Monday 11 December 2017

Mapping Mountains – Significant Name Changes – 200m Twmpau


200m Twmpau – Significant Name Changes

The 200m Twmpau (thirty welsh metre prominences and upward) are the Welsh hills at or above 200m and below 300m in height that have a minimum drop of 30m.  Accompanying the main P30 list is a sub list entitled the 200m Sub-Twmpau with the qualification to this sub category being all Welsh hills at or above 200m and below 300m in height with 20m or more and below 30m of drop.

The list is authored by Myrddyn Phillips and the posts that have appeared on Mapping Mountains detailing the significant name changes to the main P30 list and the sub list appear below presented chronologically in receding order.








Mapping Mountains - Significant Name Changes - 200m Twmpau

Ash Wood (SO 480 122) - 35th significant name change


There has been a Significant Name Change to a hill that is listed in the 200m Twmpau and the Y Trechol – The Dominant Hills of Wales, with the summit height, bwlch height and their locations, the drop, dominance and status of the hill confirmed by LIDAR analysis conducted by Myrddyn Phillips.

LIDAR image of Ash Wood (SO 480 122)

The criteria for the two listings that this name change applies to are:

200m Twmpau - Welsh hills at or above 200m and below 300m in height with 30m minimum drop, with an accompanying sub list entitled the 200m Sub-Twmpau with the criteria for this sub category being all Welsh hills at or above 200m and below 300m in height with 20m or more and below 30m of drop, with the word Twmpau being an acronym standing for thirty welsh metre prominences and upward.

Y Trechol – The Dominant Hills of Wales – Welsh P30 hills whose prominence equal or exceed half that of their absolute height.  With the criteria for Lesser Dominant status being those additional Welsh P30 hills whose prominence is between one third and half that of their absolute height.  The list is authored by Myrddyn Phillips with the Introduction to the start of the Mapping Mountains publication of this list appearing on the 3rd December 2015, and which is now available in its entirety on Mapping Mountains in Google Doc format.

The hill is adjoined to the Mynyddoedd Duon group of hills which are situated in the eastern part of South Wales (Region C, Sub-Region C3), and it is positioned with the B4233 road to its north-east and the A40 road to its south, and has the town of Trefynwy (Monmouth) towards the east.

When the original 200m height band of Welsh P30 hills were published on Geoff Crowder’s v-g.me website this hill was listed under the name of Long Hill, with an accompanying note stating; Name from wood at summit.


Long Hill
205c
161
14
Clem/Yeaman. Name from wood at summit.


During my early hill listing I thought it appropriate to either invent a name for a hill, or use a name that appeared near to the summit of the hill on Ordnance Survey maps of the day.  My preference was to use farm names and put PenBryn or Moel in front of them or as in this instance transpose the name of a wood and exclude the word Wood from it.  This is not a practice that I now advocate as with time and inclination place-name data can be improved either by asking local people or by examining historic documents, through this form of research an appropriate name for the hill can usually be found.

Extract from the Ordnance Survey 1:25,000 Explorer map

As the summit of this hill comprises bounded land the details for it were examined on the Tithe map.  The term Tithe map is generally given to a map of a Welsh or English parish or township and which was prepared after the 1836 Tithe Commutation Act.  This act allowed tithes to be paid in cash rather than goods.  The Tithe maps gave names of owners and occupiers of land in each parish and importantly for place-name research they also included the name of enclosed land.  This enclosed land is usually based on a field system, however not every field is given a name, but many are and especially so in Wales.

Extract from the Tithe map

The enclosed land where the summit of this hill is situated is given the number 409 on the Tithe map, this can be cross referenced against the apportionments; it is these apportionments that give the name of the owner or occupier of the land as well as the name of the land.  The land where the summit of this hill is situated is named as Ash Wood in the apportionments, with the details on the Tithe map appearing in the parish of Monmouth and in the county named as Monmouth.

Extract from the apportionments

The boundary between the land known as Long Hill Wood and Ash Wood follows either a fence or wall that is positioned just north of a forest track.  The boundary is marked as a black line on older maps and this line is now broken on contemporary maps such as the Ordnance Survey map on the OS Maps website, this may signify that this part of the boundary is no longer apparent on the ground.  The LIDAR summit position is just north of this boundary line signifying the summit is on land known as Ash Wood and not Long Hill Wood, with the caveat that one may surmise (as I did when I originally named this hill for listing purposes) that the name Long Hill Wood is taken from the name of the hill; Long Hill.  However, I can find no documental evidence that this is so and it seems the name Long Hill Wood is just applicable to the bounded land its name is given to and has not been taken from the hill itself.

Extract from the OS Maps website

Therefore, the name this hill is now listed by in the 200m Twmpau and Y Trechol – The Dominant Hills of Wales is Ash Wood, and this name was derived from the Tithe map.


The full details for the hill are:

Group:  Mynyddoedd Duon

Name:  Ash Wood

Previously Listed Name:  Long Hill 
  
OS 1:50,000 map:  161

Summit Height:  206.4m (LIDAR)

Summit Grid Reference:  SO 48011 12229 (LIDAR)

Bwlch Height:  97.6m (LIDAR)

Bwlch Grid Reference:  SO 46851 13845 (LIDAR)

Drop:  108.8m (LIDAR)

Dominance:  52.69% (LIDAR)


Myrddyn Phillips (January 2020)







Mapping Mountains - Significant Name Changes - 200m Twmpau

Comin Caerffili (ST 153 855) - 34th significant name change


There has been a Significant Name Change to a hill that is listed in the 200m Twmpau, with the summit height, bwlch height and their locations, the drop and status of the hill initiated by Joe Nuttall who produced a summit analysis programme using LIDAR, and then by LIDAR analysis initially conducted by Jim Bloomer and subsequently by Myrddyn Phillips.

LIDAR image of Comin Caerffili (ST 153 855)

The criteria for the list that this name change applies to are:

200m Twmpau - Welsh hills at or above 200m and below 300m in height with 30m minimum drop, with an accompanying sub list entitled the 200m Sub-Twmpau with the criteria for this sub category being all Welsh hills at or above 200m and below 300m in height with 20m or more and below 30m of drop, with the word Twmpau being an acronym standing for thirty welsh metre prominences and upward.

The hill is adjoined to the Cymoedd Gwent group of hills, which are situated in the eastern part of South Wales (Region C, Sub-Region C2), and it has the A469 road to its west and south and the B4623 road to its east, and has the town of Caerffili (Caerphilly) towards its north.

This hill was first listed in the original Welsh 200m P30 list published on Geoff Crowder’s v-g.me website, under the name of Caerphilly Common, which is the name appearing close to this hill’s summit on contemporary Ordnance Survey 1:50,000 Landranger and 1:25,000 Explorer maps of the day.


Caerphilly Common271mST153855171151Clem/Yeaman. Trig pillar.


During my early hill listing I paid little regard to the use of language, name placement on the map, or the meaning of names and to what feature the name was appropriately applied to.  Therefore I prioritised names for listing purposes that I now understand are either inappropriate or where another name is viewed as being more appropriate.    

Extract from the Ordnance Survey 1:25,000 Explorer map

The intricacies of language and prioritising one in favour of another for listing a hill is fraught with complication, with originating Cymraeg names being anglicised and also originating English names being cymricised, examples such as these are more common in border country and especially so for anglicised forms.  There is no steadfast rule that fits all, but as a standard a name that has its origins in the Welsh language and where this is substantiated by either historic documentation and / or contemporary usage should be prioritised in favour of a contemporary anglicised or English version of the name.  Likewise, if a name exists where an element of it is in English and if this name applies to a hill that is situated in a Welsh speaking part of Wales it is standard practice to use a full Welsh term for the name. 

Therefore, the name this hill is now listed by in the 200m Twmpau is Comin Caerffili, and this was derived from online sources substantiating the present day use of its Welsh name, and this is prioritised over its English equivalent which for listing purposes is standard practice.


The full details for the hill are:

Group:  Cymoedd Gwent

Name:  Comin Caerffili

Previously Listed Name:  Caerphilly Common

OS 1:50,000 map:  171

Summit Height:  270.8m (LIDAR)

Summit Grid Reference:  ST 15301 85529 (LIDAR)

Bwlch Height:  239.2m (LIDAR)

Bwlch Grid Reference:  ST 15573 85129 (LIDAR) 

Drop:  31.5m (LIDAR)


Myrddyn Phillips (August 2019)







Mapping Mountains - Significant Name Changes - 200m Twmpau

Mynydd Emroch (SS 794 907) - 33rd significant name change


There has been a Significant Name Change to a hill that is listed in the 200m Twmpau and Y Trechol – The Dominant Hills of Wales, with the summit height, its location, the bwlch height and status of the hill confirmed by LIDAR analysis conducted by Myrddyn Phillips.

LIDAR image of Mynydd Emroch

The criteria for the two listings that this name change applies to are:

200m Twmpau - Welsh hills at or above 200m and below 300m in height with 30m minimum drop, with an accompanying sub list entitled the 200m Sub-Twmpau with the criteria for this sub category being all Welsh hills at or above 200m and below 300m in height with 20m or more and below 30m of drop, with the word Twmpau being an acronym standing for thirty welsh metre prominences and upward.

Y Trechol - The Dominant Hills of Wales - Welsh P30 hills whose prominence  equal or exceed half that of their absolute height.  With the criteria for Lesser Dominant status being those additional Welsh P30 hills whose prominence is between one third and half that of their absolute height, with the Introduction to the Mapping Mountains publication of this list appearing on the 3rd December 2015.

The hill is adjoined to the Cymoedd Morgannwg group of hills, which are situated in the central part of South Wales (Region C, Sub-Region C2), and it is encircled by roads with the B4282 to its north, the A4107 to its west and a minor road and the Ffrwd Wyllt stream to its south-east, and has the town of Port Talbot towards its west south-west.

This hill was first listed in the original Welsh 200m P30 list published on Geoff Crowder’s v-g.me website, under the name of Craig Emroch, which is a name appearing close to this hill’s summit on contemporary Ordnance Survey 1:25,000 Explorer maps of the day.


Craig Emroch
241m
170
165
Clem/Yeaman. Mynydd Emroch East Top in Clem/Yeaman list. Height from 1989 1:50000 map.


During my early hill listing I paid little regard to name placement on the map, or the meaning of names and to what feature the name was appropriately applied to.  Therefore I prioritised names for listing purposes that I now understand are either inappropriate or where another name is viewed as being more appropriate.  The name of Craig Emroch refers to a rock, whilst the name of Mynydd Emroch which also appears on the Ordnance Survey 1:25,000 Explorer map and which is positioned to the west of this hill’s summit, refers to the mountain that in all probability contains the rock.  Therefore I wanted to substantiate that the name of Mynydd Emroch has been applied to this whole upland mass and not just land to the west of the summit where this name currently resides on contemporary Ordnance Survey maps.

Extract from the Ordnance Survey 1:25,000 Explorer map

Since publication of these P30 lists on Geoff Crowder’s v-g.me website there have been a number of Ordnance Survey maps made available online, some of these are historic such as the series of Six-Inch maps on the National Library of Scotland website, whilst others are current and digitally updated such as the Vector Map Local hosted on the Geograph website and which is named the Interactive Coverage Map.  One of the historic maps now available is the Ordnance Survey Draft Surveyors map which formed the basis for the first publicly available Ordnance Survey One-Inch ‘Old Series’ map, and it is the Draft Surveyors map that formed the basis for the change in this hill’s listed name.

The Draft Surveyors maps consist of the preliminary drawings made by the Ordnance Surveyor’s surveyors between the 1780s and 1840 and formed the basis for the first publicly available One-Inch map.  They were drawn at scales of six inches to the mile for areas considered of particular military significance and down to two inches to the mile for other areas.  Fair copies were then produced from these preliminary drawings to one inch to the mile and then copper plates were prepared for printing.  The Draft Surveyors maps for the whole of Wales are now available online and they form an important part in the study of Welsh upland place-names as they bridge the time frame between the late 18th century and the mid-19th century when the Ordnance Survey produced their first One-Inch maps, and importantly for this hill and its listed name, it is this map that shows the extended Mynydd Emroch takes in land comprising the feature that is named Craig Emroch.

Extract from the Ordnance Survey Draft Surveyors map

Therefore, the name this hill is now listed by in the 200m Twmpau and Y Trechol – The Dominant Hills of Wales is Mynydd Emroch, and this was derived from the Ordnance Survey Draft Surveyors map.


The full details for the hill are:

Group:  Cymoedd Morgannwg

Name:  Mynydd Emroch

Previously Listed Name:  Craig Emroch 

OS 1:50,000 map:  170

Summit Height:  241.9m (LIDAR, natural summit)

Summit Grid Reference:  SS 79401 90728 (LIDAR, natural summit)

Bwlch Height:  122.2m (LIDAR)

Bwlch Grid Reference:  SS 79380 91805 (LIDAR) 

Drop:  119.7m (LIDAR)

Dominance:  49.50% (LIDAR)


Myrddyn Phillips (May 2019)






Mapping Mountains - Significant Name Changes - 200m Twmpau

Castell Meherin (SN 146 117) - 32nd significant name change

Survey post for Castell Meherin


There has been a Significant Name Change to a hill that is listed in the 200m Twmpau, with the summit height and drop of the hill being confirmed by LIDAR analysis, with a subsequent Trimble GeoXH 6000 summit survey, with both conducted by Myrddyn Phillips.

