Cylchgronau Cymru

y BARCUD: SN 8490→ n Llwyd L. GPC has barcud/barcut = kite and buzzard. There is much ambiguity and variation concerning the use of the names of birds of prey in Welsh. a. BAROG: SJ 0824 Tanat R. S.E. has "Barrog or Afon Hirnant." Shown at source as a. Barog and lower as Hirnant on County VIII NE. Probably < bar(r) 1 og, the same element as in Crug y Bar, Berwyn. (v. E.A. under Nant Barre, 23). If so, the name indicates the presence of banks and peaks. The spelling should, if so, be Barrog. M.E.'s derivation is from barrog = spur, indicating either a branch stream or a stream where there is a spurlike feature in the landscape. Another possible derivation is < bar, = wroth, anger, greed, qualities which can be attributed to a mountain stream. The spelling, if this is so, would be Barog. BARRED: Shown on T.M. Llanidloes 1847. A Glossary of Llanidloes Place-names (Mont. Coll XI, 48) has "Glan Barred probably the old name of Wigddwr." (v.). Hab. Glanbarred, SN 9886, is on the course of this stream. Possibly < barr + ­ ed. (v. Bar(r)og). BECHAIN: Listed by S.E. as Efyrnwy, "above Meifod". OS 1836 has River Bechan for a length of Efyrnwy before it joins "Einion." (v.). S.E. also records Mechen as one of several names for parts of Efyrnwy. (v.). Efyrnwy is called "River Mechen" on T.M. Llangadfan, Township of Cowney, 1841. Bechan can be explained as arising from confusion with bechan (bach = little) and Bechain as a variant of the territorial name Mechain. BECHAN Brook: SO 1493 Severn L. M.E. cites Aberbechan from a 1338 document. Speed has Bechan. The source of Afon Bechan according to Parochialia is "one Kedewen Mountain." E.A. suggests < pers. n. but accepts the possibility of < bechan = small. n. y BEDW: SH 996179 Cawnwy R. Marked on T.M. Llangadfan 1841. with its aber near "Rhyd Ithen", Rhyd 'r yddan on SH 91. = of the birch. n. BEIGLO: SJ 122θ → n. Ffyllon R. Llanfeiglo occurs (Mont. Coll. XXXVIII, 7), an instance of confusing glan- and llan-. The form on SJ 1120 is Glan Feiglo. M.E. records that the stream is called locally Nant Feiglo. E.A. regards Beiglo as a per. n., containing the same root as in Baglan. (v. E.A. 59 and n. y Fagl). n. BELAN: Listed by S.E. and described as a small tributary of Cain near Llanfyllin. Probably called after a hill or a hab.. called Belan v, n. Cwm Belan. There is a hab. Belan on T.M. Llanfyllin 1850 at 108210 on a stream n. Ffyllon (not Cain.) at SJ 123215. BELE Brook: SJ 2816-^ Severn L. this is a well documented name, e.g. StM. Ch. no 17. (1202) Ebereleu; 1324 Charter rivulum vocatur Belee; Colman Deeds no 4 (1625) Maesglanbeley; M.R. 148 (1657) Garthveley. The situation of Fron y Fele, SJ 2111, indicates that the length named Guilsfield Brook on some maps was the upper course of Bele. Belau bela, bele, the last being the Montgomeryshire form, is the cognate of L. feles, cat). The modern meaning is marten: earlier it denoted a wild beast. BERNANT: v. Byrnant a. BIGA: SN 878 Llyn Clywedog. St. M. Ch. no 31 (1215) gives Cwm Buga; no 26 (1215) Cwm Brega; 1420 doc. cited by M.E. Cwm Buga; Speed Biga. To confirm u M.E. quotes Lewys Glyn Cothi, "Lechu'n ngrug Cwm Buga." The root is Celtic < bou- which is found in words associated with cattle and their care, e.g. buwch, buarth. n. BLAEN GLASWEN: SJ 0530 joins n. Cwm yr. Eithin Disgynfa/Rhaeadr. As blaen, blaenau denotes headwaters and upper reaches of a stream, it can be assumed that the name was originally n. Glaswen = blue-white n. BLAEN Y CAEAU: Cedig. In P.H. Llanwddyn (Mont. Coll. VI, 403) eighteen streams are named as tributaries of Cedig. I can find only seven of these named and marked on maps. N.