Rhyd-y-milwr, the name of a brook ; 
 taking mil from milwr, a soldier, and translating rhyd 
 into ford, then Milford. Others think it is an Angli- 
 cized form of Myl for, or ymyl mor, bordering the sea. 
 Within a mile of the present town a streamlet was- 
 wont to turn a mill that belonged to the Priory, and, 
 before the bridge-period had dawned in the district, the 
 people were obliged to cross the brook over the mill's- 
 ford, called in Welsh Rhydyfelin, and we incline to think 
 Milford is a translation of Rhydyfelin. The Welsh name 
 is Aber-daii-gleddyf, from the fact that the two rivers, 
 Cleddau Fawr and Cleddaii Fach, discharge themselves 
 
PEMBROKESHIRE. 245 
 
 into the haven. Dau Gleddyf means two swords. It 
 appears that the two rivers in their flowing course resem- 
 ble two swords ; hence the name. 
 
 MoLESTON. — The place was once remarkable for 
 its numbers of moles, on account of which it was called 
 Moleston, moles' town. Compare Molton (Devon) and 
 Molesworth (Hants)^ &c. 
 
 Manorbier. — Very many of the inhabitants think 
 the name was derived from an expression made by the 
 eye-witnesses of a conflict that took place between a 
 man and a bear. When the combatants met vis-a-vis, 
 the people shouted " Man or bear," hence Manorbier. 
 We dism_iss the derivation as an outcome of vain con- 
 jecture. Some derive Pyrr from Barri, a Norman 
 lord. Others think it is the plural of por, a lord. One 
 writer derives it from, beyr, the Norse for farmstead. 
 Evidently the English name is a modification of the 
 Welsh Maenor Pyrr. Maenor is the Welsh for manor, 
 and Giraldus Cambrensis (who was born here about 
 the year 1146) thought it was called after Pyrrus, who 
 took up his abode here ; hence Maenor Pyrr, Mansio 
 Pyrr. or the residence of Pyr. Had we not better call 
 it Manor Pyr ? 
 
 Maenclochog. — Maen, a stone ; clochog, bell-like, 
 ringing. It appears the place derived its name from a 
 large stone that lay on the roadside near the church, 
 which, on being struck, gave a bell-like sound (?) 
 
 Mynwere. — This name seems like a corruption of 
 Mwyn aur, gold mine, which was supposed to have 
 been here in olden times ; but we rather think it is 
 derived from a weir on the Eastern Cleddy, on the 
 
24t> PLACE-NAMES IN WALES. 
 
 banks of which river the parish is situated, which was 
 noted for the abundance of fish caught there during 
 the season. 
 
 Marloes. — Perhaps a mutation of Marlais ; mar, 
 an extensive tract of land ; lais, a corruption of dais, 
 a trench or rivulet. More probably from moel^oaxe, 
 and rhos. 
 
 Mazebridge. — The prefix may be the Anglo-Saxon 
 maze, signifying a place or passage full of windings and 
 turnings, which is very often spanned by a bridge. 
 
 Marthrey or Marthri, which is perhaps a corrup- 
 tion of merthyr, martyr. The place suffered very heavily 
 from the Danish onslaughts, and the church is dedi- 
 cated to the holy martyrs, or it may be from ma and 
 trn(an)=a. wretched spot, a place of slaughter. 
 
 Middle Mill. — A translation of Felinganol. A 
 Baptist Chapel was built here in 1756, and called Felin- 
 ganol, from its situation near a mill of that name, which 
 intervened between two other mills. 
 
 MuzzLEwiCK. — From Moussel, a Norse settler ; and 
 wick, a creek or bay. 
 
 Mynachlog Ddu. — Black monastery ; i.e., a 
 monastery belonging to the Black Friars. 
 
 Moylgrove. — A compound of moel, a bare pointed 
 hill, and grove. 
 
