Appendix Eight
Place Names in the upper Usk Valley
Most of the place names in the Upper Usk Valley are Welsh, naturally enough. Many of them go back a considerable time, and quite a few of them have changed through the years due to such factors as mutation (a feature of Welsh grammar), Anglicisation, and a lack of standardisation of spelling in years gone by. This appendix provides a key to the translations of the usually-accepted names. It is worth including because many of the names are of ancient origin and they can provide an insight into topography which may have changed over the years.
- Aberhenwen
Mouth of the Henwen Brook (= 'fair old' brook) - Allt-y-Fan
Wood or slopes of the peak - Blaenwysg
Head of the Usk River - Brynmaendy
Hill of black stones - Castell Du
Black or dark castle - Cwmwysg
Valley of the Usk - Dorallt
Break of mountain slopes - Ffôs Ddu
Black or dark ditch - Ffosyhywaid
Ditch of the ducks - Gelligam
Crooked wood - Gwernwyddog
Alder trees or wooded marsh - Llwyn-celyn
Holly bush - Llwyn-Cor
Grove of song - Llwynmeurig
Meurig's grove - Llwyn-On
Grove of the ash trees - Llywel
Church of (St.) Llywel - Nant-y-Pistyll
Brook of the spring - Penrhiw
Top of the slope - Pentrebach
Small village - Pentwyn
Top of the hill - Pen-y-Cae
End of the field - Pwll Isaf
Lower pool - Pwll Uchaf
Upper pool - Tai-Newydd
New houses - Traen-Glas
Green land - Traen-Mawr
Great land - Trawslywn-Du
Black cross hedge - Tre-castell
Town of the castle - Tyle-Mawr
Big hillside - Ynysclydach
Meadow of Clydach (stream) - Ynysfain
Narrow meadow - Ynysmarchog
Knight's meadow