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

Gwarycaeau. — Gwdr, the nape of the neck; y y the; caeau, fields; signifying a place situated in the upperpart of, or above, certain hilly fields. English name — Highfield.Hirwaun. - The name signifies long meadow. The correct name is Hirwaun Gwrgant, Gwrgan's longmeadow, or mountain-plain. It appears that this meadow in olden times extended from Blaengwrach, nearRhydgroes, to Mountain Ash, and so it was nearly ten miles long; but in the eleventh century, Gwrgan ab lthelgave a portion of it, called Y Waun Hir, the long meadow, scot free; to his poor subjects and all otherWelshmen for raising corn, and breeding sheep and cattle. English name — Long Meadow, or Longmoor.Heolyfelin. — Its English name is " Mill-street, " so called from the Llwydcoed mill that stood on the riverCynon. In 1792 the first houses of this populous place were built by a Morgan Watkin. It is also calledTrecynon from its situation on the bank of the Cynon. Cynon is a compound of cyn, chief, and ain, water orrunning brook ; signifying the chief brook.Hafod. — The name means a summer-house, in contra-distinction from Gauafod, winter-house. The villagederived its name from a farmhouse of the same name. English name— Solham, or Summerham.Hendre. — A compound of hen, old, and tref, a dwelling. In times of yore, the people took up their abode forthe winter in the valleys, and these homesteads were called Hendref, in contradistinction from Hafod, whichwas only a temporary residence. English name— Oldham.'???3N. — II is an abbreviation of Illtyd, or Iltutus, it signifying Illtyd's town. The Welsh name Illtyd. Thechurch here was probably dedicated to Illtyd, a descendant of Emyr Llydaw, and a saint of the sixth thecentury.Cilfray. — An Anglicized form of Cilfai; cil, a place t; fai-mai, a plain. The name signifies a ed place. Englishname — Hidham.??ifabon. — The church was dedicated to Mabon, brother, who founded it in the sixth century, it is derivedfrom Itnapos, in Old Welsh map y now in the church is the name of, a youth, a son. English name —Boychurch.Lewiston. — So called in honour of W. Lewis, Lewitnewydd House, on whose estate the village stands.Caegynwyd. — The church was dedicated to saint of the sixth century. Cynwyd signifies evil or mischief.Gwlaw cynwyd, a destructive force. - English name — Primechurch.Gyfelach. — Cyfelach, bishop of Llandaff in first century, is supposed to have founded the church here,which was dedicated to him. Cyfelach resembling his ancestors. English name — ????Llanblethian. — The ancient church was dedicated to n or Bleddyn, a contemporary of Garmon, who,founded it in the sixth century. Bleddyn means wolf-child. English name — Wolfton.Llandough. — The church was dedicated to Dochwy, a Dominican saint, who founded a seminary here inthe first century. The Welsh name, Llandochwy, is transcribed into Llandough. Dochwy is probably aderivative of tawch-wy, the hazy water. English name— ??????Llanilltyd Faerdref. — The church is dedicated to Faerdref, a dairy hamlet. The Welsh princes men keptdairy-houses at a little distance from the palaces and courts. Two farmsteads in the neighbourhood still retainthe names of Faerdref Fawft ~ being of or near the site of one of these dairy-houses; hence the name.English name — Dairychurch.Landore. — From the Welsh Glandwr, the name of an old farmstead situated near the river Tawy. Englishname — Waterton.Lantwit-Major. — A semi-translation of Llanilltyd Fawr. A religious seminary was founded here at a very earlyperiod, which, about the year 450, was renovated by Garmon, who, together with Dyfrig, dedicated Illtyd tobe the head teacher thereof; hence it was called Car Illtyd, Bangor Illtyd, and Llanilltyd Fawr. The differentiafawr was added to distinguish it as par excellence above every other institution bearing the name Illtyd.English name — Illston Major.Origin of Place-names in Wales & Monmouthshire Page 62