 Neyland. — The old Norman name was Nayland, 
 from ev/flM(^^ (island) with a prefixed n, for which com- 
 pare Narberth and Nash. We find Nayland in Suffolk 
 and Nyland in Somerset. The inhabitants, aspiring hard 
 to compete with their neighbours in Milford, abandoned 
 the old name, and called the place New Milford. 
 
PEMBROKESHIRE. 247 
 
 Narberth. — In the Mabinogion it is called 
 Arberth, which signifies a place situated on a sloping 
 hill, abounding with perthi, bushes. The name answers 
 to the physical aspect of the town. The preposition 
 yn, in, was generally used before Arberth ; hence the 
 consonant n adhered to the name, and thence we have 
 Narberth. 
 
 Nevern. — ^The parish derives its name from the 
 rivulet Nevern, which flows through it. Lewis, in the 
 " Topographical Dictionary," thinks, very improbably, 
 the word is derived from nifer, a number, on account of 
 the numerous streamlets that run through the parish 
 into the sea. Tegid spelt it Nanhyfer ; if so, the roots 
 are nant, a brook ; and hyf, bold, daring (?) 
 
 Nash. — Perhaps a modification of the Norse ness, a 
 cape, or promontory, but probably from {aste)n asA=at 
 the ash. Nash Point, Naze, and Nazeby, come from 
 the same root. Nash village is situated near Milford Bay. 
 
 NoLTON. — Not is supposed to be a contraction of 
 Oliver ; hence the name Oliver's town. More probably 
 from 'n Oldtown. Compare Narberth from yn Arberth. 
 
 New Moat. — So called from the Flemings having 
 constructed a new moat here in the tim.e of Henry II. 
 
 Newport. — The Welsh name is Trefdraeth, which 
 signifies " a town on the sands," from its situation 
 near a sandy beach of considerable extent. Six or 
 seven places in the United Kingdom bear the name 
 Newport. It was wisely proposed sometime ago to 
 change Newport, Monmouth, to Uskport. We would 
 strongly advise the corporation of Trefdraeth to abandon 
 the name Newport, and give it the right English name 
 — Beachton. 
 
248 PLACE-NAMES IN WALES. 
 
 Newcastle. — There is an ancient mound near the 
 church called " the castle," which was called " new " 
 to distinguish it from a much older one, which is at a 
 short distance from the village. Pantgrwndy, Pant, hol- 
 low ; crwndy, a round house. 
 
 Pelcwjl — From Pela, the titmouse ; and cwm, 
 valley. 
 
 Penybryn. — The name signifies a place on the top 
 of the hill. 
 
 Pope Hill. ---The lower part of the county was once 
 designated Pebydiog, from Pebyd, probably a man's 
 name. Compare Dol Bebin in Carnarvonshire. 
 
 Pater, or Pembroke Dock. This place once 
 consisted only of a farm, one house, and a church, then 
 designated Paterchurch. In 1812 surveys . were 
 made, and in tvro years after the nucleus of the present 
 Government Station was formed, when it was called 
 Pembroke Dock. 
 
 Penar. — The nam_e signifies a place situated on a 
 high mountain. 
 
 Penally. — Pen, head ; ally, a corruption of gelly, a 
 grove ; signifying the head of the grove. The church 
 is situated in a thickly-wooded place, o'- more probably 
 from Pen+Alun. 
 
 PONTFAEN. — Pout, bridge ; faen-maen, stone. Per- 
 haps faen is a corruption of Gwaen, the name of the 
 river that flows through the parish ; the bi-labial w 
 being changed into the uni-labial /. 
 
