THE DERIVATION AND MEANING OF PLACE-NAMES<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n MERTHYR DYFAN<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0– <\/strong>The Welsh word \u2018merthyr\u2019 is seen in a number of place-names in Wales – and this again is often mistakenly translated. Many people are familiar with the word \u2018merthyr\u2019 which derives from the Latin word \u2018martyr\/martyris\u2019 – meaning \u2018martyr\u2019 – a person who dies for his beliefs. And it is a temptation to translate place-names such as Merthyr Dyfan, Merthyr Tudful, Merthyr Mawr as churches dedicated to the martyrs Dyfan, Tudful and Myfor (which has given us \u2018Mawr\u2019 today).<\/p>\n But there is another Latin word – \u2018martyrium\u2019 <\/strong>– which means \u2018shrine\u2019 <\/strong>or \u2018 the place where a saint\u2019s relics lie\u2019<\/strong>. And that is what we have in the place-name Merthyr Dyfan – the martyrium or shrine of Dyfan. The same is true of Merthyr Tudful and Merthyr Mawr. Nothing is known of Saint Dyfan – though tradition states that he was one of four saints who were sent by Pope Eleutherius to bring Christianity to this part of Britain in the 2nd Century.<\/p>\n The name \u2018saint\u2019 was used by the Celtic Church – and earlier – to refer, simply, to a holy man or woman. The four saints were Ffagan, Elfan, Meudwy and Deruvian – four missionaries of their day. Scholars don\u2019t give great credence to this tradition – and furthermore, there is no proof that the person who was named Deruvian was indeed our Dyfan.<\/p>\n It is said that it was Saint Teilo in the 6th Century who was responsible for creating Dyfan\u2019s martyrium – and the present church on the site – which dates back to the 13th Century – is dedicated to St Dyfan and St Teilo.<\/p>\n HOLTON<\/span>\u00a0– <\/strong>This name is made up of two Old English words – \u2018hol\u2019 <\/strong>and \u2018ton<\/strong>\u2019. The first element \u2018hol\u2019 <\/strong>simply means \u2018a dip\/ hollow\u2019 and the second element \u2018-ton\u2019 is the suffix which means \u2018a homestead, or \u2018a settlement\u2019 (which has given us \u2018town\u2019 in modern English.) So Holton could mean \u2018a homestead or a farm in a hollow.\u2019<\/p>\n BUTTRILLS<\/span>\u00a0<\/strong>– This name again is easily explained. The two elements are \u2018buttr\u2019 and \u2018hills\u2019 – meaning \u2018butter hills\u2019 – an area where there was good pasture\u00a0for the production of butter.<\/p>\n TREGATWG \u2013 CADOXTON<\/span>\u00a0– <\/strong>The Welsh name Tregatwg is made up of two elements – \u2018Tre\u2019 and \u2018gatwg\u2019. The prefix \u2018Tre\u2019 is the Welsh equivalent of the English suffix \u2018-ton\u2019 – and as explained above, means a \u2018homestead\u2019 or a \u2018settlement\u2019. It has given us \u2018tre(f), meaning \u2018town\u2019 in modern Welsh. The second element is a version of the name St Cadog. So this homestead was situated near where the saint had his cell.<\/p>\n The English name is merely the Anglicized version of the name Cadog or Cadoc – the \u2018x\u2019 being merely a different spelling which has developed over the years. He was born around 497 and he established a monastery and an important centre of learning in Llancarfan. There are many churches dedicated to him in Wales and in Brittany.<\/p>\n M\u00d4R HAFREN – SEVERN ESTUARY \/ BRISTOL CHANNEL<\/span>\u00a0<\/strong>– The Welsh word \u2018m\u00f4r\u2019 is derived from the Celtic word \u2018mori\u2019 and it simply means \u2018sea\u2019. The second word, \u2018Hafren\u2019 again derives from a Celtic word – \u2018Sabrina\u2019 – which gave us \u2018Habren\u2019 in Old Welsh and \u2018Hafren\u2019 in modern Welsh – the consonant \u2018b\u2019 having softened to \u2018f\u2019 (which represents the \u2018v\u2019 sound in Welsh of course) – and the initial consonant \u2018s\u2019 becoming \u2018h\u2019. So, remembering the Welsh word order, \u2018M\u00f4r Hafren\u2019 literally translates as \u2018Severn Sea\u2019. The word \u2018Severn\u2019 is also derived from \u2018Sabrina\u2019 but you\u2019ll notice that the \u2018S\u2019 has been kept and, like the Welsh word, the original \u2018b\u2019 has softened to \u2018v\u2019 – to give us \u2018Severn\u2019.<\/p>\n The consonant \u2018s\u2019 in a Celtic – or in a Latin – word often becomes \u2018h\u2019 in Welsh. In another example we see that an earlier word has developed into \u2018salt\u2019 in English but into \u2018halen\u2019 in Welsh.<\/p>\n By the way, an ancient legend tells us that Sabrina was a Celtic princess who was drowned in this river by her stepmother, thus giving it its name!<\/p>\n Next month – Llanilltud Fawr \/ Llantwit Major, y Rhws \/ Rhoose, Sain Tathan \/ St Athan, Penmarc,<\/p>\n Ann M. Jones<\/p>\n THE DERIVATION AND MEANING OF PLACE-NAMES MERTHYR DYFAN \u00a0– The Welsh word \u2018merthyr\u2019 is seen in a number of place-names in Wales – and this again is often mistakenly translated. Many people are familiar with the word \u2018merthyr\u2019 which derives from the Latin word \u2018martyr\/martyris\u2019 – meaning \u2018martyr\u2019 – a person who dies for his beliefs. And it is a […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_is_tweetstorm":false,"jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","enabled":false}}},"categories":[334],"tags":[],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p6cWjO-3ex","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":2195,"url":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/?p=2195","url_meta":{"origin":12433,"position":0},"title":"Latest