Cylchgronau Cymru

time denoted the County Brook (v.) as well. The attribution to royalty suggests age. = of the king. BRETWEN: In St M.Ch. 14 (1201) the bounds of Riu Kaenessiet are described as "in length Carno to ford of river called Riu at Cwnhewen and in breadth from river finnant to river bretwen." Among other references in the Charters are St M. Ch. IV (1215) terre ab arannell usque ad ridywoch et aberbretwen et ryucanesseit"; St M. Ch. 20 (1206) aberdredwen and reuauesseit; St M. Ch. 32 (1215) Reuhanesseit, aberbredewen; Inpectimus of Edward I (Mont. Coll. IV, 310) de tota terra de Aberbretwen. The length mentioned is from Carno to Esgair Cwmowen, SJ 0000, near the source of the Rhiw. (southern branch). Cors Dyfwch (SH 9902) and Cwm Annel (SN 9789), (with which ridywoch and arannell are identified) are on this length. Mr Graham Thomas informs me that the land being described in the 1201 Charter are five farms known as Tir Abad in the eastern part of the parish of Llanwnog. The "breadth" would thus be to the south between two tributaries on a stretch of Afon Garno. Ffinnant could be the stream a. Garno L at SN 9696 from Coed Plas Newydd and Bretwen the stream from Cwm Clys with its aber at SN 9995. These streams are so small that their names would have been lost once their significance as boundaries no longer mattered. Bretwen suggests < bret- + (g)wen. (white). Bret- is unlikely to be bryd, = (1) mind, (2) beloved. v. G.P.C. A more likely explanation is a development of brwd, adj. = hot. Bretwen would then be a warm, fair stream, (which does not seem a very appropriate name for the one suggested as being the one time Bretwen). n. y BRITHDIR SN 8985 Severn L. On course is hab. Brithdir. On Enc. M. of Glyn Hafren Iscoed n. y Breck has same course. (v.). = of the speckled (i.e. cultivated) land. n. y BRITHYLL: SJ 0824 Hirnant R. This is the only name in the List containing the name of a fish. = of the trout BRIWNANT: Briwnant is the name of high ground at SN 8982. To the east a stream Bron Felen Brook at SN 891834, R, after being joined by n. Bythigion. (v.). The land has probably been named after this stream. < briw, adj. = bruised, shattered, broken. = "bitty" stream a. BROCHAN: SN 9483 Dulas L. There is a Glynbrochan Pool; a water course from it a. Brochan. < Broch H an. Broch can = (1) badger or (2) foam, tumult, rage. The latter would be the more likely, broch being descriptive of a torrent or of a warrior whom the stream may have been called after. BROCKTON Brook: SJ 3104 Worthen Brook L. < -ton following brock < O.E. brocc = badger or < broc = brook. If the latter, the tautology results not from combining words with the same meaning from two languages as often happens on linguistic borders but from the coinci- dence of two words from different periods of the same language. BROGAN: SJ 2020 Cain R. Flows past Llanfrogan (llan for glan). The Brogan on OS maps. Speed has Brughan. E.A. refers to brogan, a word in Ardudwy = belly but suggests Brogan < Afrogan < Gafrogan, a pers. n. with V gafr (goat). M.E.'s derivation < brog, broga (= frog) is doubtful because this is not the name by which the amphibian is known in the district. BRON FELEN Brook: SN 9084 Severn R. Nearby is Rallt Bron Felen. = yellow bank BRUNANT BROOK: SJ 2710 Pwll Trewern L. On its course is hab. Brunant, probably named after the stream. Alternative name is nant y Neuadd (v.). The well established form