 Prendergast. — This place derives its nam.e from_ a 
 Demetian family of the name, who were the owners of 
 the land in olden times. Mauiice de Prendergast was 
 
PEMBROKESHIRE. 249 
 
 the last ir.ember of the family that lived here. Some 
 think the nam.e is a Saxonized form of Bryn y Gest. 
 Bryn, a hill ; y, the ; gest-cest, a deep glen between two 
 mountains having but one opening. Others say it is 
 Pren-dwr-gwest, the inn by the tree near the vvater. The 
 right wording is probably Pen-dre-gast. The sufiix is 
 Druidic. Llech-yr-ast, in Cardiganshire, consists of five 
 cist faen, stone chests or cells, enclosed within a circle 
 ■of rude stone pillars. 
 
 PuNCHESTON. — Casmael, the Welsh name, is a 
 ■com_pound of Castsll, castle ; and Maelog, or m.ore 
 probably Maelgwyn — Maelgwn Fychan. The " Myvy- 
 rian " calls it Castell Mdl. Some derive the English 
 nam.e from, pincan, pine tree ; Pincanes-tun, then Pim- 
 theston, the tov/n of the pine trees. Others derive it 
 from Povntz, a proper name, pronounced Punches. 
 
 Roach. — A m.utation of rock, from, the castle being 
 perched on a solitary rock standing out of the plain. 
 The iirst possessor of the castle is supposed to have 
 been Adam de Rupe, or Adam of the Rock, in the reign 
 ■of Henry I. The Roche family held possession of the 
 castle until the reign of Henry VI., when their exten- 
 sive estates were divided between two co-heiresses, 
 since which tim.e it is supposed to have been abandoned 
 as a residence. 
 
 Rhosmarket. — Rhos, the name of the cantrev. A 
 .market was once held here ; hence the market for Rhos. 
 Rhos is spelt Roos, Roose, and Rouse by Enghsh writers. 
 
 Rhydgwilym. — The Rev. William Jones was the 
 first Baptist Minister of the place, and having per- 
 iormed the rite of Baptism for the first time in the river, 
 the spot was called after him Rhydgwilym. 
 
250 PLACE-NAMES IX WALES. 
 
 Reynoldston. — So called in honour of Reynold, a 
 Fleming, who probably settled here in the reign of 
 Henry I. 
 
 Rogeston. — From Roger, another Fleming, who 
 took up his abode here. 
 
 St. David's. — A free translation of the Welsh 
 Tyddewi, so called in honour of Dewi, David, the patron 
 saint of Wales. Its ancient nam.e was Mynyw, jutting, 
 peninsulated ; but after St. David removed there, and 
 became the bishop of the see, and was buried, the old name 
 was abandoned, and his honourable name was bestowed 
 upon it. St. David was grandson of Ceredig, who gave his 
 nam_e to Ceredigion, and was son of Cunedda. It is sup- 
 posed that he was the first who systematically undertook 
 to Christianise the people of Demetia. 
 
 St. Dogmell's. — The Welsh name is Llandudoch, 
 Tnd, a surface, a region ; cich, the Celtic for water, a 
 name quite descriptive of the physical aspect of the 
 place. The church was dedicated to Dogfael, son of 
 Ithel, son of Ceredig. Dogmell is an Anglicism of Dogfael. 
 
 St. Ismael. — This village derives its name from 
 Isinael, a saint of the sixth century, and supposed to 
 have been the founder of the church. 
 
 St. Florence. — Called in Welsh Tregoyr, which is 
 probably a corruption of Tregaer, walled town or place. 
 We have no reason to suppose that this place was for- 
 tified by a caer ; but it may be so called from its con- 
 tiguity to a large wall that belonged to the extensive 
 park of the Earls of Pembroke. The church was dedi- 
 cated to 5/. Florence ; hence its present name. 
 
PEMBROKESHIRE. 25r 
 
 Star. — Probably after a public house so called. 
 
 Stack. — The word is derived from the Norwegian 
 stackr, a columnar rock, and is found in Stack Rocks, 
 Stackpole, Head Penyholt Stack, and Stack Island, 
 fringing the Pembrokeshire coast. 
 
