Cylchgronau Cymru

n. ACHLAS: SJ 0126 Tanat R. At its source is Cyrniau Achlas. = of shelter, refuge. n. yr ADAR: SN 8888 n. Croes R. Shown on Enc. M. ofSheepwalks of Ystradynod 1826. = of the birds. n. yr ADARN; SO 1195 Highgate Brook L. Nearby is hab. Nant yr Adarn. Probably a colloquial plural of aderyn. = of the birds. n. yr ANGELL; SJ θ425→ Tanant R. Hab. Nant yr Angell preserves the name. Identical course with n. Cwm Dwygo (v.). Cf a. Angell Dyfi. Also v. Engyll. Angell in GPC = limb, talon, wing. The name suggests that the stream is an offshoot, branch, of a main stream. = of the limb. n. ALAN: with n. Ffyllon at SJ 1320 becomes a. Cain. v. Abel. M.E. cites from documents, — 1650 Nantalen, 1652 Nantalan. Nantalan was a township. There is no evidence to support Alun which appears in P.H. Llanfechain. (Mont. Coll. v. 206). Several derivations can be suggested. The presence of -h- points to a V hal- = salt, salty, perhaps incorporated in a per.n.. If however the -h- was an intrusion through confusion with halen (salt), alan = either deer or coltsfoot, giving a choice of fauna or flora. The similarity to names of English and Scottish rivers points to another possibility, < aloun- (Alounos occurs in Potelmy), the element in such names as Aln, Ale, Ellen in England (v. Eckwall, 7, 8) and Allan, Allen in Scotland. (Watson, 467). n. ALLT FORGAN: SH 9624 Lake Vyrnwy near Aber Eiddew. = of Morgan's hillside. n. ALLT Y FRONDDU: v. Garth Branddu n. AMROS: SO θ193 → a. Garno. L. M.E. explains as < am + rhos (= moorland). There are several compounds with am-, indicating something surrounding or surrounded, e.g. amgylch, amgarn, amgaer, (v. GPC). The name denotes a stream surrounded by moorland. a. ANDROS: v. a. Yn y Groes. n. yr ARIAN: SN 9897 -> n. Cwm Gerwyn L. Shown on County XXXV NW. = of the silver a. BACHO: SN 8892 Clywedog L. M.E. cites the forms Bach 1190; Bache 1201; bacho 1272; Bachwy 1400; Bacho 1701. S.E. has "Bachog, Bacho or Bache." Speed has Bacho. St M. Ch 5 has pennan bacho (1191). Bachog exemplifies the common tendency to substitute the adjectival — ogfor — o(e.g. Brwynog, v. E.A. 218). For names endingin-o, v. BBCS, vii, 126). Bach- is less likely to be bach = nook than bach = hook, suggesting a stream which twists and turns. n. y. BACHWS: SN 9690 Trannon R. M.E. suggests < bach (= nook) + E. house or bach (= little) + ws. I favour < E. backhouse. A 1601/2 document (M.R., 334)refers to "one house called back house erected upon the waste of the said manor." Backhouse is a building in addition to the main building (v. OED and Suppl.). n. BACH Y FFRIDD: SN 846873 Severn L. Named on Enc. M. Glynhafren Iscoed, Llanidloes, 1826. Nearby is Ffridd Fawr. If the meaning were "small stream of the ffrith," the adjective bach would have been mutated. Bach here is a noun, cf. Fachwen. = of the nook of the ffrith. a. BANW: SJ 1411 Evyrnwy R. For other names v. Einion, Marchno and Evyrnwy. T. M. Llangadfan 1840 has Banno. Often written Banwy and even so pronounced, a form based on false analogy with Con-wy, Dyfyrd-wy, etc.. M.E. cites Banwy as occuring in 1811. It is to be found earlier in Cambrian Register, vol. II, 368, (1796). Banw is an obsolete word = piglet, (v. E.A., 81 under Ogwen and I. W., 34, 35).