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

Port Talbot. — So called in 1835 in honour of C. R. M. Talbot, Esq., M.P., Margam Park, who is the soleproprietor of the harbour. The name is now being applied to the whole district.Port Tennant. — So named in honour of H. T. Tennant, Esq., Cadoxton Lodge, who constructed it at his ownexpense in 1826.Penmaen. — The name signifies " the head of the rock or stone," from the situation of the place at theextremity of a ridge of rocks overlooking Oxwich Bay. English name — Rocksend.Peterston-super-Montem. — A translation of the Welsh Llanbedr-ar-Fynydd. The church was probablydedicated to Peter le Sorre, and is situated on the mountain.Peterston-super-Ely. — The church was probably dedicated to Peter le Sorre, and is situated on the riverEly.Pontlliw. — Pont, bridge; Lliw, the name of the rivulet that flows under the bridge, and hastens to dischargeitself into the Loughor river. English name — Huebridge.Pontardulais. — The name means a bridge on the Dulais. English name — Dulais Bridge.Pontygwaith. — Gwaith means work. It appears that there was an ironworks here once, and a smeltingfurnace was seen here as late as the year 1850. A bridge was probably built near the works; hence thename. — English name — Workbridge.Penrhiwceiber. — Penrhiw, head of the slope; cciber-ceibr is probably either a contraction of ceu bren fhollow tree; or of ceibren, rafter, joist. Ceibren is sometimes spelt cebr, the plural of which is ceibr or ceibrau.English name — Woodhill.Pantywaun. — Pant, hollow; y, the; waun, mountain meadow. The place, as the name signifies, is situatedon a low, isolated spot on a mountain meadow. English name — Dinglemoor.Penwaun. — The name signifies the head or end of the moor or meadow. The small village lies in the upperpart of the Aberdare valley, and, like Hirwaun, derives its name from Gwrgant's meadow. English name —Moorsend.Quaker's Yard. — Lydia Fell, a wealthy member of the Quaker fraternity, was the owner of the northernportion of the Llanfaboft estate, and, when a burial- place for the Quakers became a desideratum, she gavea piece of land tor the purpose, which was made a suitable repository for the dead about the year 1670 or1680. The village takes its name from this ancient burial-place.Rudry. — A corruption of Rhydri or Rhuddry, Some think the original name wysyryw dre f the home of yewtrees, from the abundance of yew trees in the neighbourhood. English name — Yewham.Rhydyboithan. — Rhyd, ford; boithan, a corruption of byddin, an army. Another attempt: Boithan is acorruption, perhaps, of bwthyn, a cottage; the name signifying the ford near the cottage. English name —Armyford.Rhosily. — The right wording is Rhos Sulwy. Rhos means a dry meadow, a plain, which was given byFitzhamon to Reginald de Sulwy; hence the name. Sily is a corruption of Sulwy. English name — Sulton.Radir. — A small parish in which the waters of the Taff form a cataract. Rhaiadr is the Welsh for cataract orwaterfall, and Radir, according to some, is a corruption thereof. We rather think it is a contraction of yr dr dir,the arable land. Bar, the root of bara, bread, signifies what grows from arable land. English name — Tillton.Rhydfelen. — The right wording is Rhydyfelin, signifying the ford of the mill. English name — Millford.Raven Hill. — The village was once called Fforest Fach, from its situation near a forest. Raven puzzles us.Perhaps from Nraefn, a raven, the Danish standard, indicating the place as the abode of a Dane. There is afarm in the vicinity called Penile 'rbrain, which signifies the chief rendezvous of the raven tribe in the district,and the present name is, doubtless, a translation of the same.Origin of Place-names in Wales & Monmouthshire Page 68