Using the LIDAR technique has substantiated that the natural bwlch of this hill is still, just, intact, as a minor road passes over this point, with the following results produced through LIDAR analysis:

162.482m bwlch on minor road at SN 18485 12815

162.237m natural bwlch at SN 18517 12805

These positions are aligned on the hill to hill traverse and even though the bwlch on the minor road is higher, it is the natural bwlch position and its height that forms the quoted drop value of this hill, as this exists it is prioritised over any man-made construct.

LIDAR image of the bwlch of Castell Meherin with the points where the white contours meet being the road to the west and the natural bwlch to the east

LIDAR image of the summit of Castell Meherin

The criteria for the list that this name change applies to are:

200m Twmpau – Welsh hills at or above 200m and below 300m in height that have 30m minimum drop, with an accompanying sub category entitled the 200m Sub-Twmpau consisting of all Welsh hills at or above 200m and below 300m in height that have 20m or more and below 30m of drop.  With the word Twmpau being an acronym standing for thirty welsh metre prominences and upward. 

The hill is adjoined to the Brandy Hill group of hills, which are situated in the south-western part of Mid and West Wales (Region B, Sub-Region B4), and is positioned with the B 4328 road to its north and has the town of Arberth (Narberth) towards the north-west.

LIDAR image of Castell Meherin

The hill appeared in the 200m P30 list on Geoff Crowder’s v-g.me website under the invented name of Middleton Hill, with an accompanying note stating; Name from farm to the South-West 


Middleton Hill
205m
158
36
Trig pillar. Name from farm to the South-West.


During my early hill listing I thought it appropriate to either invent a name for a hill, or use a name that appeared near to the summit of the hill on Ordnance Survey maps of the day.  My preference was to use farm names and put PenBryn or Moel in front of them or when the farm had an English name use the word Top or Hill after the name.  This is not a practice that I now advocate as with time and inclination place-name data can be improved either by asking local people or by examining historic documents, through this form of research an appropriate name for the hill can usually be found.

As the summit of this hill comprises bounded land the details for it were examined on the Tithe map.

The term Tithe map is generally given to a map of a Welsh or English parish or township and which was prepared after the 1836 Tithe Commutation Act.  This act allowed tithes to be paid in cash rather than goods.  The Tithe maps gave names of owners and occupiers of land in each parish and importantly for place-name research they also included the name of enclosed land.  This enclosed land is usually based on a field system, however not every field is given a name, but many are and especially so in Wales.

The enclosed land where the summit of this hill is situated is given the number 36 on the Tithe map, with enclosed land close to it given the number 33, these can be cross referenced against the apportionments; it is these apportionments that give the name of the owner or occupier of the land as well as the name of the land.  The land where the summit of this hill is situated has part of same given to it and this refers to the near field given the number of 33, and this is given the name of Part of Castle Merrin on the Tithe map, the details of which appear in the county named as Pembrokeshire and in the parish of Ludchurch.

Extract from the Tithe map

Extract from the Tithe map

Extract from the apportionments

With any upland place-name it is advantageous to substantiate it from a second source, and in the case of this hill this can initially be done through contemporary and historical Ordnance Survey maps, as the Tithe map implies that the land where the summit of this hill is situated is either known as Castle Merrin or it is adjoined to a farm known by the same name.

Therefore, contemporary Ordnance Survey maps were examined and there is a farm given the name of Castle Mehren on the 1:25,000 Explorer map which is positioned north north-east of the summit of this hill at SN 148 120, and as there are a series of ancient earthworks that take in the land comprising the upper part of this hill, in all likelihood the farm took its name from that of the earthworks. 

Extract from the contemporary Ordnance Survey 1:25,000 Explorer map

However, although the Tithe map gives a name for the enclosed land at the summit of this hill, and the contemporary Ordnance Survey 1:25,000 Explorer map substantiates the use of a farm name in relation to the Tithe information, it is historical Ordnance Survey maps that give the name of these ancient earthworks.

Since publication of these P30 lists on Geoff Crowder’s v-g.me website there have been a number of Ordnance Survey maps made available online, some of these are historical such as the series of Six-Inch maps on the National Library of Scotland website, whilst others are current and digitally updated such as the enlarged map on the Geograph website.  Two of the historical maps now available are the Ordnance Survey Draft Surveyors map which formed the basis for the Ordnance Survey One-Inch ‘Old Series’ map, and both maps give the name of Castle Merrin in relation to this hill. 

The Draft Surveyors maps consist of the preliminary drawings made by the Ordnance Survey’s surveyors between the 1780s and 1840 and formed the basis for the first publicly available One-Inch map.  They were drawn at scales of six inches to the mile for areas considered of particular military significance and down to two inches to the mile for other areas.  Fair copies were then produced from these preliminary drawings to one inch to the mile and then copper plates were prepared for printing.  The Draft Surveyors maps for the whole of Wales are now available online and they form an important part in the study of Welsh upland place-names as they bridge the timeframe between the late 18th century and the mid-19th century when the Ordnance Survey produced their first One-Inch maps.

Extract from the Ordnance Survey Draft Surveyors map

The One-Inch ‘Old Series’ map was the first map that the Ordnance Survey produced, and their publication culminated from the whole of Britain being surveyed between 1791 and 1874 and the detail gathered therein produced at a scale of one inch to the mile and published in sheet format between 1805 and 1874.  The One-Inch ‘Old Series’ maps for the whole of Wales are now available online; they are also available in map format as enlarged and re-projected versions to match the scale and dimensions of the Ordnance Survey 1:50,000 Landranger series and are published by Cassini.  This series of maps form another important part in the study of Welsh upland place-names and bridge the timeframe leading up to the production of the Ordnance Survey base map of the Six-Inch series.

Extract from the Ordnance Survey One-Inch 'Old Series' map

The use of the name Castle Merrin, which is now presented by the farm name of Castle Mehren on contemporary Ordnance Survey maps is an anglicisation of the originator word which is Welsh.  Research online quickly found what name is the originator for these anglicised versions, this name is Castell Meherin, and this is substantiated from historical records as given below in an extract from the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments in Wales and Monmouthshire:

Extract from the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments in Wales and Monmouthshire 

The name of Castell Meherin is also substantiated by present day documentation, some of which is given by Coflein, which is the online database for the National Monuments Record of Wales and also by a number of other online sites, including Cadw, which is the historic environment service of the Welsh Government and part of the Tourism and Culture group. 

As the ancient earthworks comprise two distinct elements these are sometimes referred to as Castell Meherin West and Castell Meherin East, with the name also documented as Castell Meherin Camps, but all are derivatives of their originator; this being Castell Meherin.

Therefore, the name this hill is now listed by in the 200m Twmpau is Castell Meherin and this was derived from historic and contemporary documentation.


The full details for the hill are:

Group:  Brandy Hill

Name:  Castell Meherin

Previously Listed Name:  Middleton Hill 

OS 1:50,000 map:  158

Summit Height:  205.1m (converted to OSGM15)

Summit Grid Reference:  SN 14646 11773

Bwlch Height:  162.2m (LIDAR)

Bwlch Grid Reference:  SN 18517 12805 (LIDAR)


Drop:  42.8m (LIDAR)


Myrddyn Phillips (October 2018)






Mapping Mountains - Significant Name Changes - 200m Twmpau

Mountain Park (SN 171 120) - 31st significant name change

Survey post for Mountain Park

Hill Reclassifications post for Mountain Park


There has been a Significant Name Change to a hill that is listed in the 200m Twmpau, with the summit height, drop and status of the hill being confirmed by LIDAR analysis, with a subsequent Trimble GeoXH 6000 summit survey, with both conducted by Myrddyn Phillips.

The criteria for the list that this name change applies to are:

200m Twmpau – Welsh hills at or above 200m and below 300m in height that have 30m minimum drop, with an accompanying sub category entitled the 200m Sub-Twmpau consisting of all Welsh hills at or above 200m and below 300m in height that have 20m or more and below 30m of drop.  With the word Twmpau being an acronym standing for thirty welsh metre prominences and upward. 

The hill is adjoined to the Brandy Hill group of hills, which are situated in the south-western part of Mid and West Wales (Region B, Sub-Region B4), and is positioned with the B 4328 road to its north and has the small community of Tafarn Ysbyty (Tavernspite) towards the north-west.

Lidar image of Mountain Park

The hill appeared in the 200m P30 list on Geoff Crowder’s v-g.me website under the name of Upper Llantydwell, with an accompanying note stating; Name from buildings to the North. 


Upper Llantydwell
200c
158
36/177
Name from buildings to the North


During my early hill listing I thought it appropriate to either invent a name for a hill, or use a name that appeared near to the summit of the hill on Ordnance Survey maps of the day.  My preference was to use farm names and put PenBryn or Moel in front of them or as in this instance just use the name of a farm for that of the hill.  This is not a practice that I now advocate as with time and inclination place-name data can be improved either by asking local people or by examining historic documents, through this form of research an appropriate name for the hill can usually be found.

As the summit of this hill comprises bounded land the details for it were examined on the Tithe map.

The term Tithe map is generally given to a map of a Welsh or English parish or township and which was prepared after the 1836 Tithe Commutation Act.  This act allowed tithes to be paid in cash rather than goods.  The Tithe maps gave names of owners and occupiers of land in each parish and importantly for place-name research they also included the name of enclosed land.  This enclosed land is usually based on a field system, however not every field is given a name, but many are and especially so in Wales.

Extract from the Tithe map

Extract from the Tithe map

The enclosed land where the summit of this hill is situated is given the number 1093 on the Tithe map, with enclosed land adjoined to it given the number 1092, these can be cross referenced against the apportionments; it is these apportionments that give the name of the owner or occupier of the land as well as the name of the land.  The land where the summit of this hill is situated has part of same given to it and this refers to the adjoined field given the number of 1092, and this is given the name of Mountain Park on the Tithe map, the details of which appear in the county named as Pembroke and in the parish of Llampeter Velfrey.

Extract from the apportionments

Therefore, the name this hill is now listed by in the 200m Twmpau is Mountain Park and this was derived from the Tithe map.


The full details for the hill are:

Group:  Brandy Hill

Name:  Mountain Park

Previously Listed Name:  Upper Llantydwell

OS 1:50,000 map:  158

Summit Height:  203.7m (converted to OSGM15)

Summit Grid Reference:  SN 17181 12029

Bwlch Height:  173.5m (LIDAR)

Bwlch Grid Reference:  SN 15693 11421 (LIDAR)


Drop:  30.3m (Trimble summit and LIDAR bwlch)


For details on the summit survey of this hill

Myrddyn Phillips (October 2018)






Mapping Mountains - Significant Name Changes - 200m Twmpau

Tap y Botel (SH 646 066) - 30th significant name change


There has been a Significant Name Change to a hill that was considered for inclusion in the 200m Twmpau, with the summit height, drop and status of the hill being confirmed by LIDAR analysis conducted by Myrddyn Phillips.

The criteria for the list that this hill was considered for are:

200m Twmpau – Welsh hills at or above 200m and below 300m in height with a minimum 30m of drop, with an accompanying sub category entitled the 200m Sub-Twmpau consisting of all Welsh hills at or above 200m and below 300m in height that have 20m or more and below 30m of drop.  With the word Twmpau being an acronym standing for thirty welsh metre prominences and upward. 

The hill is adjoined to the Tarennydd range of hills which are situated in the south-western part of North Wales (Region A, Sub-Region A3), and it is positioned between two river valleys with the Afon Dysynni to its north-west and the Afon Fathew to its south, and has the small community of Abertrinant towards the south-west and Abergynolwyn towards the east. 

Tap y Botel (SH 646 066)

Although the hill remains unclassified as it does not have the minimum 20m of drop required for 200m Sub-Twmpau status, it is worth categorising under the Significant Name Changes heading as the name this hill is now documented by comes from local enquiry.

When visiting this and adjoining hills I met a number of local farmers, including Joanne Redman who was out on her quad bike taking photos of her father’s farm from just below the summit of Coed Uchaf (SH 649 055), we talked about the hills and their names and Joanne recommended that I contact her father; Tomos Lewis who farms from Nant-y-mynach (SH 644 048) and she kindly gave me his telephone number.

Tomos Lewis of Nant-y-mynach

The following day I contacted Tomos and two days later then visited him, Tomos is aged 60 and a Welsh speaker, and has lived at Nant-y-mynach for 54 years, having moved there from the council houses in Abertrinant.  During our conversations Tomos proved very knowledgeable and gave me many hill names that do not appear on any Ordnance Survey map, and one of them was the name for this hill which he knows as Tap y Botel, telling me that as a child he used to go to this area to play.

Therefore, the name this hill is now documented by is Tap y Botel and this was derived from local enquiry.


LIDAR image of Tap y Botel

The full details for the hill are:

Group:  Tarennydd

Name:  Tap y Botel 

Previously Listed Name:  not previously listed 

Summit Height:  216.2m (LIDAR)

OS 1:50,000 map:  124

Summit Grid Reference:  SH 64609 06678 and SH 64612 06679 (LIDAR)
  
Drop:  16.0m (LIDAR)


Myrddyn Phillips (August 2018)






Mapping Mountains - Significant Name Changes - 200m Twmpau

Pen Twmp (SM 988 329) - 29th significant name change


There has been a Significant Name Change to a hill that is listed in the 200m Twmpau and Y Trechol – The Dominant Hills of Wales, with the bwlch height and its Dominant status confirmed via LIDAR analysis conducted by Myrddyn Phillips.

