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

Marcross. — Probably a translation of Croes Marc, Mark's cross. It is supposed that a large cross waserected here at some remote period to St. Mark, or, perhaps, it is a corruption of Mer-groes, the cross on thesea shore.Merthyr DyFan. — Some ecclesiastical historians think that Dyfan introduced Christianity to thisneighbourhood as early as the second century, and that he fell a martyr to his faith here. The parish church isdedicated to him. English name — Dyvanton.Mountain Ash. — The ancient name was Aberpennar, and the present name was bestowed upon it by JohnBruce Pryce, Esq., then owner of the estate. A man named David John Rhys went to Mr. Pryce one day toask him for a lease on a certain piece of land, on which he purposed building a public-house and a privatehouse. They went together to measure the land, and, in reply to a question of Mr. Pryce with regard to thename of the new public-house he was asked to name, seeing a cerdinen (mountain ash) close by, he turnedto Mrs. Pryce, and said — " We shall call this place Mountain Ash."Maerdy. — A name of frequent occurrence in Wales. The Welsh maer is synonymous with the English landagent, steward, and bailiff. In ancient times maer was the king's land agent; but, in course of time, the wordbecame to signify any land steward. Matt biswail, the keeper of the cowlair. Maerdy means a dairy-house.The village derives its name from a farmhouse bearing the name. English name— Dairyton.Miskin. — The name is spelt Meisgun by old Welsh historians. Meis-tnaes, field, land; gun-cun, a leader, achief, a lord. Miskin, near Llantrisant, formed a portion of the hereditary estates of Iestyn ap Gwrgant, lord ofGlamorgan; hence the name signifies " the lord's land," or " the royal land." English name — Kingsland.Monknash. — The prefix was derived on account of Sir Richard de Grenville having conferred this manor,together with the castle and lordship of Neath, on the monks of Neath Abbey. Nash is cognate with ness ornaze, which means a nose or promontory of land.Neath. — An Anglicised form of Nedd, the name of the river on which the town is situated. Nedd meansturning, whirling; the river was so called, probably, from its various meanderings. The Romans had a stationhere called Nidium. The Welsh popular name is Castell Nedd, the castle on the Neath. Richard de Grenville,a Norman knight, built a castle here early in the twelfth century, and the Neath Abbey was founded by him inthe year 1111.Nelson. — The ancient name was Ffos y Gerdinen, the mountain ash bog; but, when the village began toincrease, a public-house was built and named " Lord Nelson," and, in course of time, the gallant admiral'sname, minus " Lord," was bestowed upon the place.Nantymoel. — Nant, a streamlet; y, the; mod, a heap, a conical hill; signifying a brook rushing from a highhill. English name — Brookhill.Nantgarw. — So called from a violent brook that runs through the place, called Nantgarw, the rough brook.English name — Roughbrook.Nicholaston. — The church was dedicated to a saint named Nicholas, of whom nothing more is known.Newton Nottage. — A semi-translation of the Welsh name, Trenewydd Ynottais. The y was dropped; henceNottais and Nottage. Ynottais, perhaps, comes from hynod, noted, remarkable.Norton. — A corruption of North-town, so called after an ancient homestead bearing the name in the vicinity.Ogmore. — An Anglicism of the Welsh Ogwy or Eogwy. Eog, salmon; wy-gwy, river. We are inclined to thinkthe correct wording is Ogwy; og- apt to move, active; and gwy, water; the moving or stirring water. Diogmeans not active, sluggish. English name — MovetonOverton. — When a suffix, over seems to mean a hill site; when a prefix, it indicates the higher of twoplaces.Pontardawe. — Pont, bridge; ar, on, upon; Tawy, the name of the river. The place takes its name from abridge built by William Edwards about the year 1757. Tawy means the still or silent water. English name —Tawy Bridge.Origin of Place-names in Wales & Monmouthshire Page 65