 St. Nicholas. — The place was once called Monk- 
 ton, from the church being granted by Arnulph de 
 Montgomery, in 1088, to the Abbey of St. Seyes in 
 Normandy. In a short time after this a priory of 
 monks of the Benedictine order, dedicated to St. 
 Nicholas, was founded at this place, and made a cell 
 to that foreign abbey. 
 
 St. Lawrence. — This parish derives its name 
 from the church, which is dedicated to St. Lawrence. 
 
 St. Petrox. — A free translation of Llanbedrog. 
 The church was dedicated to St. Pedrog, who flourished 
 about the beginning of the seventh century, whence 
 (St.) Pedrog' s corrupted into Petrox. 
 
 SoLVA. — This beautiful little village derives its 
 name from the river Solfach. Sol may be a corruption 
 of sio, to hiss, whiz ; and lli, a stream, signifymg the 
 hissing stream, or it may be derived from silod, seed- 
 lings, young fish. Or, perhaps, sol is the feminine form 
 of the adjective swl, which signifies dirty or muddy, 
 modifying ach, water ; hence solach, the muddy stream. 
 Some think the name is an Anglicism of Cilfach, giving 
 the hissing sound to c ; hence Silfach, then Solfach, 
 Solfa. It appears that the name was once spelt Cilfach 
 and Silfach ; hence it might be easily changed to Solfach, 
 Solfa. We adopt the latter. 
 
252 PLACE-NAMES IN WALES. 
 
 Spittal. — This name is a modification of the Latin 
 hospitium. An yshytty, hospital, is recorded to have been 
 erected in olden times near Roach encampment. 
 
 Steynton. — This village probably was so called in 
 honour of Adam de Stainton. Som.e derive it from stean, 
 a stone, sometimes a boundary stone. 
 
 Sutton. — An abbreviation of South-town. It is 
 analogous with Surrey, the south realm, and Suffolk, 
 the southern division of the East-Anglican folk. 
 
 Sauxdersfoot. — The prefix is a contraction of 
 Alexander. The name signifies Alexander's place at 
 the foot of the hill. 
 
 Silver Hill. — Perhaps the burial-place of a Viking 
 called Solvar. 
 
 South Dairy. — So called to distinguish it from the 
 north and west dairies. 
 
 Skokiiolm. — A Norse name signifying a wooded 
 island. Holme is the Norse for an island. 
 
 Tafarn Spite. — Tafarn, inn, public-house ; Spite, 
 a corruption of yshytty, hospital ; the name is derived 
 from an inn raised from the ruins of an hospitium. which 
 had been founded there for the accommodation of the 
 pilgrim traveller to the shrine of St. David's. Spital 
 Square, London, derives its name from the church of 
 the priory and hospital of St. Mary, which stood in 
 Spitalfields. 
 
 Tier's Cross. — Perhaps from Thar, one of the 
 A'ikings who founded the Welsh colony. 
 
 Trefgarn. — Trej, place, town ; cam, heap, cairn ; 
 signifying, literally, the town on the heap. There are 
 
PEMBROKESHIRE. 253. 
 
 great masses of rock contiguous to the village, which, 
 from a distance appear like extensive ruins of build- 
 ings. 
 
 Templeton. — This village is so called from the 
 fact that the Knights of the Temple in olden tim.es- 
 made it a special place of resort. 
 
 Trefin. — A corruption probably of Treffm, a boun- 
 dary-place. 
 
 Tenby. — Called in Welsh Dinbych y Pysgod. The- 
 word pysgod, fish, is the differentia added to distinguish 
 it from its namesake in North Wales. Some maintain 
 it is a corrupt Anglicism of the original name, dinbychan, 
 the httle fortification or camp. The EngUsh name 
 affords an ethnological evidence of the temporary occu- 
 pation of the Danes. Ten is a mutation of Dane^ 
 and by is Norse for a dvvelling, a residence, an abode ; 
 hence the name signifies the dwelling-place of the 
 Danes. Danesby would be the correct name. We 
 have Danby, the Dane's abode in Yorkshire, and six- 
 teen places in the north-east counties of England called 
 Denton, the Dane's town. 
 