The criteria for the listings that this name change applies to are:

200m Twmpau – All Welsh hills at or above 200m and below 300m in height that have 30m minimum drop, with the word Twmpau being an acronym standing for thirty welsh metre prominences and upward. 

Y Trechol – The Dominant Hills of Wales – Welsh P30 hills whose prominence equal or exceed half that of their absolute height.  With the criteria for Lesser Dominant status being those addition Welsh P30 hills whose prominence is 33% or more and below 50% of their absolute height.  The list is authored by Myrddyn Phillips with the Introduction to the start of the Mapping Mountains publication of this list appearing on the 3rd December 2015.

The hill is adjoined to the Mynydd Preseli group of hills, which are situated in the south-western part of Mid and West Wales (Region B, Sub-Region B4), and it is positioned with the A 40 road to its west and the B 4313 road to its north and has the Nant y Bugail to its south-west and the River Aer to its north-north-east, and has the town of Abergwaun (Fishguard) towards the north-west.

The hill originally appeared in the 200m P30 list on Geoff Crowder’s v-g.me website under the invented name of Bryn Pentre-newydd with an accompanying note stating; Name from buildings to the North-East. 


Bryn Pentre-newydd
217m
157
35
Name from buildings to the North-East.


During my early hill listing I thought it appropriate to either invent a name for a hill, or use a name that appeared near to the summit of the hill on Ordnance Survey maps of the day.  My preference was to use farm names and put PenBryn or Moel in front of them.  This is not a practice that I now advocate as with time and inclination place-name data can be improved either by asking local people or by examining historic documents, through this form of research an appropriate name for the hill can usually be found.

During the initial compilation of the Dominant list I made a number of place-name enquiries for qualifying hills, including this one.  I was put in contact with Elin Evans and Julian Fry, at the time of our conversation Elin was a school teacher and Julian a web master for a site concentrating on Llanychaer, this being the small community where they lived.  Elin’s grandfather grew up at Penlan (SM 997 333), and her parents; John and Rhian Evans lived in the bungalow adjoined to the farm of Cronllwyn (SM 986 348), therefore her family have lived beside this hill for at least three generations.

On the day I phoned, Elin’s parents were upset as one of their sheep dogs had been put down, therefore Julian offered to speak with John and Rhian at an opportune moment, and he later did so and phoned me with details relating to this hill and its name.  The name given Julian for this hill by Elin’s parents; John and Rhian Evans is Pen Twmp.

Therefore, the name this hill is now listed by in the 200m Twmpau and Y Trechol – The Dominant Hills of Wales is Pen Twmp, and this name was derived from local enquiry.


The full details for the hill are:

Group:  Mynydd Preseli

Name:  Pen Twmp

Previously Listed Name:  Bryn Pentre-newydd

Summit Height:  217m

OS 1:50,000 map:  157

Summit Grid Reference:  SM 98820 32984 

Drop:  109m

Dominance:  50.09%


Myrddyn Phillips (August 2018)






Mapping Mountains - Significant Name Changes - 200m Twmpau

Craig yr Aderyn (SH 647 065) - 28th significant name change

Survey post for Craig yr Aderyn


There has been a Significant Name Change to a hill that is listed in the 200m Twmpau and Y Trechol – The Dominant Hills of Wales, with the summit height, drop and Dominance of the hill being confirmed by a Trimble GeoXH 6000 survey which took place on the 14th May 2018.

The criteria for the listings that this name change applies to are:

200m Twmpau – Welsh hills at or above 200m and below 300m in height that have 30m minimum drop.  With the word Twmpau being an acronym standing for thirty welsh metre prominences and upward. 

Y Trechol – The Dominant Hills of Wales – Welsh P30 hills whose prominence equal or exceed half that of their absolute height.  With the criteria for Lesser Dominant status being those addition Welsh P30 hills whose prominence is 33% or more and below 50% of their absolute height.  The list is authored by Myrddyn Phillips with the Introduction to the start of the Mapping Mountains publication of this list appearing on the 3rd December 2015.

The hill is adjoined to the Tarennydd range of hills which are situated in the south-western part of North Wales (Region A, Sub-Region A3), and it is positioned between two river valleys with the Afon Dysynni to its north-west and the Afon Fathew to its south, and has the small community of Abertrinant towards its south-west and Abergynolwyn towards the east. 

Craig yr Aderyn (SH 647 065) with Cadair Idris in the background

The hill appeared in the 200m P30 list on Geoff Crowder’s v-g.me website under the directional name of Craig yr Aderyn South-East Top with an accompanying note stating; Name from hill to the North-West, and later appeared in the Dominant list under the point (Pt. 258m) notation.   


Craig yr Aderyn South-East Top
258m
124
23
Name from hill to the North-West


During my early hill listing I thought it appropriate to either invent a name for a hill, or use a name that appeared near to the summit of the hill on Ordnance Survey maps of the day.  My preference was to use farm names and put PenBryn or Moel in front of them.  On occasion I also used a directional name based on supplanting the name of a near hill and adding a directional component to the name.  This is not a practice that I now advocate as with time and inclination place-name data can be improved either by asking local people or by examining historic documents, through this form of research an appropriate name for the hill can usually be found.

Extract from the contemporary Ordnance Survey 1:25,000 Explorer map

When visiting this and adjoining hills I met a number of local farmers, including Joanne Redman on the summit of Coed Uchaf (SH 649 055), Joanne was on her quad bike taking photos of her father’s farm of Nant-y-mynach (SH 644 048), we talked about this and other hills and Joanne suggested that I should contact her father; Tomos Lewis, whose telephone number she kindly gave me.

The following day I contacted Tomos and two days later then visited him, Tomos is aged 60 and a Welsh speaker, and has lived at Nant-y-mynach for 54 years, having moved there from the council houses in Abertrinant when aged six.  During our conversations Tomos proved very knowledgeable and gave me many hill names that do not appear on any Ordnance Survey map, and one of them was the name of this hill, which Tomos called Bird’s Rock, we then concentrated on the four individual prominence hills which are all positioned close to one another and in the vicinity of the hill named Bird’s Rock / Craig yr Aderyn on contemporary Ordnance Survey maps, and Tomos was of the opinion that the two main hills are both a part of the overall hill known as Craig yr Aderyn.

Tomos Lewis of Nant-y-mynach

During the conversation with Tomos I mentioned that I planned to call at Gesail (SH 641 063) which is the farm directly under this hill to its south-west and Tomos told me that the farmer is named Dafydd Jones.

When I visited Gesail, Dafydd and his son were busy in a large barn spraying sheep, we went outside to talk about the hills that from this vantage point rose directly above the farm, and Dafydd explained that although he had only lived at this farm for a few years his family are local to the area and that he knows all the hills above his farm as a part of Bird’s Rock.  

Dafydd Jones and son of Gesail

As a directional name only adds an invented component to the name of the hill, this is dispensed with in favour of the name that is in use locally, with the caveat that the Welsh name for this hill is prioritised over its English equivalent, which for listing purposes is standard practice.


Therefore, the name this hill is now listed by in the 200m Twmpau and Y Trechol – The Dominant Hills of Wales is Craig yr Aderyn, and the hills known by this name were derived from local enquiry. 


The full details for the hill are:

Group:  Tarennydd

Name:  Craig yr Aderyn

Previously Listed Name:  Craig yr Aderyn South-East Top 

Summit Height:  257.4m (converted to OSGM15)

OS 1:50,000 map:  124

Summit Grid Reference:  SH 64703 06582 

Drop:  86.4m (converted to OSGM15)

Dominance:  33.56%


The Trimble GeoXH 6000 gathering data at the summit of Craig yr Aderyn (SH 647 065)


Myrddyn Phillips (August 2018)






Mapping Mountains - Significant Name Changes - 200m Twmpau

Castell (SH 655 061) - 27th significant name change

Survey post for Castell


There has been a Significant Name Change to a hill that is listed in the 200m Twmpau, with the summit height and drop of the hill being confirmed by a Trimble GeoXH 6000 survey which took place on the 14th May 2018.

The criteria for the list that this name change applies to are:

200m Twmpau – Welsh hills at or above 200m and below 300m in height that have 30m minimum drop.  With the word Twmpau being an acronym standing for thirty welsh metre prominences and upward. 

The hill is adjoined to the Tarennydd range of hills which are situated in the south-western part of North Wales (Region A, Sub-Region A3), and it is positioned between two river valleys with the Afon Dysynni to its north-west and the Afon Fathew to its south, and has the small community of Dolgoch towards the south and Abergynolwyn towards the east north-east. 

Castell (SH 655 061)

The hill appeared in the 200m P30 list on Geoff Crowder’s v-g.me website under the invented name of Bryn Rhiwerfa with an accompanying note stating; Name from buildings to the East. 


Bryn Rhiwerfa
  268m
  124
23
  Name from buildings to the East


During my early hill listing I thought it appropriate to either invent a name for a hill, or use a name that appeared near to the summit of the hill on Ordnance Survey maps of the day.  My preference was to use farm names and put PenBryn or Moel in front of them.  This is not a practice that I now advocate as with time and inclination place-name data can be improved either by asking local people or by examining historic documents, through this form of research an appropriate name for the hill can usually be found.

As the summit of this hill comprises bounded land the details for it were examined on the Tithe map.

The term Tithe map is generally given to a map of a Welsh or English parish or township and which was prepared after the 1836 Tithe Commutation Act.  This act allowed tithes to be paid in cash rather than goods.  The Tithe maps gave names of owners and occupiers of land in each parish and importantly for place-name research they also included the name of enclosed land.  This enclosed land is usually based on a field system, however not every field is given a name, but many are and especially so in Wales.

Extract from the Tithe map superimposed with the Ordnance Survey Six-Inch map

Extract from the Tithe map

The enclosed land where the summit of this hill is situated is given the number 2133 on the Tithe map, this can be cross referenced against the apportionments; it is these apportionments that give the name of the owner or occupier of the land as well as the name of the land.  The land where the summit of this hill is situated is named as Castell on the Tithe map, the details of which appear in the county named as Merioneth and in the parish of Towyn.

Extract from the Apportionment

When visiting this and adjoining hills I met a number of local farmers, including Joanne Redman on the summit of Coed Uchaf (SH 649 055), Joanne was on her quad bike taking photos of her father’s farm, Nant-y-mynach (SH 644 048), we talked about this and other hills and Joanne suggested that I should contact her father; Tomos Lewis, whose telephone number she kindly gave me.

The following day I contacted Tomos and two days later then visited him, Tomos is aged 60 and a Welsh speaker, and has lived at Nant-y-mynach for 54 years, having moved there from the council houses in Abertrinant when aged six.  During our conversations Tomos proved very knowledgeable and gave me many hill names that do not appear on any Ordnance Survey map, and one of them was the name for this hill which he said was known as Castell, this was during our telephone conversation, when we met he referred to this hill by its plural; Cestyll.

Tomos Lewis

Therefore, the name this hill is now listed by in the 200m Twmpau is Castell and this was derived from the Tithe map and substantiated by local enquiry.


The full details for the hill are:

Group:  Tarennydd

Name:  Castell 

Previously Listed Name:  Bryn Rhiwerfa

Summit Height:  267.5m (converted to OSGM15)

OS 1:50,000 map:  124

Summit Grid Reference:  SH 65561 06144
  
Drop:  88.4m (converted to OSGM15)


The Trimble GeoXH 6000 gathering data at the summit of Castell


Myrddyn Phillips (August 2018)






Mapping Mountains - Significant Name Changes - 200m Twmpau

Coed Uchaf (SH 649 055) - 26th significant name change

Survey post for Coed Uchaf


There has been a Significant Name Change to a hill that is listed in the 200m Twmpau, with the summit height and drop of the hill being confirmed by a Trimble GeoXH 6000 survey which took place on the 14th May 2018.

The criteria for the list that this name change applies to are:

200m Twmpau – Welsh hills at or above 200m and below 300m in height that have 30m minimum drop.  With the word Twmpau being an acronym standing for thirty welsh metre prominences and upward. 

The hill is adjoined to the Tarennydd range of hills which are situated in the south-western part of North Wales (Region A, Sub-Region A3), and it is positioned between two river valleys with the Afon Dysynni to its north-west and the Afon Fathew to its south, and has the small community of Abertrinant towards the west, Bryn-crug towards the south-west and Abergynolwyn towards the east north-east. 

Coed Uchaf (SH 649 055)

The hill appeared in the 200m P30 list on Geoff Crowder’s v-g.me website under the invented name of Bryn Coed-y-gof  with an accompanying note stating; Name from buildings to the West. 


Bryn Coed-y-gof
  217m
  124
23
  Name from buildings to the West


During my early hill listing I thought it appropriate to either invent a name for a hill, or use a name that appeared near to the summit of the hill on Ordnance Survey maps of the day.  My preference was to use farm names and put PenBryn or Moel in front of them.  This is not a practice that I now advocate as with time and inclination place-name data can be improved either by asking local people or by examining historic documents, through this form of research an appropriate name for the hill can usually be found.

