THE DERIVATION AND MEANING OF PLACE-NAMES<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n We\u2019ll now look at some common elements in Welsh Place-names.<\/span><\/p>\n ABER<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n I\u2019m sure you\u2019ve seen this element in many placenames. The word \u2018aber\u2019 <\/strong>means \u2018the confluence of two waters<\/strong>\u2019 and because so many places containing this word are situated on the coast, it is often translated as \u2018estuary\u2019<\/strong>. \u2018Aber\u2019 usually precedes the name of the river. There are plenty of examples from which to choose – Abertawe (Swansea), Aberafan, Aberaeron, Aberdaron, Aberdyfi, Aberystwyth.<\/p>\n But some places are situated inland and, in such names, \u2018aber\u2019 translates as \u2018the confluence of two rivers\u2019 – where one river flows into another – eg<\/p>\n Abercynon – the confluence of the rivers Cynon and Taf.<\/p>\n Aberd\u00e2r – the confluence of the rivers Cynon and D\u00e2r.<\/p>\n Aber-fan – the confluence of the rivers Taf and Fan<\/p>\n Aberhonddu (Brecon) – the confluence of the rivers Wysg (Usk) and Honddu.<\/p>\n The name Abertridwr is an interesting one. It is made up of three elements -aber – confluence, tri – three, d\u0175r – water.<\/p>\n It refers to the confluence of three streams – Ilan, Cwm-parc and Cwmceffyl.<\/p>\n This element is seen in placenames in many different parts of Britain – where the Celts have left their mark – Aberdeen, Aberfeldy etc.<\/p>\n \u00a0BRYN<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n \u2018Bryn\u2019 is the Welsh word for \u2018hill\u2019 and the element that follows it can be an adjective or a geographical position – eg<\/p>\n Bryn-mawr – big hill<\/p>\n Bryn-teg – fair hill<\/p>\n Brynna – hills – from the plural form \u2018bryniau\u2019<\/p>\n Bryn-glas – blue (i.e. green, verdant) hill<\/p>\n Brynbuga (Usk) – the hill of Buga. The identity of Buga is lost.<\/p>\n Brynaman – the hill near the river Aman<\/p>\n CWM <\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n \u2018Cwm\u2019 is the Welsh word for \u2018valley<\/strong>\u2019. It is often seen in English place-names with Anglicized spelling -\u2018coombe\u2019 <\/strong>and it is also used in its Welsh form as a mountaineering term.<\/p>\n Cwm-bach – little valley<\/p>\n Cwmafan – valley of the river Afan<\/p>\n Cwmbr\u00e2n – valley of the river Br\u00e2n<\/p>\n Cwm-du – black,dark valley<\/p>\n Cwm-ffrwd – valley of the swift flowing stream<\/p>\n Cwm-yr-Eglwys – valley of the church<\/p>\n Cwm y Glo – valley of the charcoal<\/p>\n PONT <\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n \u2018Pont<\/strong>\u2019 is the Welsh word for \u2018bridge<\/strong>\u2019.<\/p>\n Pontardawe – bridge on (the river) Tawe<\/p>\n Pontarddulais – bridge on ( the river) Dulais<\/p>\n Pont-y-Clun – bridge on ( the river ) Clun<\/p>\n Pont-Rhyd-y-Fen – bridge at the ford of the wagon.<\/p>\n (Traditionally the ford was known as \u2018rhyd-y-fen\u2019 as<\/p>\n it was used by wagons. It was eventually replaced by the bridge.)<\/p>\n Pen-y-Bont ar Ogwr (Bridgend) – end of the bridge (over the river) Ogwr<\/p>\n Two local place-names are worth a special mention.<\/p>\n Y Bontfaen (Cowbridge) – the stone bridge<\/strong>.<\/p>\n The Welsh name refers to a stone bridge whereas the English name refers to the bridge over which the cows walked to the market – the Cow Bridge<\/strong>. It is possible that these were two different bridges.<\/p>\n Pontypridd <\/strong>– As it stands this name translates as \u2018bridge of soil, earthen bridge\u2019. But the present name is a contraction of the original name which was \u2018Pont y T\u0177 Pridd\u2019 which translates as \u2018the bridge (near) the earthen house\u2019.<\/strong><\/p>\n Next month – the last contribution – Caer, Pen, Tre, Ystrad, Ynys.