 Tree Asser. — So called in honour of Bishop Asser, 
 the bosom friend and celebrated biographer of Alfred 
 the Greit. Some say that he was born here. Others 
 derive it from Asserius Menevensis, who is supposed tO' 
 have been born here, became a Benedictine monk, 
 and was scribe and chancellor to his uncle Asser. 
 
 Trewyddel. — Gwyddel, a forester, one that lives, 
 in the wood ; hence the name means the woodman's 
 abode. 
 
•254 PLACE-NAMES IN WALES. 
 
 Thornton. — So called in honour of Thorni, one of 
 the Norse settlers. 
 
 Tegryn — Tegfryn. — A corruption of teg, fair, 
 .and hvyn, a hill. 
 
 Treleddidfawr. — A corruption of tre, place ; 
 lladdfa, slaughter ; and fawr, great ; signifying a place 
 ■of great slaughter. Some are of opinion that some 
 bloody battles were fought in this district. 
 
 Treteio. — Teio, perhaps, is a corruption of teiau, 
 small houses, cottages, or of taeog, a vassal, tenant in 
 villeinage, a peasant. One of the old Welsh laws reads 
 thus: — " Tair yhandir a fydd yn y daeogdref " — there 
 shall be three sharelands in the villem-town. 
 
 Treflerw. — Lerw, an inflection of llerw, what is 
 nice or delicate. 
 
 Usjlaston. — Usmas is a corruption of Ismael, to 
 whose memory the church is dedicated. 
 
 WiSTON. — A free translation of Cas Gwys, the 
 ■Castle of Gwys, which was built by a Norman named 
 Wiz ; hence the town of Wiz. 
 
 Walton. — This district was given by a Norman 
 named Walter de Wale to the Knights of St. John, and 
 was so called in honour of the donor. 
 
 WiLLiAMSTON. — So Called in honour of William, 
 another settler of the twelfth century. 
 
RADNORSHIRE. 
 
 The Welsh name, Maesyfed, is variously derived. 
 In some ancient MSS. it is written Maeshyfaidd, which 
 signifies a land of boldness, or a martial region. We 
 are informed in the British " Triads " that three exiled 
 princes, Gwrgai, Cadafael, and Hyfaidd Hir, the son of 
 Caradog Freichfras, were on account of their military- 
 prowess made kings ; the former two in the north, and 
 Hyfaidd Hir in the south. Some are of opinion that 
 the latter was made king of Radnor, and hence his name 
 was bestowed upon it.* Others adhere to the pre- 
 sent orthography, Maesyfed, which signifies " the imbib- 
 ing mieadow," or " the drinking land," from the fact 
 that the little river Somergill suddenly sinks into the 
 earth in the vicinity of New Radnor, and then follows 
 a subterranean course for a considerable distance. The 
 popular derivation among the inhabitants is Maesy- 
 fedw, from the abundance of birch-groves in the county. 
 The English name, Radnor, was given to it in the reign 
 of Henry VIII., and signifies the red district. We 
 find Radford in Notts, Radlow in Hereford, Redcliff in 
 Gloucester, &c. 
 
 Aberedwy. — From the river Edwy that flows 
 through the place. Edwy is probably a derivati\'e of 
 eddu, to press on, to go. Or, perhaps, the right word- 
 ing is aidwy, signifying the lively water (?) 
 
 Abbey Cwm Hir. — Cwm Hir, long vale. Cadwallon 
 ab Madoc built an abbey of the Cistercian order here in 
 1 143 for 60 monks. The abbey was destroyed by Owen 
 Glyndwr. 
 
 *This is the best supported derivation. 
 
256 PLACE-NAMES IN WALES. 
 
 Beguildy. — A corruption probably of Bugeil-dy, 
 the shepherd's house, a very appropriate name in a 
 sheep-rearing district. 
 