When visiting this and adjoining hills I met a number of local farmers, including Stephen Jones who farms from Llanerch-goediog (SH 640 050), which is situated directly below the hill towards the south-west, Stephen is aged 55 and a Welsh speaker and except for three years when in university he has lived at this farm all of his life.  We spent a number of minutes talking about the hills and their names, and two other names that Stephen also gave me will be documented in separate Significant Name Changes posts.  Stephen told me that this hill is a part of Tomos Lewis’ land, who farms from Nant-y-mynach (SH 644 048), and that it is known as Coed Uchaf, with lower land also known as Coed Canol and Coed Isaf.

Stephen Jones

I later met Joanne Redman on the summit of this hill, Joanne is Tomos’ daughter and was out on her quad bike taking photos of her father’s farm, we talked about this and other hills and Joanne told me that the name of the land, including where the summit of this hill is situated, is Coed Uchaf, she also confirmed that the names of Coed Canol and Coed Isaf are used for lower adjacent land and suggested that I talk with her father, whose telephone number she kindly gave me.

Joanne Redman

The following day I contacted Tomos and two days later then visited him, Tomos is aged 60 and a Welsh speaker, and has lived at Nant-y-mynach for 54 years, having moved there from the council houses in Abertrinant.  During our conversations Tomos proved very knowledgeable and gave me many hill names that do not appear on any Ordnance Survey map, and one of them was the name for the land that takes in the summit of this hill; Coed Uchaf.

Tomos Lewis

Therefore, the name this hill is now listed by in the 200m Twmpau is Coed Uchaf and this name was derived from local enquiry.


The full details for the hill are:

Group:  Tarennydd

Name:  Coed Uchaf 

Previously Listed Name:  Bryn Coed-y-gof 

Summit Height:  216.5m (converted to OSGM15)

OS 1:50,000 map:  124

Summit Grid Reference:  SH 64901 05582

Drop:  41.0m (converted to OSGM15)


The Trimble GeoXH 6000 gathering data at the summit of Coed Uchaf


Myrddyn Phillips (August 2018)






Mapping Mountains - Significant Name Changes - 200m Twmpau

Foel Tyddyn y Berllan (SH 634 051) - 25th significant name change

Survey post for Foel Tyddyn y Berllan

Hill Reclassifications post for Foel Tyddyn y Berllan


There has been a Significant Name Change to a hill that is listed in the 200m Twmpau, with the summit height, drop and status of the hill being confirmed by a Trimble GeoXH 6000 survey which took place on the 14th May 2018.

The criteria for the list that this name change applies to are:

200m Twmpau – Welsh hills at or above 200m and below 300m in height that have 30m minimum drop, with an accompanying sub category entitled the 200m Sub-Twmpau consisting of all Welsh hills at or above 200m and below 300m in height that have 20m or more and below 30m of drop.  With the word Twmpau being an acronym standing for thirty welsh metre prominences and upward. 

The hill is adjoined to the Tarennydd range of hills which are situated in the south-western part of North Wales (Region A, Sub-Region A3), and it overlooks the Dyffryn Dysynni to its north-west, and has the small community of Abertrinant towards its east and Bryn-crug towards its south-west. 

Foel Tyddyn y Berllan (SH 634 051)

The hill appeared in the 200m P30 list on Geoff Crowder’s v-g.me website under the invented name of Bryn Tyddyn-y-berllan  with an accompanying note stating; Name from buildings to the North-East. 


Bryn Tyddyn-y-berllan
233m
124
23
Name from buildings to the North-East


During my early hill listing I thought it appropriate to either invent a name for a hill, or use a name that appeared near to the summit of the hill on Ordnance Survey maps of the day.  My preference was to use farm names and put PenBryn or Moel in front of them.  This is not a practice that I now advocate as with time and inclination place-name data can be improved either by asking local people or by examining historic documents, through this form of research an appropriate name for the hill can usually be found.

When visiting this hill and adjoining hills I met a number of local farmers, including Stephen Jones who farms from Llanerch-goediog (SH 640 050), which is situated directly below the hill towards the east.  Stephen is aged 55 and a Welsh speaker and except for three years when in university he has lived at this farm all of his life.  We spent a number of minutes talking about the hills and their names, and two other names that Stephen also gave me will be documented in separate Significant Name Changes posts.  Stephen told me that this hill is a part of his land and that he knows it as Foel Tyddyn y Berllan.

Stephen Jones

I later met Joanne Redman on the summit of one of the hills that Stephen had given me a name for and she recommended that I speak with her father; Tomos Lewis, who Stephen also recommended me to contact.  I phoned Tomos and three days later visited him, when I pulled up he and Joanne were gathering sheep from a road-side pen and driving them up toward a field.

Tomos farms from Nant-y-mynach (SH 644 048) and is aged 60 and a Welsh speaker, he has lived at this farm since the age of six, having moved there from the council houses in Abertrinant.  During our conversations Tomos proved very knowledgeable and gave me many hill names that do not appear on any Ordnance Survey map, and one of them was the name of this hill; Foel Tyddyn y Berllan, which matches that given me by Stephen Jones.   

Tomos Lewis

Therefore, the name this hill is now listed by in the 200m Twmpau is Foel Tyddyn y Berllan and this name was derived from local enquiry.


The full details for the hill are:

Group:  Tarennydd

Name:  Foel Tyddyn y Berllan

Previously Listed Name:  Bryn Tyddyn-y-berllan

Summit Height:  232.8m (converted to OSGM15)

OS 1:50,000 map:  124

Summit Grid Reference:  SH 63481 05158 

Drop:  32.5m (converted to OSGM15)


The Trimble GeoXH 6000 gathering data at the summit of Foel Tyddyn y Berllan


Myrddyn Phillips (July 2018)






Mapping Mountains - Significant Name Changes - 200m Twmpau

Foel (SH 632 045) - 24th significant name change

Survey post for Foel

Hill Reclassifications post for Foel


There has been a Significant Name Change to a hill that is listed in the 200m Twmpau, with the summit height, drop and status of the hill being confirmed by a Trimble GeoXH 6000 survey which took place on the 14th May 2018.

The criteria for the list that this name change applies to are:

200m Twmpau – All Welsh hills at or above 200m and below 300m in height that have 30m minimum drop, with an accompanying sub category entitled the 200m Sub-Twmpau consisting of all Welsh hills at or above 200m and below 300m in height that have 20m or more and below 30m of drop.  With the word Twmpau being an acronym standing for thirty welsh metre prominences and upward. 

The hill is adjoined to the Tarennydd range of hills which are situated in the south-western part of North Wales (Region A, Sub-Region A3), and it overlooks the B 4405 road and the Afon Fathew to the south-east and the Afon Dysynni to the north-west, and has the small community of Dolgoch to its east and Bryn-crug to its south-west. 

Foel (SH 632 045)

The hill appeared in the 200m P30 list on Geoff Crowder’s v-g.me website under the name of Foel Wyllt.  During my early hill listing I paid little regard to name placement on the map, or the meaning of names and to what feature the name was appropriately applied to.  Therefore I prioritised names for listing purposes that I now understand are either inappropriate or where another name is considered as being more appropriate.  By using the name Foel Wyllt for this hill I was conveniently using the name that appears nearest its summit on contemporary Ordnance Survey maps and which is more strictly applicable to the whole land mass taking in a number of what can be considered as separate hills. 
  

Foel Wyllt
    288m
    SH632045
    135
23


The placement of names on Ordnance Survey maps can be best confirmed either through historical research and / or through local enquiry, and in the case of this hill it was the local farmer who owns and grazes sheep on the land that the summit of this hill is situated who gave the name of Foel and explained that Foel Wyllt takes in the whole mountain (as in, the whole land mass), including what hill list compilers and hill baggers would consider as other separate hills.

Extract from the Ordnance Survey One Inch 'Old Series' map

The local farmer is Stephen Jones who farms from Llanerch-goediog which is situated directly below the hill to its east.  After visiting this hill I called at the farm and met Stephen, who is aged 55 and a Welsh speaker and has lived at this farm for the whole of his life except for three years while at university.  We spent a number of minutes talking about the hills and their names, and two other names that Stephen also gave me will be documented in separate Significant Name Changes posts.  Stephen told me that this hill is a part of his land and that he knows it as Foel (Stephen used this name without the definite article ‘Y’).  

Stephen Jones

Therefore, the name this hill is now listed by in the 200m Twmpau is Foel and this name was derived from local enquiry.


The full details for the hill are:

Group:  Tarennydd

Name:  Foel

Previously Listed Name:  Foel Wyllt 

Summit Height:  288.3m (converted to OSGM15)

OS 1:50,000 map:  135

Summit Grid Reference:  SH 63297 04583
  
Drop:  30.6m (converted to OSGM15)


The Trimble GeoXH 6000 gathering data at the summit of Foel



Myrddyn Phillips (July 2018)






Mapping Mountains - Significant Name Changes - 200m Twmpau

Coed Hyrddyn (SJ 200 439) - 23rd significant name change

Survey post for Coed Hyrddyn


There has been a Significant Name Change to a hill that is listed in the 200m Twmpau and Y Trechol - The Dominant Hills of Wales, with the summit height, drop and status of the hill being confirmed by a Leica GS15 survey which took place on the 7th February 2013, with a subsequent Trimble GeoXH 6000 summit survey taking place on the 5th May 2018.

The criteria for the listings that this name change applies to are:

200m Twmpau – All Welsh hills at or above 200m and below 300m in height that have 30m minimum drop, with the word Twmpau being an acronym standing for thirty welsh metre prominences and upward. 

Y Trechol – The Dominant Hills of Wales – Welsh P30 hills whose prominence equal or exceed half that of their absolute height.  With the criteria for Lesser Dominant status being those addition Welsh P30 hills whose prominence is 33% or more and below 50% of their absolute height.  The list is authored by Myrddyn Phillips with the Introduction to the start of the Mapping Mountains publication of this list appearing on the 3rd December 2015.



The hill is adjoined to the Moel y Gamelin range of hills which are situated in the north-easterly part of North Wales (Region A, Sub-Region A2), and it overlooks the A 542 road and the Eglwyseg River to its east and the A 5 road, Llangollen Canal and the Afon Dyfrdwy (River Dee) to its south, and has the town of Llangollen to its south south-east. 

Coed Hyrddyn (SJ 200 439)

The hill originally appeared in the 200m P30 list on Geoff Crowder’s v-g.me website under the invented name of Moel Tan-y-coed with an accompanying note stating; Name from buildings to the South-West. 


Moel Tan-y-coed
230c
117
255/256
Name from buildings to the South-West


During my early hill listing I thought it appropriate to either invent a name for a hill, or use a name that appeared near to the summit of the hill on Ordnance Survey maps of the day.  My preference was to use farm names and put PenBryn or Moel in front of them.  This is not a practice that I now advocate as with time and inclination place-name data can be improved either by asking local people or by examining historic documents, through this form of research an appropriate name for the hill can usually be found.

The danger of hill list compilers inventing names for hills and their inappropriate perpetuation is evidenced above, as this is a name I invented many years ago for this hill and it now appears on the National Library of Scotland website

The land where the summit of this hill is situated is now owned by The Nation Trust and when I first visited this hill I came across a sign at the start of one of the paths leading to its high point which names the hill as Velvet Hill Coed Hyrddyn.  This information was forwarded to Geoff Crowther who updated the Welsh 200m P30 list accordingly.

The National Trust sign at the start of the central eastern approach to the hill


Velvet Hill Coed Hyrddyn
  230c
  117
255/256
  Clem/Yeaman listed as 231m


The name of Velvet Hill seems to be a relatively recent addition as the name of Coed Hyrddyn is substantiated by a number of Ordnance Survey maps predating the contemporary 1:50,000 Landranger and 1:25,000 Explorer series, and some of these are presented below.

Extract from the Ordnance Survey Six-Inch map published in 1880

Extract from the Ordnance Survey 1:25,000 historical map

When recently visiting this hill with friends and conducting the Trimble GeoXH 6000 summit survey I met Jonathon Davies, the son of the local farmer and whose family work from the Abbey Farm which is situated below the hill to its north-east.  Jonathon’s family have farmed this land since 1934 and he confirmed that the hill is known by both names; Velvet Hill and Coed Hyrddyn, and for the purposes of listing it is the Welsh name that is being prioritised as it has older evidence of use, is known as such locally and also appears on contemporary Ordnance Survey maps and named as such by the present land owner.   

Jonathon Davies (centre) with young son Jan Celyn Davies and colleague Edward Jones 

Therefore, the name this hill is now listed by in the 200m Twmpau and Y Trechol - The Dominant Hills of Wales is Coed Hyrddyn, and this name was derived from The National Trust, historical and contemporary Ordnance Survey maps and local enquiry.


The full details for the hill are:

Group:  Moel y Gamelin

Name:  Coed Hyrddyn

Previously Listed Name:  Moel Tan y Coed

Summit Height:  232.4m (converted to OSGM15)

OS 1:50,000 map:  117

Summit Grid Reference:  SJ 20029 43943 

Drop:  102.0m (converted to OSGM15)



Dominance:  43.89%



Myrddyn Phillips (July 2018)







Mapping Mountains - Significant Name Changes - 200m Twmpau

Ffridd Bellau Nant y Gwyrddail (SH 665 139) - 22nd significant name change

Survey post for Ffridd Bellau Nant y Gwyrddail

There has been a Significant Name Change to a hill that is listed in the 200m Twmpau, with the summit height, drop and status of the hill being confirmed by a Trimble GeoXH 6000 survey which took place on the 17th February 2018.

