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

Cynwydion, once a very powerful prince in Edeyrnion, but spent the latter end of his life in a hermitage.English name — Primeill.Doldrewin. — Some are of opinion that the name refers to the druidical circles, remains of which are nowseen in the village. Dol, a meadow; drewin, a corruption of derwydd, a druid. English name — Druid'sMeadow.Derwen Las. — Derwen, an oak; las-glas, green. English name — Greenoak.Dolgelley. — Dol, a meadow, a plain, dale; gelley is derived by some from celli, a grove. The name is quitein correspondence with the physical aspect of the town, which is situate in a fertile vale between the riversAran and Wnion, and surrounded on all sides by lofty and thickly-wooded mountains. We rather think thatgelley is a corruption of collen, hazel-tree, from the abundance of hazel-wood in the district. English name —Hazeldale.Dinas Mawddwy. — A small place, although dignified with the name dinas, a city. In olden times it was thecapital of an extensive lordship, preserving the insignia of power, the stocks and whipping-post, the feg fawr,or great fetter, the mace, and standard measure. Mawddwy, broad water. English name — Broadwater.Dugoed. — Du, black; goed-coed, wood. English name — Blackwood.Ffestiniog. — Edmunds derives the name from mesen, an acorn, and wg, a district. Others derive it from theLatin Festino, which, it is supposed, was bestowed upon it by the Romans when they took up their abodehere. Dr. O. Pughe traces it to the Welsh ffestinio, to hasten. The pedestrian was obliged to hasten throughthe place if he destined to cross the mountains and reach Bala or Ysbytty ere being enveloped in darkness.We rather think the name is allied with penffestin, a helmet. Penffestiniog, wearing a helmet. The name,therefore, implies a district possessing fortified places. English name — Helmetton.Glyndyfrdwy. — Glyn, glen; dyfrdwy, the name of the river that flows through it. Various explanations havebeen given of Dyfrdwy. Some derive it from dwfr-dwy-afon, the water of two rivers; others maintain it is amutation of dwfr-du, black water; according to others it is a corruption of Dwrdd~gwy, the roaring water.Another derivation is y drydedd wy, the third river: Cynwy (Conway), being the first river; Elwy, the secondriver; and Drydwy, the third river from Arvon to England that emptied themselves into the sea before reachingChester. The most popular derivation is dyfr-dwy (f), the goddess' water, or the water of the divinity, from thesupposition that its waters were held in superstitious veneration by the Kymry. English name — Glendee.Gwyddelwern. — Gwyddel, a man of the woods; gwern y alder trees. Alder wood, perchance, abounded inthe district, and the early inhabitants probably were obliged to build their hut-homes in the woods. Or,perhaps, it means the alders of the Irish, indicating the place where a band of Irishmen were defeated. Dr. O.Pughe translates the word thus: "A moor or meadow overgrown with bushes," which signification tallies wellwith the bushy aspect of the place* We also find Y Wern Ddu, black moor, and Ty'nywern, the house on themoor, in the district. English name — Bushland.Harlech. — In ancient times the castle was known by the names of Twr Bronwen, Bronwen's Tower, fromBronwen, the White-necked, sister to Bran ap Llyr, king of Britain; and Caer Collwyn, from Collwyn ap Tango,one of the fifteen tribes of North Wales, and lord of Eifionydd, Ardudwy, and part of Lleyn. When Edward I.built the present castle it was denominated, according to some, Arlech, from its situation on the rock, orHarddlech, the fair or fine rock or stone. The county is exceedingly rich in cromlechs and fine stonemonuments. A traveller, in climbing an adjacent hill, may observe several meini hirion, and circles formed oflarge common pebble-stones. English name — Beaurock.Llandanwg. — From Tanwg, son of Ithel Hael, and a saint of the sixth century. Tanwg means lowland.English name — Downchurch.Llandecwyn. — From Tecwyn, son of Ithel Hael, and a saint of the sixth century. Two lakes in the parish,Tecwyn Ucha and Tecwyn Isa, bear his name. Some derive tecwyn thus — teg, far; gwyn, white, lovely. LlynTecwyn is near the village, whose waters are of crystalline clearness. English name — Fairchurch.Llandrinio. — Trinio y a descendant of Emyr Llydaw, is supposed to have been the founder of the church,Trinio probably comes from trin, which means a battle or combat; trinio, to meddle, to manage. English name— Strifeton.Origin of Place-names in Wales & Monmouthshire Page 73