<\/p>\n Ann. M. Jones<\/p>\n <\/p>\n THE DERIVATION AND MEANING OF PLACE-NAMES We\u2019ll now look at some common elements in Welsh Place-names. ABER I\u2019m sure you\u2019ve seen this element in many placenames. The word \u2018aber\u2019 means \u2018the confluence of two waters\u2019 and because so many places containing this word are situated on the coast, it is often translated as \u2018estuary\u2019. \u2018Aber\u2019 usually precedes the name of […]<\/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":[228],"tags":[],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p6cWjO-3nM","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":12857,"url":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/?p=12857","url_meta":{"origin":13006,"position":0},"title":"Place-Names Derivation – LLAN","author":"Alan Williams","date":"1st February 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"THE DERIVATION AND MEANING OF PLACE-NAMES We\u2019ll now look at some common elements in Welsh Place-names. LLAN The most common element by far in Welsh place-names is the word \u2018llan\u2019. If you were to look at a book of place-names, you would see that there are over 400 places in\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":[]},{"id":12140,"url":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/?p=12140","url_meta":{"origin":13006,"position":1},"title":"Place Name History -Y BARRI","author":"Alan Williams","date":"31st August 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"3. THE MEANING AND DERIVATION OF PLACE-NAMES Y BARRI \/ BARRY We know that the name Barri was in existence before the Twelfth Century because the de Barri family, the family of the well-known historian and Archdeacon of Brecon, Gerallt Gymro - Giraldus Cambrensis, Gerald the Welshman - who was\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":[]},{"id":11844,"url":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/?p=11844","url_meta":{"origin":13006,"position":2},"title":"The Meaning And Derivation Of Place-Names","author":"Alan Williams","date":"7th July 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"THE MEANING AND DERIVATION OF PLACE-NAMES Many people are fascinated by the meaning and derivation of place-names - so we\u2019ll look at the names that are local to us in this area - before moving on to look at some further afield. The obvious place to start is at our\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":[]},{"id":12750,"url":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/?p=12750","url_meta":{"origin":13006,"position":3},"title":"Place-Names Derivation – Llwyneliddon \/ St Lythans","author":"Alan Williams","date":"5th January 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"THE DERIVATION AND MEANING OF PLACE-NAMES LLWYNELIDDON \/ ST LYTHANS The Welsh name is made up of two elements - \u2018llwyn\u2019 and \u2018Eliddon\u2019. \u2018Llwyn\u2019 is the Welsh word for \u2018grove\u2019 or \u2018copse\u2019 and the second element \u2018Eliddon\u2019\u2019 is the name of the saint to whom an earlier church was dedicated.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Readers Articles of Interest"","block_context":{"text":"Readers Articles of Interest","link":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/?cat=228"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":12644,"url":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/?p=12644","url_meta":{"origin":13006,"position":4},"title":"Place-Names Derivation – Fawr \/ Llantwit Major","author":"Alan Williams","date":"9th December 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"THE DERIVATION AND MEANING OF PLACE-NAMES LLANILLTUD FAWR \/ LLANTWIT MAJOR The name Llanilltud is made up of two elements - \u2018llan\u2019 and \u2018Illtud\u2019 (\u2018Illtyd\u2019). The first element is an old Celtic word, which I will discuss in detail at a later date. Suffice to say at this stage that\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":[]},{"id":12366,"url":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/?p=12366","url_meta":{"origin":13006,"position":5},"title":"The Derivation And Meaning Of Place-Names","author":"Alan Williams","date":"13th October 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"THE DERIVATION AND MEANING OF PLACE-NAMES HIGHLIGHT The English name \u2018Highlight\u2019 first appears on maps in the 16th Century - during the reign of Elizabeth 1st - as the name of a farm. Before that time, the name was Welsh - \u2018Uchelolau\u2019. The name \u2018Highlight\u2019 was obviously an attempt at\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\/13006"}],"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=13006"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13006\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":13007,"href":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13006\/revisions\/13007"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=13006"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=13006"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=13006"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
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