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

Pembrokeshire, in the reign of Henry I and the Norman settlement in the south of Glamorgan, in the tenthcentury, are chiefly responsible for this etymological jumble. The Norman Conquest affected the Englishlanguage more than anything that happened either before or after it, but very little of its effect is found in theWelsh, except in place-names. These hybrid names, albeit, are full of historical value, because they give usgeographical 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, "Itmust be borne in mind that the nomenclature of our country greatly explains the early history of Britain fromthe time of the first colonists, the settlement of the Druids, and their subsequent power both in civil andreligious matters, and its continuance down to the age of Suetonius, and later still, as the old superstitionwas 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 distinguishYour Roman-Saxon-Danish-Norman-English.Personal names enter very largely into Welsh names of places. The first place-name we have on record wasformed after this fashion, " And he (Cain) builded a city, and called the name of the city after the name of hisson, Enoch." Gen. iv., 17.These personal names are invariably in the vernacular affixed to words, more or less, of a descriptivecharacter, as T r dales; tre y the descriptive first, then comes the personal, Laics; Porthmadog, porth, thedescriptive, 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 comeslast, preceded by a personal or common name, such as Tenby; Ten, a mutation of Dane, and by y the Norsefor 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 bornor resided, as Pennant, Mostyn, &c, and often-times the case was reversed. Brecon was called afterBrychan; Cardigan after Ceredig; Merioneth after Meirion; Eaeyrnion after Edeyrn; Dogfeilit after Dog fad;Merthyr Tydfil after Tydfil, Brychan's daughter, &c. The names of popular Welsh saints have been bestowedso liberally on the Llanau as to occasion no little confusion. A similar practise prevails in the United Statesfrom respect to their popular Presidents. The Rev. Isaac Taylor tells us that no less than 169 places bear thename 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 bestowedupon upwards of 150 churches and chapels in the Welsh sees, that of St. Michael's upon about 100, and thatof St. David's 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 contributetheir quota to the treasury of our nomenclature.Many of them are traced to local traditions which rarely command more than a local circulation. In makingenquiries at different localities we were more than amused to observe the prevalent tendency of theinhabitants to trace the origin of their local names to traditionary sources. The philologist is often supersededby the traditionist. Graphic and descriptive names are frequently explained from a traditional stand-point.Machynllaith—di name descriptive of the geographical position of the place — was very dogmaticallyreferred by one to an ancient legend concerning some " mochyn-yn-y-llaeth" the pig in the milk. Troedrhiwfuwch,explained another, means Troed-rhyw-fuwch, the foot of some cow, in allusion to a local traditionabout a cow that had gone astray. Manorbier, the third opines, has reference to a severe conflict between aman and a bear in times gone by. Wrexham, says the fourth, is obviously a corruption of Gwraig Sam, Sam'swife. Crymmych, the fifth avers, is *i transposition of " Ychyn crymu," the ox stooping, &c, &c. The readermay take these fanciful and untenable derivations for their worth as evidences of the tenacity with whichsome people hold to their folk-lore.The majority of our place-names, as might have been expected, have been derived from pure Celtic sources.Origin of Place-names in Wales & Monmouthshire Page 3