The criteria for the list that this name change applies to are:

200m Twmpau – All Welsh hills at and above 200m and below 300m in height that have 30m minimum drop, with the word Twmpau being an acronym standing for thirty welsh metre prominences and upward.  With an accompanying sub category entitled the 200m Sub-Twmpau consisting of all Welsh hills at and above 200m and below 300m in height that have 20m or more and below 30m of drop.

The hill is adjoined to the Cadair Idris range of hills which are situated in the south-western part of North Wales (Region A, Sub-Region A3), and it overlooks the double lakes of Llynnau Cregennan which are to its north-west and the small community of Arthog which is to its west north-west. 

Ffridd Bellau Nant y Gwyrddail (SH 665 139)

The hill appeared in the 200m P30 list on Geoff Crowder’s v-g.me website under the invented name of Bryn y Gregennen with an accompanying note stating; Name from lakes to the North-West.  During my early hill listing I thought it appropriate to either invent a name for a hill, or use a name that appeared near to the summit of the hill on Ordnance Survey maps of the day.  My preference was to use farm names and put PenBryn or Moel in front of them, or as in this instance, use the name of two lakes.  This is not a practice that I now advocate as with time and inclination place-name data can be improved either by asking local people or by examining historical documents, through this form of research an appropriate name for the hill can usually be found, and as the summit of this hill comprises bounded land the details for it were examined on the Tithe map.


Bryn y Gregennen
    280c
    SH665139
    124
23
    Name from lakes to the North-West


The term Tithe map is generally given to a map of a Welsh or English parish or township and which was prepared after the 1836 Tithe Commutation Act.  This act allowed tithes to be paid in cash rather than goods.  The Tithe maps gave names of owners and occupiers of land in each parish and importantly for place-name research they also included the name of enclosed land.  This enclosed land is usually based on a field system, however not every field is given a name, but many are and especially so in Wales.

Extract from the Tithe map

The enclosed land where the summit of this hill is situated is given the number 168 on the Tithe map, this can be cross referenced against the apportionments; it is these apportionments that give the name of the owner or occupier of the land as well as the name of the land.  The land where the summit of this hill is situated is named as Nantgwyrddeil [sic], with the details on the Tithe map appearing in the county named as Merioneth and in the parish of Dolgelley [sic].

Extract from the apportionments

The name given this bounded land relates to a farm named Nant-y-gwyrddail that is positioned at SH 671 143 and to the north-east of the hill’s summit.  Having visited this hill and surveyed its summit and bwlch I then visited this farm and met Ceri Williams and her young son and daughter.  Ceri and her husband; Gwern, had moved here recently from the Garndolbenmaen area north-west of Porthmadog, she explained that the farm is tenanted from the National Trust and confirmed their boundary, which took in the 312m map heighted hill to the north north-east and the hill that this article relates to which is importantly the farthest summit on their land from the farm.  As Ceri is a newcomer to this area she suggested that I should visit Emyr Rees who farms from Tynyceunant (SH 688 152).

Ceri Williams of Nant-y-gwyrddail with her daughter, son and floppy pawed puppy

As I pulled up in my car at the access track that leads to Tynyceunant, Emyr had just pulled up in his Landrover and was wielding a mighty mallet readying himself to work on a new fence post.  Emyr is aged 70 and has lived at Tynyceunant all his life and is a Welsh speaker.  After introducing myself and explaining my interest in upland place-names, we talked about the hills and their names.  Emyr told me the old farmer from Nant-y-gwyrddail; John Rees, who died in 2017, called the bounded land where the summit of this hill is situated Ffridd Bellau Nant y Gwyrddail, and that the word bellau can be translated in to English as farthest, therefore the translation of this name is the far off ffridd of Nant y Gwyrddail.  Emyr also gave me a number of other names for near hills, which will be detailed in later Significant Name Changes posts.  

Emyr Rees of Tynyceunant

Therefore, the name this hill is now listed by in the 200m Twmpau is Ffridd Bellau Nant y Gwyrddail, and this name was derived from local enquiry, with the bounded land where the summit of the hill is situated confirmed by the Tithe map and substantiated with the present resident of the farm of Nant-y-gwyrddail.


The full details for the hill are:

Group:  Cadair Idris

Name:  Ffridd Bellau Nant y Gwyrddail

Previously Listed Name:  Bryn y Gregennen 

Summit Height:  280.0m (converted to OSGM15)

OS 1:50,000 map:  124

Summit Grid Reference:  SH 66542 13906

Drop:  35.4m (converted to OSGM15)


The Trimble GeoXH 6000 gathering data at the summit of Ffridd Bellau Nant y Gwyrddail


Myrddyn Phillips (March 2018)






Mapping Mountains - Significant Name Changes - 200m Twmpau

Ffridd Las (SH 660 139) - 21st significant name change

Survey post for Ffridd Las


There has been a Significant Name Change to a hill that is listed in the 200m Twmpau, with the summit height, drop and status of the hill being confirmed by a Trimble GeoXH 6000 survey which took place on the 17th February 2018.

The criteria for the list that this name change applies to are:

200m Twmpau – All Welsh hills at and above 200m and below 300m in height that have 30m minimum drop, with the word Twmpau being an acronym standing for thirty welsh metre prominences and upward.  With an accompanying sub category entitled the 200m Sub-Twmpau consisting of all Welsh hills at and above 200m and below 300m in height that have 20m or more and below 30m of drop.

The hill is adjoined to the Cadair Idris range of hills which are situated in the south-western part of North Wales (Region A, Sub-Region A3), and it overlooks the double lakes of Llynnau Cregennan which are to its north and north north-east respectively and the small community of Arthog towards its west north-west. 

Ffridd Las (SH 660 139)

The hill appeared in the 200m P30 list on Geoff Crowder’s v-g.me website under the invented name of Bryn y Arthog with an accompanying note stating; Name from stream to the South.  During my early hill listing I thought it appropriate to either invent a name for a hill, or use a name that appeared near to the summit of the hill on Ordnance Survey maps of the day.  My preference was to use farm names and put PenBryn or Moel in front of them, or as in this instance, use the name of a stream.  This is not a practice that I now advocate as with time and inclination place-name data can be improved either by asking local people or by examining historical documents, through this form of research an appropriate name for the hill can usually be found, and in the case of this hill it was the local farmer who grazes sheep on the land that the summit of the hill is situated on who gave the name of Ffridd Las.


Bryn y Arthog
    279m
    SH661140
    124
23
    Name from stream to the South


The local farmer is Arwyn Lloyd who farms from Ffridd Boedel which is situated directly below the hill to its north-west.  Whilst visiting this hill I called at this small farm house and met Arwyn, who is a Welsh speaker and has lived at Ffridd Boedel for 40 years.  We spent the next 30 minutes talking about the hills and their names, the ffriddoedd to the south-west of his farm, his life as a farmer and the name of the hill directly above his farm, Arwyn said that the hill is named Ffridd Las and it is a part of land that his sheep graze.

Arwyn Lloyd

Therefore, the name this hill is now listed by in the 200m Twmpau is Ffridd Las and this name was derived from local enquiry.


The full details for the hill are:

Group:  Cadair Idris

Name:  Ffridd Las

Previously Listed Name:  Bryn y Arthog 

Summit Height:  278.5m (converted to OSGM15)

OS 1:50,000 map:  124

Summit Grid Reference:  SH 66076 13984

Drop:  30.7m (converted to OSGM15)


The Trimble GeoXH 6000 gathering data at the summit of Ffridd Las


Myrddyn Phillips (March 2018)






Mapping Mountains - Significant Name Changes - 200m Twmpau

Ffridd Tyddyn Mawr (SH 654 140) - 20th significant name change

Survey post for Ffridd Tyddyn Mawr

Hill Reclassifications post for Ffridd Tyddyn Mawr


There has been a Significant Name Change to a hill that is now listed in the 200m Twmpau, with the summit height, drop and status of the hill being confirmed by a Trimble GeoXH 6000 survey which was conducted by Myrddyn Phillips and took place on the 17th February 2018, and LIDAR analysis for the bwlch.

The criteria for the list that this name change applies to are:

200m Twmpau – All Welsh hills at and above 200m and below 300m in height that have 30m minimum drop, with the word Twmpau being an acronym for ‘thirty welsh metre prominences and upward’.  With an accompanying sub category entitled the 200m Sub-Twmpau consisting of all Welsh hills at and above 200m and below 300m in height that have 20m or more and below 30m of drop.

The hill is adjoined to the Cadair Idris range of hills which are situated in the south-western part of North Wales (Region A, Sub-Region A3), and it overlooks the double lakes of Llynnau Cregennan to its north north-east and the small community of Arthog towards its west north-west. 

Ffridd Tyddyn Mawr (SH 654 140) on the right of photo

The hill did not appear in the 200m P30 list on Geoff Crowder’s v-g.me website as it did not meet the criteria set for the accompanying sub list which was entitled Hills to be surveyed, however when this sub list was standardised and drop values later added the hill was listed with 20m of drop.

As the summit of this hill and that of its slightly lower south-easterly top positioned at SH 65693 13963 comprise bounded land the details for each were examined on the Tithe map.

The term Tithe map is generally given to a map of a Welsh or English parish or township and which was prepared after the 1836 Tithe Commutation Act.  This act allowed tithes to be paid in cash rather than goods.  The Tithe maps gave names of owners and occupiers of land in each parish and importantly for place-name research they also included the name of enclosed land.  This enclosed land is usually based on a field system, however not every field is given a name, but many are and especially so in Wales.

Extract from the Ordnance Survey 1:25,000 Explorer map

Extract from the Tithe map

The enclosed land where the summit of this hill is situated is given the number 103 on the Tithe map, this can be cross referenced against the apportionments; it is these apportionments that give the name of the owner or occupier of the land as well as the name of the land.  The land where the summit of this hill is situated is named as Tyddynmawr, the details on the Tithe map appear in the county named as Merioneth and in the parish of Llangelynin.

Extract from the apportionments

However, for confirmation of the land boundary I visited Arwyn Lloyd who lives and has farmed from Ffridd Boedel (SH 659 140) for 40 years, this small farm house is situated to the immediate east of this bounded land.  Arwyn described the whole of this bounded land as Ffriddoedd and confirmed that the summit of the hill which is positioned at SH 65486 14081 and which we were looking up to from just above his farm house is on land associated with Tyddyn Mawr, a farm positioned at SH 652 144, and that the name Ffridd Tyddyn Mawr is appropriate.

Arwyn Lloyd of Ffridd Boedel farm

Therefore, the name this hill is now listed by in the 200m Twmpau is Ffridd Tyddyn Mawr, and this was derived from the Tithe map and local enquiry.

The full details for the hill are:

Group:  Cadair Idris

Name:  Ffridd Tyddyn Mawr

Previously Listed Name:  not previously listed 

Summit Height:  273.2m (converted to OSGM15)

OS 1:50,000 map:  124

Summit Grid Reference:  SH 65486 14081 

Drop:  22.0m (Trimble summit and LIDAR bwlch)


The Trimble GeoXH 6000 gathering data at the summit of Ffridd Tyddyn Mawr (SH 654 140)


Myrddyn Phillips (March 2018)






Mapping Mountains - Significant Name Changes - 200m Twmpau

Ffridd Tyddyn Bach (SH 656 139) - 19th significant name change

Survey post for Ffridd Tyddyn Bach


There has been a Significant Name Change to a hill that was surveyed for 200m Sub-Twmpau status with the Trimble GeoXH 6000, with the summit height confirmed by the survey which was conducted by Myrddyn Phillips on the 17th February 2018, and LIDAR analysis for the bwlch.

The criteria for the list that this name change applies to are:

200m Twmpau – All Welsh hills at and above 200m and below 300m in height that have 30m minimum drop, with the word Twmpau being an acronym for ‘thirty welsh metre prominences and upward’.  With an accompanying sub category entitled the 200m Sub-Twmpau consisting of all Welsh hills at and above 200m and below 300m in height that have 20m or more and below 30m of drop.

The hill is adjoined to the Cadair Idris range of hills which are situated in the south-western part of North Wales (Region A, Sub-Region A3), and it overlooks the double lakes of Llynnau Cregennan to its north-east and the small community of Arthog towards its west north-west. 

Ffridd Tyddyn Bach (SH 656 139) on the left of photo

The hill did not appear in the 200m P30 list on Geoff Crowder’s v-g.me website as it did not meet the criteria set for the accompanying sub list which was entitled Hills to be surveyed, therefore it has not been included in any known hill list, however the name associated with it is worth documenting as it does not appear on any Ordnance Survey map.

As the summit of this hill and that of its slightly higher north-westerly top positioned at SH 65486 14081 comprise bounded land the details for each were examined on the Tithe map.

The term Tithe map is generally given to a map of a Welsh or English parish or township and which was prepared after the 1836 Tithe Commutation Act.  This act allowed tithes to be paid in cash rather than goods.  The Tithe maps gave names of owners and occupiers of land in each parish and importantly for place-name research they also included the name of enclosed land.  This enclosed land is usually based on a field system, however not every field is given a name, but many are and especially so in Wales.