 Blethfa (older Bleddfach). — Some derive it from 
 blith, milk ; and man, a place ; signifying a dairy place. 
 It is sometimes spelt Bleddfa as a contraction of 
 Bleddyn-fan, Bleddyn's place. Bleddyn was the name 
 of several bards in the years 1090-1260. We incline to 
 think it is a compound of blaidd, wolf ; and man, place. 
 
 BouGHROOD. — Edmunds thinks it is a corruption 
 of huwch ffrwd, the cow's brook. We rather think it is 
 an Anglicised form of Bachrhyd, which is a com.pound 
 of bachog, crooked, having many turnings or windings ; 
 and rhyd, a ford. A streamlet that discharges itself 
 into the Wye, near the village, is called Bachwy, the 
 meandering water. The Wye makes a sharp turning 
 here. Maiandros, a river in Phrygia, is proverbial for 
 its many windings, whence came the word meander. 
 Some think the right wording is Bach-rhyd, signifying 
 " the little ford " on the Wye, where a boat and horse 
 were in constant attendance. 
 
 Croesfeilig. — Croes, cross ; Meilig, the name of 
 the son oi Caw, and a saint of the fifth century. 
 
 Cregrina. — A mutilation of Crugynau, heaps. 
 
 Colfa. — A corruption of Collfa, which means the 
 place of the hazel-wood. 
 
 Cascob. — In " Doomsday Book " it is railed Cas- 
 cope, which, according to some, is a compound of cask 
 and hope. — Mr. WilHams, in his " History of Radnorshire," 
 derives it thus : " Cas, a fortress ; and cope, an eminence. 
 
RADNORSHIRE. 257 
 
 The justness of this etymology is confirmed by tradition, 
 which reports that a small fortification of earth formerly 
 stood on a summit on which the church is erected ; or, 
 perhaps, the name casgob might mean the eminence im- 
 pending over the brook Cas, which runs through the parish, 
 and discharges itself into the river Lug." 
 
 Cefnllys. — Cefn, back, ridge ; llys, court, hall. 
 Ralph Mortimer built a castle here in the year 1242, 
 which suggests the probability of the place being defended 
 against the incursions of the Saxons. The name might 
 have been derived from a martial court that was held here. 
 Camden says that there were ruins of an ancient fortress 
 upon the spot when he wrote, almost surrounding the 
 Court House, except on one side, where it lies open to the 
 common. 
 
 Cenarth. — Cen is Gaelic for pen, head ; arth is an 
 abbreviation of garth, a hill. The place forms the lower 
 end of the parish. 
 
 CiLGiL, or KiLGiL. — Cil, a hidden place, a nook ; 
 gil, probably a corruption of coll, the plural of collen, 
 hazel-tree ; so called from the abundance of hazel wood 
 in the district. 
 
 CoED-GLASSEN.— -Co«^, wood ; glassen, a corruption 
 of gleision, the plural of glas, green ; so named from the 
 abundance of green trees that beautified the district in 
 olden times. 
 
 CwM-GELLAU, or CwM-GiLLA. — Cwm, a vale ; gellau, 
 a corruption of collen, hazel-tree. The place lies in a 
 beautiful valley, abounding with hazel wood. 
 
 Cwmdauddwr. — Dauddwr, two streams of water, so 
 called from the situation of the parish church near the 
 
258 PLACE-NAMES IN WALES. 
 
 confluence of the rivers Elan and Wye. The parish 
 adjoins the counties of Brecon, Cardigan, and Mont- 
 gomery, and is the only one in Radnorshire where Welsh 
 is understood and spoken. According to colloquial pro- 
 nunciation it is Cwmwd Douddwr, the commote of the two 
 waters. 
 
 Clas Garmon. — Clas, a green spot or enclosure, a 
 cloister ; Garmon, perhaps the memorable Germanus. 
 
