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

ecame the bishop of the see, and was buried, the old name was abandoned, and his honourable name wasbestowed upon it. St. David was grandson of Ceredig, who gave his name to Ceredigion, and was son ofCunedda. It is supposed that he was the first who systematically undertook to Christianise the people ofDemetia.St. Dogmell's. — The Welsh name is Llandudoch. Tud t a surface, a region; oich, the Celtic for water, aname quite descriptive of the physical aspect of the place. The church was dedicated to Dogfael, son of Ithel,son of Ceredig. Dogmell is an Anglicism of Dogfael.St. Ismael. — This village derives its name from Ismael, a saint of the sixth century, and supposed to havebeen the founder of the church.St. Florence. — Called in Welsh Tregoyr, which is probably a corruption of Tregaer, walled town or place.We have no reason to suppose that this place was fortified by a caer; but it may be so called from itscontiguity to a large wall that belonged to the extensive lands of the Earls of Pembroke. The church wasdedicated to St. Florence; hence its present name.St. Nicholas. — The place was once called Monk from the church being granted by Arnulph d ornery, in1088, to the Abbey of St. Seyes of Normandy. In a short time later this became a priory of the Benedictineorder, dedicated to St Nicholas, it was founded at this place, and made a cell of the foreign abbey.St. Lawrence. — This parish derives its name from the church, which is dedicated to St. Lawrence.St. Petrox. — A free translation of Llanbedrog church that was dedicated to St. Pedrog, or Petrox whoflourished about the beginning of the seventh century.Solva.— This beautiful little village derives its name from the river Solfach. Sol may be a corruption of Solf,tohiss, whizz; and lli, a stream, signifying the stream, or it may be derived from silod, seed a young fish. Or,perhaps, sol is the feminine form of the adjective swl, which signifies dirty or muddy, yng ach, water; hencesolach, the muddy stream, we think the name is an Anglicism of Cilfach, giving a sing sound to c; henceSilfach, then Solfach, It appears that the name was once spelt Cilfach Ifach; hence it might be easilychanged to Solfa. We adopt the latter. English name— ??? ton.Yspittal. — This name is a modification of the Latin for a hospital. An ysbytty, hospital, is recorded to havebeen sited here in olden times near Roach encampment.Staynton. — This village probably was so called in memory of Adam de Stainton. Some derive it from stean,sometimes a boundary stone.Saundersfoot. — The prefix is a contraction of ???r. The name signifies Alexander's place at the foot of thehill.Silver Hill. — Perhaps the burial-place of a Viking called Solvar.South Dairy. — So called to distinguish it from the north and west dairies.Skokholm. — A Norse name signifying a wooded island.Tafarn Spite. — Tafarn, inn, public-house; Spite, a corruption of ysbytty, hospital; the name is derived froman inn raised from the ruins of an hospitium, which had been founded there for the accommodation of thepilgrim traveller to the shrine of St. David's. Spital Square, London, derives its name from the church of thepriory and hospital of St. Mary, which stood in Spitalfields. English name — Hospeston.Tier's Cross. — Perhaps from Thor, one of the Vikings who founded the Welsh colony.Trefgarn. — Tref, place, town; carn, heap, cairn; signifying, literally, the town on the heap. There are greatmasses of rock contiguous to the village, which from a distance appear like extensive ruins of buildings.English name — Cairnton.Templeton. — This village is so called from the fact that the Knights of the Temple in olden times made it aspecial place of resort.Origin of Place-names in Wales & Monmouthshire Page 94