Extract from the Ordnance Survey 1:25,000 Explorer map

Extract from the Tithe map

The enclosed land where the summit of this hill is situated is given the number 100b on the Tithe map, this can be cross referenced against the apportionments; it is these apportionments that give the name of the owner or occupier of the land as well as the name of the land.  The land where the summit of this hill is situated is named as Tyddynbach, the details on the Tithe map appear in the county named as Merioneth and in the parish of Llangelynin.

Extract from the apportionments

However, for confirmation of the land boundary I visited Arwyn Lloyd who lives and has farmed from Ffridd Boedel (SH 659 140) for 40 years, this small farm house is situated to the immediate east of this bounded land.  Arwyn described the whole of this bounded land as Ffriddoedd and confirmed that the summit of the hill which is positioned at SH 65693 13963 and which we were looking up to from just above his farm house is on land associated with Tyddyn Bach, a farm positioned at SH 654 145, and that the name Ffridd Tyddyn Bach is appropriate.

Arwyn Lloyd of Ffridd Boedel farm

Therefore, the name this hill is now documented by in relation to the 200m Twmpau is Ffridd Tyddyn Bach, and this was derived from the Tithe map and local enquiry.

The full details for the hill are:

Group:  Cadair Idris

Name:  Ffridd Tyddyn Bach

Previously Listed Name:  not previously listed 

Summit Height:  272.0m (converted to OSGM15)

OS 1:50,000 map:  124

Summit Grid Reference:  SH 65693 13963 
Drop:  12.4m (Trimble summit and LIDAR bwlch) 

The Trimble GeoXH 6000 gathering data at the summit of Ffridd Tyddyn Bach (SH 656 139)


Myrddyn Phillips (March 2018)






Mapping Mountains - Significant Name Changes - 200m Twmpau

Ffridd (SN 793 991) - 18th significant name change

Survey post for Ffridd


There has been a Significant Name Change to a hill that is listed in the 200m Twmpau, and as the summit of the hill is covered in a conifer plantation only the height of the bwlch was surveyed with the Trimble GeoXH 6000 which took place on the 29th October 2017.

The criteria for the list that this name change applies to are:

200m Twmpau – All Welsh hills at and above 200m and below 300m in height that have 30m minimum drop, with the word Twmpau being an acronym for ‘thirty welsh metre prominences and upward’.

The hill is adjoined to the Pumlumon range of hills which are situated in Mid and West Wales (Region B, Sub-Region B2).  The hill overlooks the A 489 road to the north and the Afon Dulas which is to the south, with the town of Machynlleth to the west north-west. 

The forested summit of Ffridd (SN 793 991)

The hill appeared in the 200m P30 list on Geoff Crowder’s v-g.me website under the name Allt Goch.  During my early hill listing I paid little regard to name placement on a map, or the meaning of names and to what feature the name was appropriately applied to and used many names that seemingly applied to a hill and whose placement was nearest the summit of the hill on Ordnance Survey maps of the day.  Therefore I prioritised names for listing purposes that I now understand are inappropriate, and as the positioning of the name Allt Goch on contemporary Ordnance Survey maps implies that a part of this hill is known by this name, and as the hill comprises bounded land the details for it were examined on the Tithe map.



Allt Goch  213m  SN793992  135215  Height from 1986 1:50000 map


The term Tithe map is generally given to a map of a Welsh or English parish or township and which was prepared after the 1836 Tithe Commutation Act.  This act allowed tithes to be paid in cash rather than goods.  The Tithe maps gave names of owners and occupiers of land in each parish and importantly for place-name research they also included the name of enclosed land.  This enclosed land is usually based on a field system, however not every field is given a name, but many are and especially so in Wales.

The enclosed land taking in the summit of this hill is given the number 330 on the Tithe map

The enclosed land where the summit of this hill is situated is given the number 330 on the Tithe map, this can be cross referenced against the apportionments; it is these apportionments that give the name of the owner or occupier of the land as well as the name of the land.  The land where the summit of this hill is situated is named as Ffrydd on the Tithe map and described as Arable Pasture, the details on the Tithe map appear in the county named as Montgomery and in the parish of Penegoes.

Details relating to the land where the summit of this hill is situated


When cross referenced in the apportionments the enclosed land is named as Ffrydd

However, as the name of Allt Goch is consistently applied on Ordnance Survey maps to at least a section of this hill it is worth exploring the land it applies to.  The placement of the name Allt Goch is also consistent and appears on the north-eastern part of this hill, this placement compliments the land described as Common on the Tithe map.  There is also a building named Allt Goch that appears on contemporary 1:25,000 Explorer maps and is positioned at SN 79950 99154 that is described as in ruins on the Ordnance Survey historical 1:25,000 map, this building is likely to have been a farm and is placed on the eastern side of this hill, it is likely that this old farm had direct association with the land named as Allt Goch, but as this hill comprises bounded land it is also likely that only a section of this hill is/was known as Allt Goch, and that this land does not take in the summit of the hill.

Extract from the Ordnance Survey historical 1:25,000 map

Therefore, the name this hill is now listed by in the 200m Twmpau is Ffridd, and this was derived from the Tithe map.

The full details for the hill are:

Group:  Pumlumon

Name:  Ffridd

Previously Listed Name:  Allt Goch 

Summit Height:  213m

OS 1:50,000 map:  135

Summit Grid Reference:  SN 793 991 
Drop:  41m



Myrddyn Phillips (January 2017)







Mapping Mountains - Significant Name Changes - 200m Twmpau

Erw Penlan (SO 045 495) - 17th significant name change

Survey post for Erw Penlan

Hill Reclassifications post for Erw Penlan


There has been a Significant Name Change to a hill that is listed in the 200m Twmpauwith the summit height, drop and status of the hill being confirmed by a Trimble GeoXH 6000 survey which took place on the 13th June 2017.

The criteria for the list that this name change applies to are:

200m Twmpau - All Welsh hills at and above 200m and below 300m in height that have 30m minimum drop, with an accompanying sub category entitled the 200m Sub-Twmapu being all Welsh hills at and above 200m and below 300m in height that have 20m and more and below 30m of drop, with the word Twmpau being an acronym standing for thirty welsh metre prominences and upward.

The hill is adjoined to the Mynydd Epynt range, this group of hills is situated in the south-eastern part of Mid and West Wales (Region B, Sub-Region B2), and it is positioned above the A 483 road which is to the hill’s north and east, with the town of Llanfair-ym-Muallt (Builth Wells) positioned to its north.

Erw Penlan (SO 045 495)

The hill did not appear in the 200m P30 list on Geoff Crowder’s v-g.me website as it did not meet the criteria then adopted for the Hills to be surveyed sub list.  The hill was only classified and listed as Coetgae Fawr in the sub category after this was standardised with the updates to the Mynydd Epynt group of hills in the Welsh 200m P30 list appearing on Mapping Mountains on the 25th August 2014.  

During my early hill listing I paid little regard to name placement on a map, or the meaning of names and to what feature the name was appropriately applied to, and used many names that seemingly applied to a hill and whose placement was nearest the summit of the hill on Ordnance Survey maps of the day.  Therefore I prioritised names for listing purposes that I now understand are inappropriate.  This hill, or at least a part of it is named Coetgae Fawr on contemporary Ordnance Survey 1:25,000 Explorer maps, this name when translated into English can mean the large enclosure.  The use of the word Coetgae implies that the name on the map is specific to bounded land and therefore the details for this hill were examined on the Tithe map.

The term Tithe map is generally given to a map of a Welsh or English parish or township and which was prepared after the 1836 Tithe Commutation Act.  This act allowed tithes to be paid in cash rather than goods.  The Tithe maps gave names of owners and occupiers of land in each parish and importantly for place-name research they also included the name of enclosed land.  This enclosed land is usually based on a field system, however not every field is given a name, but many are and especially so in Wales.

Accessing information on the Tithe map is simplified with the use of a split screen enabling the boundary of enclosed land to be compared

The enclosed land where the summit of this hill is situated is given the number 202 on the Tithe map, this can be cross referenced against the apportionments; it is these apportionments that give the name of the owner or occupier of the land as well as the name of the land.  The land where the summit of this hill is situated is named as Erw Penlan on the Tithe map and described as Arable, this name can be translated as top of the enclosed acre and the land is that associated with Maes-y-cwm, which is a farm to the south-east of the hill’s summit; the details on the Tithe map appear in the county named as Radnor and in the parish of Llanddewir Cwm.

When cross referenced in the apportionments the enclosed land is named as Erw Penlan

Therefore, the hill is now listed in the 200m Twmpau as Erw Penlan, and this name was derived from the Tithe map.


The full details for the hill are:


Group:  Mynydd Epynt

Name:  Erw Penlan

Previously Listed Name:  Coetgae Fawr

Summit Height:  212.1m (converted to OSGM15)

OS 1:50,000 map:  147

Summit Grid Reference:  SO 04597 49535
  
Drop:  20.9m (converted to OSGM15)



Myrddyn Phillips (August 2017)






Mapping Mountains - Significant Name Changes - 200m Twmpau

Rhos yr Ŷd (SH 903 343) - 16th significant name change

Survey post for Rhos yr Ŷd


There has been a Significant Name Change to a hill that is listed in the 200m Twmpauwith the height, drop and status of the hill being confirmed by a Trimble GeoXH 6000 survey which took place on the 31st May 2017.

The criteria for the list that this name change applies to are:

200m Twmpau - All Welsh hills at and above 200m and below 300m in height that have 30m minimum drop, with the word Twmpau being an acronym standing for thirty welsh metre prominences and upward.

The hill is adjoined to the Arenig range, which is a group of hills situated in the south-western part of North Wales (Region A, Sub-Region A3) with its Cardinal Hill being Arenig Fawr (SH 827 369), and it is positioned above the A 494 road and Llyn Tegid (Bala Lake) which are to the south-east, with the small community of Llanycil and the town of Y Bala positioned to the north-east. 

Rhod yr Ŷd (SH 903 343)

The hill appeared in the 200m P30 list on Geoff Crowder’s v-g.me website under the name Y Fedw, with an accompanying note stating; aka Bryn-moel-uchaf.  


Y Fedw  299m  SH903344  12518/23  aka Bryn-moel-uchaf. Included by contour configuration.


During my early hill listing I thought it appropriate to either invent a name for a hill, or use a name that appeared near to the summit of the hill on Ordnance Survey maps of the day.  My preference was to use farm names and put PenBryn or Moel in front of them or in this instance, use the name of a farm without an additional word.  This practice is only compounded by the stated note in the P30 list on v-g.me, for as well as Y Fedw being a name of a farm; Bryn-moel-uchaf is also a name of a farm building.  This is not a practice that I now advocate as with time and inclination place-name data can be improved either by asking local people or by examining historical documents, through this form of research an appropriate name for the hill can usually be found, and in the case of this hill the name of Rhos yr Ŷwas derived from the Tithe map.

Extract from the Ordnance Survey 1:25,000 Explorer map with Y Fedw, Bryn-moel-uchaf and Bryn-moel-isaf all being farms or farm buildings

The term Tithe map is generally given to a map of a Welsh or English parish or township and which was prepared after the 1836 Tithe Commutation Act.  This act allowed tithes to be paid in cash rather than goods.  The Tithe maps gave names of owners and occupiers of land in each parish and importantly for place-name research they also included the name of enclosed land.  This enclosed land is usually based on a field system, however not every field is given a name, but many are and especially so in Wales.

Accessing information on the Tithe map is simplified with the use of a split screen enabling the boundary of enclosed land to be compared

The enclosed land where the summit of this hill is situated is given the number 196 on the Tithe map, this can be cross referenced against the apportionments; it is these apportionments that give the name of the owner or occupier of the land as well as the name of the land.  The land where the summit of this hill is situated is named as Rhos yr ud (which is an anglicised version of Rhos yr Ŷd) on the Tithe map and described as Arable; it appears in the county named as Merioneth and in the parish of Llanycil.

When cross referenced in the apportionments the enclosed land is named as Rhos yr Ŷd

Therefore, the name this hill is now listed by in the 200m Twmpau is Rhos yr Ŷd, and this was derived from the Tithe map. 


The full details for the hill are:

Group:  Arenig

Name:  Rhos yr Ŷd

Previously Listed Name:  Y Fedw 

Summit Height:  298.8m (converted to OSGM15)

OS 1:50,000 map:  125

Summit Grid Reference:  SH 90324 34367 

Drop:  30.3m (converted to OSGM15)


My thanks to Aled Williams for his help in studying this name on the Tithe map


Myrddyn Phillips (July 2017)






Mapping Mountains - Significant Name Changes - 200m Twmpau

Mynydd Ketch (SJ 152 194) - 15th significant name change

Survey post for Mynydd Ketch


There has been a Significant Name Change to a hill that is listed in the 200m Twmpauwith the summit height and drop of the hill being confirmed by a Trimble GeoXH 6000 survey which took place on the 9th April 2017.

The criteria for the list that this name change applies to are:

200m Twmpau - All Welsh hills at and above 200m and below 300m in height that have 30m minimum drop, with the word Twmpau being an acronym standing for thirty welsh metre prominences and upward.