 Dyffryn Elan. — Dyffryn, a long vale ; Elan, the 
 name of the river that runs through it. 
 
 Evenjobb. — The popular opinion in the neighbour- 
 hood anent the name is that a man named Job lived 
 here at some remote period, and was proverbial, ai 
 the prototype Job, for patience and evenness of tem.per, 
 and hence the place was called in honoixr of him. The 
 name is, perhaps, a compound of efes, brink or margin ; 
 and hwpp, a slope. Burlinjobb, in the same county, 
 means Brechla's hwpp or slope. It was anciently spelt 
 Evanchobb, Evan's cop, i.e., Evan's hill-top. 
 
 Felindre. — The name is a corrupt form of mileindref, 
 a township under villain soccage tenure. 
 
 Glascomb. — A compound of glas, green ; and comb, 
 an Anglicism of cwm, a valley, a dingle. The village 
 lies in a beautiful and verdant valley, where also stands 
 the fine mansion of Glascomb. 
 
 GoLON. — A corruption probably of colwyn, a sharp 
 hillock, a promontory. 
 
 Harpton. — A translation of the Welsh nam.e, 
 Trefydelyn. 
 
 Heyop. — ^A compound of have, a grove, and cope, an 
 eminence. 
 
RADNORSHIRE. 259 
 
 KiNNERTON. — A corraption of Cenarth, headland, 
 and town, signifying a place at the headland. 
 
 Knighton. — The Welsh name is Trefydawdd, 
 Dykestown, so called from its contiguity to Offa's Dyke, 
 traces of which are discernible to this day. The English 
 name means knight-town, which, after the Norman Con- 
 quest, was probably held on the tenure of knightly service, 
 and is one of those names that illustrate the old law phrase, 
 " a knight's fee." 
 
 Knucklas. — A corrupted form of cnwc, a slight 
 eminence, and glas, green. Cnwc has been corrupted in 
 a few English place-names, such as Knock in (Salop), 
 Knock-holt (Kent), and Knook (Wilts) ; and in Ireland 
 we find Knockglass, Knockdow, &c. 
 
 Llananno. — The church is dedicated to Wonno, or 
 Anno. 
 
 Llanbadarn Fawr. — The church is dedicated to 
 Padarn, a descendant of Emyr Llydaw, and it is called 
 Fawr in distinction from Llanbadarn-Fynydd and Llan- 
 badarn-y-Graig. 
 
 Llandegley. — The church was probably dedicated 
 to Tegivel, a Welsh saint. Tegwel means a fair coun- 
 tenance or aspect. 
 
 Llangunllo. — The church is dedicated to Cunllo, 
 a Welsh saint. Cunllo or Cynllo, is probably made up 
 of cyn, the first or chief, and llo or la, referred by Pro- 
 fessor Rhys to a word of the same origin as the Latin 
 lupus, a wolf. 
 
 Llandrindod. — Its ancient name was Ffynon Llwyn 
 y Gog, the well of the cuckoo's bush ; but in 1603 the 
 
26o fLACE-NAMES IN WALES. 
 
 church was dedicated to the Drindod (Trinity) ; hence 
 the name. 
 
 Llanddewi-Ystradenni. — The church is dedicated 
 to St. Dewi. Ystrad, a flat, a vale ; enni is obscure. The 
 village is situated in a low vale on the river Ithon. 
 
 Llanfareth. — The church is situated near the 
 confluence of the rivers Mareth and Wye ; hence the 
 name. Mareth signifies lively or active water. 
 
 Llanfihangel Rhydithon. — The church is dedi- 
 cated to St. Michael. Rhyd, a ford ; Ithon, the name of 
 the river that flows through the parish. 
 
 Llanyre. — Yre is an abbreviation of Llyre. The 
 church is dedicated to Llyr, a descendant of Cunedda 
 Wledig, and a saint of the fifth century. 
 
