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

Trefin. — A corruption probably of Treyfin, a boundary-place. English name — Markton.Tenby. — Called in Welsh Dinbych y Pysgod. The word pysgod, fish, is the differentia added to distinguish Itfrom its namesake in North Wales. Some maintain it is a corrupt Anglicism of the original name, dinbychan,the little fortification or camp. The English name .affords an ethnological evidence of the temporaryoccupation of the Danes. Ten is a mutation of Dane, and by is Norse for a dwelling, a residence, an abode;hence the name* signifies the dwelling-place of the Danes. Danesby would be the correct name. We haveDanby, the Dane's abode in Yorkshire, and sixteen places in the north-east counties of England calledDenton, the Dane's town.RADNORSHIRE.The Welsh name, Maesyfed, is variously derived. In some ancient MSS. it is written Maeshyfaidd, whichsignifies a land of boldness, or a martial region. We are informed in the British " Triads " that three exiledprinces, Gwrgai, Cadafaell and Hyfaidd Hir, the son of Caradog Freichfras, were on account of their militaryprowess made kings; the former two in the north, and Hyfaidd Hir in the south. Some are of opinion that thelatter was made king of Radnor, and hence his name was bestowed upon it. Others adhere to the presentorthography, Maesyfed, which signifies " the imbibing meadow," or " the drinking land," from the fact that thelittle river Somergill suddenly sinks into the earth in the vicinity of New Radnor, and then follows asubterranean course for a considerable distance. The popular derivation among the inhabitants isMaesyfedw, from the abundance of birch-groves in the county. The English name, Radnor, was given to it inthe reign of Henry VIII., and signifies the red district. We find Radford in Notts, Radlow in Hereford, Redcliff inGloucester, &c.Aberedwy. — From the river Edwy that flows through the place. Edwy is probably a derivative of eddu, topress on, to go. Or, perhaps, the right wording is aidwy, signifying the lively water. We adopt the latter.English name — Briskmouth.Abbey Cwm Hir. — Cwm Hir, long vale. Cadwallon ab Madoc built an abbey here in the year 1143; hencethe name. English name— Longton Abbey.Beguildy. — A corruption probably of BugeiUdy y the shepherd's house, a very appropriate name in asheep-rearing district. English name — Swainham.Bettws-Clyro. — Bettws has been explained already. Clyro is a corruption of clear-wy, the clear water.English name — Waterby.Blethfa. — Some derive it from blith, milk; and man, a place; signifying a dairy place. It is sometimes speltBllddfa as a contraction of Bleddyn-fan, Bleddyn's place. Bleddyn was the name of several bards in the years1090- 1260. We incline to think it is a compound of blaidd, wolf; and man, place. English name — Wolfham.Bough rood. — Edmunds thinks it is a corruption of buwchffrwd, the cow's brook. We rather think it is anAnglicised form of Bachrhyd, which is a compound of bachog, crooked, having many turnings or windings;and rhyd, a ford. A streamlet that discharges itself into the Wye, near the village, is called Bachwy, themeandering water. The Wye makes a sharp turning here. Maiandros, a river in Phrygia, is proverbial for itsmany windings, whence came the word meander. Some think the right wording is Bach-rhyd, signifying “thelittle ford " on the Wye, where a boat and horse were in constant attendance. English name- Meanderford.Croesfeilig. — Croes, cross; Meilig, the name of the son of Caw, and a saint of the fifth century. Englishname — Meilig's Cross.Cregrina. — A mutilation of Crugynau, heaps. English name — Heapton.Colfa. — A corruption of Collfa, which means the place of the hazel-wood. English name — Hazelton.Cascob. — In " Domesday Book " it is called Cascope, which, according to some, is a compound of caskand hope. Mr. Williams, in his " History of Radnorshire," derives it thus: " Cas, a fortress; and cope, aneminence. The justness of this etymology is confirmed by tradition, which reports that a small fortification ofOrigin of Place-names in Wales & Monmouthshire Page 95