The hill is adjoined to the Y Berwyn range, this group of hills is situated in the south-eastern part of North Wales (Region A, Sub-Region A4), and is positioned above the A 490 road and the town of Llanfyllin which are to its south and west respectively. 

The summit of Mynydd Ketch (SJ 152 194)

The hill appeared in the 200m P30 list on Geoff Crowder’s v-g.me website under the name Brynelltyn.  During my early hill listing I paid little regard to name placement on a map, or the meaning of names and to what feature the name was appropriately applied to.  Therefore I prioritised names for listing purposes that I now understand are either inappropriate or where another name is viewed as being more appropriate, and Brynelltyn is such an example, and in the case of this hill it was the daughter of the local farmer who works the land the summit of this hill is situated on that gave the name of Mynydd Ketch. 



Brynelltyn    274m    SJ153194    125 239


The local farmer’s daughter is Nia Compton who is aged in her 50s and was born in Llanfyllin, Nia’s great grandfather was born at Ketch Farm (SJ 143 197) and her father still works the land this hill is situated on.  She explained that the hill is known as Mynydd Ketch, which is a cynefin name (see below for details on the cynefin naming system), and that the adjacent land to Mynydd Ketch is known as Mynydd Hafodunnos, with the farm house of Hafodunnos being situated at SJ 149 191.  Nia explained that the land associated with Brynelltyn is further to the south-east (roughly where the name appears on the Ordnance Survey 1:25,000 Explorer map) and that it takes in the land above Green Hall and the whole of Green Hall Park and is not a part of the hill known as Mynydd Ketch.  She also explained that George’s Walks, which is a prominent name close to the summit of this hill on the 1:25,000 Explorer map, is lower on the hill and starts from the public footpath close to Hafodunnos.  Although the hill is known as Mynydd Ketch, Nia said that it had an older name, which is Ystum Cynan, or Ystum Cynen, unfortunately she did not know which name was correct.   


Bounded land and the cynefin:

Many Welsh hills comprise bounded land that is separated either by a fence or wall; these boundaries indicate land that is adjoined to different owners or tenants.  These land boundaries have usually been in place for centuries and in the uplands of Wales they are referred to as the cynefin, or sheep-walk in English.

The sheep-walk is an English term given to enclosed land that is apportioned to a specific farm.  The Welsh term for this land is cynefin, which can be literally translated as habitat, as in that for the sheep.  The cynefin usually takes in land that is known as the mountain land of the specific farm, therefore the name given to this enclosed land is usually that of the name of the farm prefixed with the word mynydd (mountain), this land is usually given over for sheep grazing, hence the term sheep-walk.  When Ordnance Survey maps are examined one can find many examples where this form of cynefin naming system exists, with farms situated in valley’s having their name given to high mountain land and prefixed with the word mynydd.

The bounded land given over to specific farms also takes in middle ground between the higher mountain land and the lower pasture land of the valley, this is known in Welsh as the ffridd and can take in a variety of habitats including heath, moor, grassland, woodland and high pasture.  Again, when Ordnance Survey maps are examined one can find many examples of names prefixed with the word Ffridd, and its apportionment to a specific hill is dependent upon where the bounded land is situated and referring to the Tithe maps for confirmation is then advised.

It is the cynefin naming system that usually results in a hill being known by different names in opposing valleys, as in many instances the upper bounded land meet at the watershed on top of the summit ridge and therefore the same hill would be known by two different names, each name a part of a different farm’s cynefin. 

Although Nia gave the name of Ystum Cynan, or Ystum Cynen, as the older name for the hill, the cynefin name of Mynydd Ketch is being used as she did not know which of the two spellings was correct.  Therefore, the name this hill is now listed by in the 200m Twmpau is Mynydd Ketch, and this was derived from local enquiry.


The full details for the hill are:

Group:  Y Berwyn

Name:  Mynydd Ketch

Previously Listed Name:  Brynelltyn 

Summit Height:  274.2m (converted to OSGM15)

OS 1:50,000 map:  125

Summit Grid Reference:  SJ 15299 19455 

Drop:  66.2m (converted to OSGM15)



Myrddyn Phillips (May 2017)






Mapping Mountains - Significant Name Changes - 200m Twmpau

Moel Feliarth (SH 993 117) - 14th significant name change

Survey post for Moel Feliarth


There has been a Significant Name Change to a hill that is listed in the 200m Twmpauwith the height, drop and status of the hill being confirmed by a Trimble GeoXH 6000 survey which took place on the 4th April 2017.

The criteria for the list that this name change applies to are:

200m Twmpau - All Welsh hills at and above 200m and below 300m in height that have 30m minimum drop, with the word Twmpau being an acronym standing for thirty welsh metre prominences and upward.

The hill is adjoined to the Y Berwyn range, this group of hills is situated in the south-eastern part of North Wales (Region A, Sub-Region A4), and it is positioned above and to the immediate north of the A 458 road and the small community of Y Foel

Moel Feliarth (SH 993 117)

The hill appeared in the 200m P30 list on Geoff Crowder’s v-g.me website under the name Foel.  During my early hill listing I paid little regard to name placement on a map, or the meaning of names and to what feature the name was appropriately applied to.  Therefore I prioritised names for listing purposes that I now understand are either inappropriate or where another name is viewed as being more appropriate.  By using the name Foel for this hill I was conveniently using the name that appears on contemporary Ordnance Survey maps and which is now strictly given to the village immediately to the south of the hill.  


Foel    258m    SH993117    125239


During research for an appropriate name for this hill I consulted the Tithe map.  The term Tithe map is generally given to a map of a Welsh or English parish or township and which was prepared after the 1836 Tithe Commutation Act.  This act allowed tithes to be paid in cash rather than goods.  The Tithe maps gave names of owners and occupiers of land in each parish and importantly for place-name research they also included the name of enclosed land.  This enclosed land is usually based on a field system, however not every field is given a name, but many are and especially so in Wales.

Accessing information on the Tithe map is simplified with the use of a split screen enabling the boundary of enclosed land to be compared

Whilst surveying this hill I took two data sets from the area of the summit, one on the northern and one on the southern side of the summit fence that is placed in a west to east direction across the upper part of this hill.  The enclosed land where the first data set was taken from (SH 99327 11775) is given the number 1081 on the Tithe map, this can be cross referenced against the apportionments; it is these apportionments that give the name of the owner or occupier of the land as well as the name of the land.  The land where this first data set was taken is named Coed yr Hen Ffordd on the Tithe map and described as Pasture.  The enclosed land where the second data set was taken from (SH 99345 11749) and which proved to be the higher is given the number 1102 in the apportionments and named as Borfa Hir on the Tithe map and described as Pasture; these appear in the county named as Montgomery and in the parish of Llangadfan.

The land where the first data set for the Trimble was taken from is named Coed yr Hen Ffordd on the Tithe map

The land where the second and higher data set for the Trimble was taken from is named Borfa Hir on the Tithe map

However, although the Tithe map gives names for the enclosed land at the summit area of this hill, it would be more appropriate to use the name of the hill and since publication of these P30 lists on Geoff Crowder’s v-g.me website there have been a number of Ordnance Survey maps made available online, some of these are historical such as the series of Six-Inch maps on the National Library of Scotland website, whilst others are current and digitally updated such as the enlarged map hosted on the Geograph website.  Two of the historical maps now available are the Ordnance Survey Draft Surveyors map which formed the basis for the Ordnance Survey One-Inch ‘Old Series’ map, and it was the former map that gives the name of the hill as Moel Feliarth.

The Ordnance Survey Draft Surveyors map names the hill as Moel Feliarth

The Draft Surveyors maps consist of the preliminary drawings made by the Ordnance Survey’s surveyors between the 1780s and 1840 and formed the basis for the first publicly available One-Inch map.  They were drawn at scales of six inches to the mile for areas considered of particular military significance and down to two inches to the mile for other areas.  Fair copies were then produced from these preliminary drawings to one inch to the mile and then copper plates were prepared for printing.  The Draft Surveyors maps for the whole of Wales are now available online and they form an important part in the study of Welsh upland place-names as they bridge the time frame between the late 18th century and the mid-19th century when the Ordnance Survey produced their first One-Inch maps. 

The name of Moel Feliarth is substantiated by detail given in the Dictionary of the Place-Names of Wales (Hywel Wyn Owen and Richard Morgan, published by Gomer Press 2007) where on page 154 – 155 a history and explanation of the composition and the use of this name is given.

Therefore, the name this hill is now listed by in the 200m Twmpau is Moel Feliarth, and this was derived from the Ordnance Survey Draft Surveyors map and substantiated by information given in the Dictionary of the Place-Names of Wales.


The full details for the hill are:


Group:  Y Berwyn

Name:  Moel Feliarth

Previously Listed Name:  Foel 

Summit Height:  259.8m (converted to OSGM15)

OS 1:50,000 map:  125

Summit Grid Reference:  SH 99345 11749 

Drop:  34.7m (converted to OSGM15)



Myrddyn Phillips (April 2017)






Mapping Mountains - Significant Name Changes - 200m Twmpau

Cefn Nedd (SO 185 965) - 13th significant name change

Survey post for Cefn Nedd


There has been a Significant Name Change to a hill that is listed in the 200m Twmpau and Y Trechol - The Dominant Hills of Waleswith the height, drop, dominance and status of the hill being confirmed by a Trimble GeoXH 6000 survey which took place on the 9th March 2017.

The criteria for the two lists that this name change applies to are:

200m Twmpau - All Welsh hills at and above 200m and below 300m in height that have 30m minimum drop, with the word Twmpau being an acronym standing for thirty welsh metre prominences and upward.

Y Trechol - The Dominant Hills of Wales - These are the Welsh P30 hills whose prominence equal or exceed half that of their absolute height.  With the criteria for Lesser Dominant status being those addition Welsh P30 hills whose prominence is 33% or more and below 50% of their absolute height.  

The hill is adjoined to the Beacon Hill range, this group of hills is situated in the north-eastern part of Mid and West Wales (Region B, Sub-Region B1), and the hill is positioned above the B 4385 and the A 483 roads with the Afon Hafren (River Severn) between each, and has the small town of Trefaldwyn (Montgomery) to the east and the village of Aber-miwl (Abermule) to the south-west. 

The Trimble GeoXH 6000 gathering data at the summit of Cefn Nedd

The hill appeared in the 200m P30 list on Geoff Crowder’s v-g.me website under the name Goron-ddu.  During my early hill listing I paid little regard to name placement on a map, or the meaning of names and to what feature the name was appropriately applied to.  Therefore I prioritised names for listing purposes that I now understand are either inappropriate or where another name is viewed as being more appropriate, and Goron Ddu is such an example as this name has been consistently applied by the Ordnance Survey to land taking in the lower north-westerly slopes of this hill, and not necessarily to the hill itself or its summit, and importantly the placement of this name in relation to the land it is applicable to has also been substantiated by local enquiry, including with the landowner.  The former is not a practice that I now advocate as with time and inclination place-name data can be improved either by asking local people or by examining historical documents, through this form of research an appropriate name for the hill can usually be found, and in the case of this hill the name of Cefn Nedd was derived from the Tithe map.  


Goron-ddu      207m      SO185965      136  216
  

Extract from the Ordnance Survey 1:25,000 Historical map showing the placement of the name Gorun-ddu

Alan Harding was the second local farmer who substantiated the land that the name of Gorun Ddu is applicable to, and this matches the name placement on the above map, he also put me in contact with the land owner who also substantiated the placement of Gorun Ddu to be on the lower north-westerly slopes of this hill

The current Ordnance Survey 1:25,000 Explorer map is not the best for name placement

The term Tithe map is generally given to a map of a Welsh or English parish or township and which was prepared after the 1836 Tithe Commutation Act.  This act allowed tithes to be paid in cash rather than goods.  The Tithe maps gave names of owners and occupiers of land in each parish and importantly for place-name research they also included the name of enclosed land.  This enclosed land is usually based on a field system, however not every field is given a name, but many are and especially so in Wales.

The enclosed land taking in the summit is given the number 551 on the Tithe map

The enclosed land where the summit of this hill is situated is given the number 551 on the Tithe map, this can be cross referenced against the apportionments; it is these apportionments that give the name of the owner or occupier of the land as well as the name of the land.  The land where the summit of this hill is situated is named as Cefn Nedd on the Tithe map and described as Cloverley; it appears in the county named as Montgomery and in the parish of Llandysul.

When cross referenced in the apportionments the enclosed land is named as Cefn Nedd

Therefore, the name this hill is now listed by in the 200m Twmpau and Y Trechol - The Dominant Hills of Wales is Cefn Nedd, and this was derived from the Tithe map. 


The full details for the hill are:

Group:  Beacon Hill

Name:  Cefn Nedd

Previously Listed Name:  Goron-ddu 

Summit Height:  207.2m (converted to OSGM15)

OS 1:50,000 map:  136

Summit Grid Reference:  SO 18524 96503  

Drop:  89.1m (converted to OSGM15)

Dominance:  42.99%



Myrddyn Phillips (March 2017)






Mapping Mountains - Significant Name Changes - 200m Twmpau

Wood Field (SO 206 916) - 12th significant name change

Survey post for Wood Field


There has been a Significant Name Change to a hill that is listed in the 200m Twmpauwith the height, drop and status of the hill being confirmed by a Trimble GeoXH 6000 survey which took place on the 7th March 2017.