 Meisty-Rhos-Lowry. — Meisty is, probably, a cor- 
 ruption of maes, a field, and ty, a house ; rhos, a dry 
 meadow, a plain. Lowry perplexes us ; the root perhaps, 
 is llawr, ground. Lowry is however, a personal name 
 which probably was connected with the place. 
 
 MoNOGHTY. — A corruption of mynach-dy, a monas- 
 tery. It is supposed that a monastery stood here in 
 olden times. Monaughty Poydd (Salop) is said to be 
 Monachty Poeth, the hot monastery. 
 
 Nantmel. — Nant, a brook ; mil, according to some, 
 is an abbreviation of Mael, a personal name ; but we 
 rather think it is the Welsh for honey ; hence the name 
 means honey-brook, so called, perhaps, from its hue, 
 or from the hives of wild bees in the neighbouring rocks. 
 
RADNORSHIRE. 261 
 
 Norton. — The name probably means north-town, 
 or, perhaps, Norman town. The British name was 
 supplanted by that of the Norman castle. 
 
 Painscastle. — A castle was built here during the 
 Norman period by the De Pain family, whose name 
 was conferred upon it, and the village which lies at the 
 base of the hill. Pain was a Norman knight, and his 
 name is also preserved in Paignton (Devon) and Pains- 
 wick (Gloucester). 
 
 Presteign. — It was anciently known as Llanan- 
 dras, so called from the dedication of the church to St. 
 Andrew. The English name means the priest's town. 
 It is almost the only instance of Prest occurring in Welsh 
 place-names. We have thirty-six Prestons, two Prest- 
 burys, and two Prestwolds, in the nomenclature of Eng- 
 land ; but we have only two in Wales, and those occur 
 practically on the English border. Prestatyn contains 
 the same element. Who was the piiest of Presteign ? 
 Probably David Martin, bishop of St. David's, about 
 the end of the thirteenth century. He was an extra- 
 ordinary benefactor to this place, having obtained for the 
 inhabitants many privileges, and among others, those of 
 holding a weekly market on Saturday, and fairs three 
 times a year. 
 
 Pantydwr. — The name signifies the hollow of the 
 water. 
 
 Penybont. — The end of the bridge ; hence Bridgend. 
 
 PiLLETH. — A corruption of pwll, pool ; and llaith, 
 moist, humid (?) The vale is very narrow and well- 
 watered, which probably suggested the name, 
 
262 PLACE-NAMES IN WALES. 
 
 Rhaiadr. — This town derives its name from a 
 Rhaiadr, a waterfall, that is contiguous to it. The 
 Welsh call it Rhaiadr Gwy, from its situation on the 
 eastern bank of the river Wye. The word rhaiadr is 
 derived from the same root as rhedeg, to run, or perhaps, 
 from rhtio, to roar, bluster, in allusion to the din of the 
 water in its fallen state. 
 
 Salford. — A compound of sallow, a willow, and 
 ford ; signifying the willow ford. 
 
 St. Harmon. — From St. Garmon, to whom the parish 
 church is dedicated. Germanus — Garmon, Bishop of 
 Auxerre, was the son of Rhedyn, and a native of Brittany, 
 Giraldus says that " in the church of St. Harmon, near 
 Rhaiadr, was the crutch of St. Cyrig, plated with gold, 
 and adorned with pearls, above loft, called llofft y grog 
 (because the image of the cross was generally painted on 
 the front of the loft). This crutch possessed the virtue 
 of healing many diseases, such as the plague, the king's 
 evil, and all manner of swelling in the armpits. The sick 
 person would kneel with reverence before the crutch, and 
 offer a piece of money for his cleansing ; and unless this 
 was done, no cure could be expected." This crutch was 
 burnt at the Reformation. 
 
 Trefonen. — Tref, an abode, a place ; oncn, ash tree. 
 
 Weythel. — A corruption of Gicyddd, a man of the 
 wood, an Irishman.