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

Maesgarmon. — Named in honour of St. Garmon, who, with Bishop Lupus, led the Britons against, andobtained a glorious victory over, the Pagan Saxons and Picts. This took place in Easter week, 440, and is tothis day called the " Hallelujah Victory." Nehemiah Griffiths, Esq., of Rhual, erected an obelisk in 1736, withan inscription to commemorate the event. English name — Garmon's Field.Maelor. — A corruption of mael, mart, and llawr, ground, signifying a place where trade could be carried onunmolested. Maelawr was a free trader, who favoured importations, in consequence of which he was slain.Some think the name is a contraction of max lawr, which signifies plain land. English name — Martham.Newmarket. — The old Welsh name was Rhiwlyf- wyd, but Pennant calls it Treflawnyd, which signifies " aplace full of corn." About the beginning of the 18th century, John Wynn, Esq., of Gop, the then owner of theestate, succeeded in getting a market here, which had been a long-felt desideratum, and, probably, from thatcircumstance, the place was henceforth called Newmarket.Northop. — An abbreviation of North Hope, so called to distinguish it from East Hope. Llaneurgain is theancient Welsh name. The church was dedicated to Eurgain, the daughter of Maelgwyn Gwynedd, and a saintof the sixth century.Nanerch. — A compound of nant, a brook, and erch, a dark colour. English name — Dunbrook.Nerquis. — A corruption of Nercwys; ner, a sovereign; cwys, a furrow. Cwys dir, a furrow of land. Englishname — Lordton.Overton. — A corruption of Owrtyn, which is probably a compound of gowyro, to make a little oblique, anddin, a fortified hill. It was anciently called Owrtyn Fadoc from Madoc ab Meredydd, the prince of Powys, whois supposed to have built a castle here. The town is situated on a rising eminence near the river Dee. Englishname— Slanthill.Pentre Hobyn. — Pentre, a village; hobyn, a pig. Hanerkob, a flitch or side of a hog. This place in ancienttimes was famous for its abundance of wild boars. Vide Rhos-hobyn, Denbigh. English name — Boarton.Penygelli. — Petty head, end; y, the; gelli, grove. English name — Grovesend.Penymynydd. — The name signifies a place situated on a mountain. — English name — Mountton.Pontbleiddyn. — Pont, a bridge; bleiddyn, a wolfs cub. English nane — Wolfbridge.Prestatyn. — A corruption of Prysgoed-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, woed; din, fortress; thename signifies a place of resort. Some say it is a corruption of Prys Tydain, Tydain's place of resort. Prysform a part of many names, Prysaddfed, Pryseddfod, Prystalyn, &c. English name— CoverthamRhuddlan. — This name is variously derived. Some derive it from Robert de Rothelan, a military chief, whovisited the place. Others derive it from rhudd, red; and glan, bank, from the town being situated on the redbanks of the river Clwyd. The castle was anciently called Castell Coch yn Ngwernfar, i.e., the red castle onthe great plain. The most natural ,explanation is Rhyd-y-llan, the ford by the church. The name is writteneven now by the oldest inhabitants Rhydlan. There are three fords in the district: Rhyd-y-ddau-ddwfr, the fordof the two waters, which is fordable to this day; For-tyd, the ford by the sea; and Rhyd-y-llan, the ford by thechurch. To the north of this ford, on an eminence, there is a church dating back many centuries; and the fordis 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 bysome Rhyddlan, perhaps from its having been made a free borough by Edward I., whose son wasproclaimed here the Prince of Wales, the first English Prince of Wales, 1283. Morfa Rhuddlan is thecelebrated marsh where that memorable battle was fought in 795 between the Saxons under Offa and theWelsh under the valiant Caradog, when the last fell in the conflict. Many names in the vicinity point to the sadcatastrophe, such as Bryny saeihau, hill of arrows; Bryn y lladfa, hill of slaughter; Pant y gwae, the vale ofwoe; Cat yr orsedd, field of the throne or tribunal. We adopt Rhyd-y-Llan as the correct wording. Englishname — Fordchurch or Fordton.Rhyl. — This beautiful watering-place is situated at the extremity of Saltney marsh, which is called in WelshMorfa yr Hal, or Yr Haleg. We find the names Penarleg near Chester, and Plas-yr-hal near Ruthin, and an oldOrigin of Place-names in Wales & Monmouthshire Page 54