Walks Reports","author":"Alan Williams","date":"5th January 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"\u00a0 \u00a0 St Brides Major We started at St Brides Major and walked north-west across Beacons Down on a bright Sunday morning. As we approached the river Ogmore we could see a long line of runners coming towards us and then sharing our route. In places it was pretty muddy\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Footsteps"","block_context":{"text":"Footsteps","link":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/?cat=38"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":1668,"url":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/?p=1668","url_meta":{"origin":12433,"position":1},"title":"November Walks Programme","author":"Alan Williams","date":"5th November 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"\u00a0 Sat 5th Nov:- Efail Isaf and the Garth approx 7\u00bc miles. Mike. (151) \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 Thurs 10th Nov:- Castle and Cathedral, a circular walk of about 5 miles. Bert. \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 Sat 12th Nov:- Abercarn to Mynydd Llwyd through the forest 7\u00bdmiles. Ian (166) \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Walking Group"","block_context":{"text":"Walking Group","link":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/?cat=5"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":16789,"url":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/?p=16789","url_meta":{"origin":12433,"position":2},"title":"Margam Park and Merthyr Mawr","author":"Alan Williams","date":"27th March 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Margam Park We parked at the small fishing lake near Margam Abbey, the drive over had been misty and as we started out it was raining. Heading north we passed the lake with ducks and swans. Margam park is one of 22 sentinel sites across Wales acting as an early\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Footsteps"","block_context":{"text":"Footsteps","link":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/?cat=38"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wenvoe.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Footsteps-2.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":16793,"url":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/?p=16793","url_meta":{"origin":12433,"position":3},"title":"Hiking And Biking With Richard Trevithick","author":"Alan Williams","date":"27th March 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"ARTICLES of GENERAL INTEREST HIKING AND BIKING WITH RICHARD TREVITHICK Of the delights to enjoy locally, the Taff Trail must surely be up there amongst the top and to this must be added the Trevithick Trail. The former covers a distance of some 54 miles from Cardiff Bay to Brecon\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "General Interest Articles"","block_context":{"text":"General Interest Articles","link":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/?cat=334"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wenvoe.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Trevethic3.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":6585,"url":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/?p=6585","url_meta":{"origin":12433,"position":4},"title":"Hailey Park","author":"Alan Williams","date":"30th September 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"Hailey Park On a warm and sunny day 19 people set off from Hailey Park in North Llandaff. We walked north along the River Taff to the Melingriffith Water Pump, where a feeder and canal run parallel to the River Taff. The pump was installed circa 1800 for Glamorgan canal\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Footsteps"","block_context":{"text":"Footsteps","link":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/?cat=38"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wenvoe.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Pic-05.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":12022,"url":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/?p=12022","url_meta":{"origin":12433,"position":5},"title":"Place Name History -BRO MORGANNWG","author":"Alan Williams","date":"4th August 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"THE MEANING AND DERIVATION OF PLACE-NAMES BRO MORGANNWG - VALE OF GLAMORGAN There are two patterns in English which convey a Welsh place-name such as Bro Morgannwg - namely \u2018Vale of Glamorgan\u2019 and \u2018Glamorgan Vale\u2019 (cf Ogmore Vale, Ebbw Vale, Merthyr Vale etc). This second pattern is the exact equivalent\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "General Interest Articles"","block_context":{"text":"General Interest Articles","link":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/?cat=334"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12433"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=12433"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12433\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":12436,"href":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12433\/revisions\/12436"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=12433"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=12433"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=12433"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\n
\n
\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"