handbook of the origin of place-names in wales and monmouthshire

Ceulan. — This place derives its name from the river Ceulan that flows through it. Tradition points to thisplace as Taliesin's place of sepulture. English name — Bankham.Cilcenin. — Cil, a place of retreat; Cennin, a corrupted form of St. Cannen, to whose memory the parishchurch is dedicated. English name — Cannenchurch.Clarach. — This place takes its name from the river Clarach, near which it is situated. Clar-clatr, clear; ach,river. English name — Clearwater.Croes. — This place takes its name from the river Croes, which signifies cross. English name — Crossby.Cwm Barre. — A valley through which the river Barre flows. Bar, a limit; re, a corruption of rau, pluralisingbar. The river is the boundary between some parts of the parishes of Troedyraur and Penbryn. Barry issupposed to have come from the same root. English name — Limit Vale.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. English name — Moorcombe.Dihewyd. — A mutation of Dehau-wydd. Dehau, south; gwydd, the state of being in view. Gwyddfod meanspresence. There is a hill called Moel Dihewyd in the parish, so called from its southern aspect. English name— Southview.Dothi-Camddwr. — Dothi, a corrupted form of iowyddu, which implies swelling; Camddwr, the crookedwater, the name of the river that flows through the place, so called from its meandering course. English name— Crookby.Ferwig. — Berw, a boiling, an ebullition; wig, inflection of gwig, a grove, a nook. The right orthography isBetwig, which, according to some, is cognate with Berwick and other places in England. From its contiguityto the sea, its English name would be Grovesea,Gartheli. — A corrupted form of Gwrtheli, the name of the saint who founded a chapel in the place. Englishname — Gwrtheli.Hawen. — The village takes its name from the river Hawen. Hawen is a compound of aw, a moving agent,water, and an or ain, brook, signifying the running stream. English name — Brookham.Henbelin. — A corrupted form probably of Henfelin, old mill. English name — Oldmill.Henfynyw. — The name signifies " Old Menevia." Tradition has it that the cathedral of St. David's wasoriginally designed to have been erected here. This parish is famous for being the place where the patronsaint of Wales spent his earlier days. A spring that is near the church is still called Ffynon Ddewi, St. David'sWell.Henllan. — The name signifies old church, and it points out the great antiquity of the original edifice of thisparish. English name- -Oldchurch.Henllys. — Hen, old; llys, court, hall, or seat, signifying the ancient hall. Henllys and Gadlys are found to bevery numerous in Wales, as traces of the battles fought by the Welsh princes. English name — Oldhall.Llananerch. — A compound of Llan and llanerch, an enclosure, and sometimes the latter signifies a risingeminence. English name — Churchill.Llanarth. — Arth here means a bear, according to some. The general opinion of the inhabitants is that bearsexisted here at some remote period. It is hardly credible that the saintly Cymry would do the bear such anhonour as to couple his name with the sacred edifice. We derive the name from Llan, church ; and garth, ahill, and sometimes enclosure. English name — Risechurch.Llanbadarn. — The church is dedicated to Padarn, who, according to Usher, was an Armorican bishop, andcame to Wales with his cousin Cadven in 516. He left Illtyd's seminary for Ceredigion, and gathered acongregation of 120 members at a place called afterwards Llanbadarn Fawr. The differentia fawr was addedOrigin of Place-names in Wales & Monmouthshire Page 27