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

present form — Caerfyrddin.Abergwili. — Aber f estuary; Gwili, the name of the river that flows into the Towy; hence the name. Gwili is aderivative of gwyllt, wild, and lli t a flux, signifying wild water. Some derive it from gwy, water, and Hi, a flux.The " Dictionary of Universal Information " appears to confuse Abergwili with Abergorlech, and wronglyinforms us that in the latter "is an episcopal palace belonging to the see of St. David's." Welshmen know thatthe two places are not one and the same, and that Abergwili still retains the honour of being the residence ofthe Bishop of St. David's. English name — Waterflux.Abergorlech. — The river Gorlech discharges itself into the river Cothi near the village; hence the name.Gorlech, probably, is a mutation of Garwlech. Garw, rough; lech-llech, stone; rough stones from the bed ofthe river. English name — Stonemouth.Abercowyn. — The river Cowyn or Cywyn flows into the river Taf at the place; hence the name. Cywynmeans a rising or swelling up; the popular word cwnu, rising, comes from the verb cywynu, to rise, mount up.English name— Swellmouth.Aberarad. — Arad, the name of the river on which the village is situated, so called, perhaps, from itsresemblance to an aradr, plough. Arad is the popular pronunciation of the Welsh aradr. English name —Ploughton.Aberbran. — This place takes its name from the river Bran, which is a contraction of bre, mountain; and an,ain, or en, brook, signifying the mountain brook. English name — Brookmouth.Aberduar. — The right wording probably is Aber-dyar, from its situation on the river Dyar, which means anoise, a sound, a din. English name — Dinmouth.Above-Saw ddwy. — The village derives its name from the river Sawddwy, on which it is situated. Sawddimplies depth, a sinking; wy-gwy, water; the name signifying the deep or plunging water. English name —Deepwater.Ammanford. — The ancient name of the place was Cross Inn, from a public house of that name, which issituated at the junction of four roads. Ammanford, from its situation on the river A man, which name isprobably a compound of ami, many; and ain, water; signifying a river of many tributaries or sources.Burry Port. - Burry Port adjoins the ancient village of Penbre* Pen, head, top; bre-fre, up high, or perhapsbre is a corruption of bryn, a hill. Both suffixes come from the same root, and have analogous significations.Some think Burry is a compound of bur, wild, frothy, and gwy, water. Burym, barm, is derived from the sameroot. The river Berem is not far from this vicinity. Another attempt is bre-borth; bre-bryn, hill; borth-porth, portThe seaport is situated at the entrance of the river Burry; hence the English name — Burry Port.Bryn-y-Beirdd. — This place derives its name from an ancient farmhouse in the vicinity, called Cwri-Bryn- y-Beirdd, from the supposition that it was once the residence of the bards. English name — Bardshill.Bryn Gwyne. — Bryn, hill; Gwyne, intensified form of gwyn, white, blessed. Gwyndud, a happy land. Englishname — Blisshill.Bryn Hafod. — Hafod means a summer-house, which was generally built on a hill. English name —Summer Hill.Brynaman. — Bryn, hill; Aman, the name of the River on which the place is situated. For Aman, videAmmanford. English name — Waterhill.Bwlchgwynt. — Bwlch, an opening, a pass; gwynt, wind; signifying a pass where the wind occasionallyasserts its power very vehemently. English name — Windham.Caledfwlch. — Caled, hard, severe; bwlch, opening, pass. Tradition has it that bloody wars were fought inthe vicinity, and that the distress and calamity was so great at a certain spot that it was henceforth calledCaledfwlch. A brook in the place is called Nantgoch, red brook, from the traditional belief that it wassometime red with blood. English name — Warstow.Origin of Place-names in Wales & Monmouthshire Page 32