The criteria for the list that this name change applies to are:

200m Twmpau - All Welsh hills at and above 200m and below 300m in height that have 30m minimum drop, with the word Twmpau being an acronym standing for thirty welsh metre prominences and upward.

The hill is adjoined to the Beacon Hill range, this group of hills is situated in the north-eastern part of Mid and West Wales (Region B, Sub-Region B1), and is positioned above the A 489 road and the village of Sarn which are to its south, and between the larger villages of Yr Ystog (Churchstoke) to the east north-east and Ceri (Kerry) to the west south-west. 

Wood Field (SO 206 916)

The hill appeared in the 200m P30 list on Geoff Crowder’s v-g.me website under the name Gwern-y-go, with an accompanying note stating; Name from wood to the East.  During my early hill listing I thought it appropriate to either invent a name for a hill, or use a name that appeared near to the summit of the hill on Ordnance Survey maps of the day.  My preference was to use farm names and put PenBryn or Moel in front of them and in this instance, use the name of the wood that is situated on the eastern side of the hill and exclude the word Wood from that given to the hill.  This is not a practice that I now advocate as with time and inclination place-name data can be improved either by asking local people or by examining historical documents, through this form of research an appropriate name for the hill can usually be found, and in the case of this hill it was the Tithe map where the name Wood Field was derived from.  


Gwern-y-go239mSO206916137216Included by contour configuration. Name from wood to the East.


The term Tithe map is generally given to a map of a Welsh or English parish or township and which was prepared after the 1836 Tithe Commutation Act.  This act allowed tithes to be paid in cash rather than goods.  The Tithe maps gave names of owners and occupiers of land in each parish and importantly for place-name research they also included the name of enclosed land.  This enclosed land is usually based on a field system, however not every field is given a name, but many are and especially so in Wales.

The enclosed land is given the number R64 on the Tithe map

The enclosed land where the summit of this hill is situated is given the number R64 on the Tithe map, this can be cross referenced against the apportionments; it is these apportionments that give the name of the owner or occupier of the land as well as the name of the land.  The land where the summit of this hill is situated is named as Wood Field on the Tithe map and described as Pasture; it appears in the county named as Montgomery and in the parish of Ceri.

When cross referenced in the apportionments the enclosed land is named as Wood Field

Therefore, the name this hill is now listed by in the 200m Twmpau is Wood Field, and this was derived from the Tithe map. 


The full details for the hill are:

Group:  Beacon Hill

Name:  Wood Field

Previously Listed Name:  Gwern-y-go 

Summit Height:  238.6m (converted to OSGM15)

OS 1:50,000 map:  137

Summit Grid Reference:  SO 20602 91617  

Drop:  31.5m (converted to OSGM15)



Myrddyn Phillips (March 2017)







Mapping Mountains - Significant Name Changes - 200m Twmpau

Cribyn (SO 198 917) - 11th significant name change

Survey post for Cribyn


There has been a Significant Name Change to a hill that is listed in the 200m Twmpauwith the summit height of the hill being confirmed by a Trimble GeoXH 6000 survey which took place on the 7th March 2017.

The criteria for the list that this name change applies to are:

200m Twmpau - All Welsh hills at and above 200m and below 300m in height that have 30m minimum drop, with the word Twmpau being an acronym standing for thirty welsh metre prominences and upward.

The hill is adjoined to the Beacon Hill range, this group of hills is situated in the north-eastern part of Mid and West Wales (Region B, Sub-Region B1), and is positioned above the A 489 road and the village of Sarn which are to its south-east, and between the larger villages of Yr Ystog (Churchstoke) to the east north-east and Ceri (Kerry) to the west south-west.  

Cribyn (SO 198 917)

The hill appeared in the 200m P30 list on Geoff Crowder’s v-g.me website under the name Cefnyberin, with an accompanying note stating; Name from buildings to the North-West & South.  During my early hill listing I thought it appropriate to either invent a name for a hill, or use a name that appeared near to the summit of the hill on Ordnance Survey maps of the day.  My preference was to use farm names and put PenBryn or Moel in front of them and in this instance, use the name of a near farm and exclude the word IsafLittle and Great, as in: Cefnyberin IsafLittle Cefnyberin and Great Cefnyberin, all of which are names given to three farms near this hill.  This is not a practice that I now advocate as with time and inclination place-name data can be improved either by asking local people or by examining historical documents, through this form of research an appropriate name for the hill can usually be found, and in the case of this hill it was a local farmer who gave the name the Cribyn.  


Cefnyberin
241m
136
214/216
Name from buildings to the North-West & South
  

The local farmer is Mark Bufton who farms from Cefnyberin which is to the immediate south of the hill.  Although the summit of this hill is not on Mark’s land he has farmed the southerly land of this hill for the past 17 years.  Mark is not a Welsh speaker and did not know the meaning of the name he gave for the hill, he spelt the hill’s name as the Cribben, this is an anglicised version of the Welsh word Cribyn, which can be translated as little crest, and when visiting the summit of this hill its small summit ridge extends northward, in affect this is its little crest.

Mark Bufton with the Cribyn in the background

Therefore, the name this hill is now listed by in the 200m Twmpau is the Cribyn, and this name was derived from local enquiry. 


The full details for the hill are:

Group:  Beacon Hill

Name:  Cribyn

Previously Listed Name:  Cefnyberin 

Summit Height:  241.5m (converted to OSGM15)

OS 1:50,000 map:  136

Summit Grid Reference:  SO 19882 91763  

Drop:  39m



Myrddyn Phillips (March 2017)






Mapping Mountains - Significant Name Changes - 200m Twmpau

Garreg Mountain (SJ 133 782) - 10th significant name change

Survey post for Garreg Mountain


There has been a Significant Name Change to a hill that is listed in the 200m Twmpau, and the following details are in respect of a hill that was surveyed with the Trimble GeoXH 6000 on the 23rd January 2016.

The criteria for the list that this name change applies to are:

200m Twmpau - All Welsh hills at and above 200m and below 300m in height that have 30m minimum drop, with the word Twmpau being an acronym standing for thirty welsh metre prominences and upward.

The hill is a part of the Bryniau Clwyd range, which is an extensive group of hills situated in the north-eastern part of north Wales, and it is positioned between the small communities of Trelogan and Berthengam to the north-west, Chwitffordd (Whitford) to the east and Gorsedd to the south-east.

The Trimble GeoXH 6000 gathering data at the summit of Garreg Mountain

The hill appeared in the 200m P30 list on Geoff Crowder’s v-g.me website under the partly invented name Pen Coed y Garreg, with an accompanying note stating; Name from wood at the summit.  During my early hill listing I thought it appropriate to either invent a name for a hill, or use a name that appeared near to the summit of the hill on Ordnance Survey maps of the day.  My preference was to use farm names and put PenBryn or Moel in front of them or as in this instance, use the name of the wood at the summit of the hill and prefix it with the word Pen.  This is not a practice that I now advocate as with research either conducted locally or historically an appropriate name for the hill can usually be found.    


Pen Coed y Garreg
    248m
    SJ133783
    116
  265
    Name from wood at the summit
   

Since publication of these P30 lists on Geoff Crowder’s v-g.me website there have been a number of Ordnance Survey maps made available online, some of these are historical such as the series of Six-Inch maps on the National Library of Scotland website, whilst others are current and digitally updated such as the enlarged map hosted on the Geograph website.  Two of the historical maps now available are the Ordnance Survey Draft Surveyors map which formed the basis for the Ordnance Survey One-Inch ‘Old Series’ map, and it was these maps that name the hill as Garreg Mountain.

Extract from the Ordnance Survey Draft Surveyors map

Extract from the Ordnance Survey One-Inch 'Old Series' map

The Draft Surveyors maps consist of the preliminary drawings made by the Ordnance Survey’s surveyors between the 1780s and 1840 and formed the basis for the first publicly available One-Inch map.  They were drawn at scales of six inches to the mile for areas considered of particular military significance and down to two inches to the mile for other areas.  Fair copies were then produced from these preliminary drawings to one inch to the mile and then copper plates were prepared for printing.  The Draft Surveyors maps for the whole of Wales are now available online and they form an important part in the study of Welsh upland place-names as they bridge the time frame between the late 18th century and the mid-19th century when the Ordnance Survey produced their first One-Inch maps. 

The One-Inch ‘Old Series’ was the first map that Ordnance Survey published, and  they were based on the preceding Draft Surveyors map.  Their publication culminated from the whole of Britain being surveyed between 1791 and 1874 and the detail gathered therein produced at a scale of one inch to the mile and published in sheet format between 1805 and 1874.  The One-Inch ‘Old Series’ maps for the whole of Wales are now available online; they are also available in map format as enlarged and re-projected versions to match the scale and dimensions of the Ordnance Survey 1:50,000 Landranger series and are published by Cassini.  This series of maps forms another important part in the study of Welsh upland place-names and bridge the time frame leading to the production of the Ordnance Survey base map of the Six-Inch series.

Therefore the name this hill is now listed by in the 200m Twmpau is Garreg Mountain, and this was derived from the Ordnance Survey Draft Surveyors map and the Ordnance Survey One-Inch ‘Old Series’ map.  This mapping became publicly available after the original P30 lists were published on Geoff Crowder’s v-g.me website.



The full details for the hill are:

Group:  Bryniau Clwyd

Name:  Garreg Mountain

Previously Listed Name:  Pen Coed y Garreg 

Summit Height:  247.1m (converted to OSGM15)

OS 1:50,000 map:  116

Summit Grid Reference:  SJ 13361 78264 

Drop:  c 53m



Myrddyn Phillips (October 2016)






Mapping Mountains - Significant Name Changes - 200m Twmpau

Bwlch Clump (SJ 170 108) - 9th significant name change

Survey post for Bwlch Clump

Hill Reclassifications post for Bwlch Clump

Summit Relocations post for Bwlch Clump


There has been a Significant Name Change to a hill that is listed in the 200m Twmpau, and the following details are in respect of a hill that was surveyed with the Trimble GeoXH 6000 on the 20th January 2016.

The criteria for the list that this name change applies to are:

200m Twmpau - All Welsh hills at and above 200m and below 300m in height that have 30m minimum drop, with an accompanying sub category entitled the 200m Sub-Twmapu being all Welsh hills at and above 200m and below 300m in height that have 20m and more and below 30m of drop, with the word Twmpau being an acronym standing for thirty welsh metre prominences and upward.

The hill is a part of the Carnedd Wen range, which is an extensive group of hills situated in the southern part of north Wales, and it is positioned between the small community of Meifod to its north-west and Cegidfa (Guilsfield) to its east.

Bwlch Clump (SJ 170 108)

The hill appeared in the 200m P30 list on Geoff Crowder’s v-g.me website under the partly invented name Pen y Bryn Wood, with an accompanying note stating; Name from wood to the North-East.  During my early hill listing I thought it appropriate to either invent a name for a hill, or use a name that appeared near to the summit of the hill on Ordnance Survey maps of the day.  My preference was to use farm names and put PenBryn or Moel in front of them or as in this instance, use the name of the wood to the north-east of the summit and prefix it with the words Pen y.  This is not a practice that I now advocate as with research either conducted locally or historically an appropriate name for the hill can usually be found.    


Pen y Bryn Wood
    262m
    SJ174109
    125
  239
    Name from wood to the North-East
   

Since publication of these P30 lists on Geoff Crowder’s v-g.me website there have been a number of Ordnance Survey maps made available online, some of these are historical such as the series of Six-Inch maps on the National Library of Scotland website, whilst others are current and digitally updated such as the enlarged map hosted on the Geograph website, and it was the combination of these two maps that confirmed that Bwlch Clump is the name of this hill. 

Extract from the series of Ordnance Survey Six-Inch maps

Extract from the Ordnance Survey enlarged map on the Geograph website

Therefore the name this hill is now listed by in the 200m Twmpau is Bwlch Clump, and this was derived from the series of Ordnance Survey Six-Inch maps and the Ordnance Survey enlarged mapping hosted on the Geograph website.  With the latter mapping only becoming publicly available after the original P30 lists were published on Geoff Crowder's v-g.me website.



The full details for the hill are:

Group:  Carnedd Wen

Name:  Bwlch Clump

Previously Listed Name:  Pen y Bryn Wood 

Summit Height:  263.9m (converted to OSGM15)

OS 1:50,000 map:  125

Summit Grid Reference:  SJ 17063 10813 

Drop:  29.1m (converted to OSGM15)



Myrddyn Phillips (October 2016)






Mapping Mountains - Significant Name Changes - 200m Twmpau

Bank Wood (SJ 171 115) - 8th significant name change

Survey post for Bank Wood


There has been a Significant Name Change to a hill that is listed in the 200m Twmpau, and the following details are in respect of a hill that was surveyed with the Trimble GeoXH 6000 on the 20th January 2016.

The criteria for the list that this name change applies to are:

200m Twmpau - All Welsh hills at and above 200m and below 300m in height that have 30m minimum drop, with the word Twmpau being an acronym standing for thirty welsh metre prominences and upward.

The hill is a part of the Carnedd Wen range, which is an extensive group of hills situated in the southern part of north Wales.  The hill is positioned between the small community of Meifod to its north-west and Cegidfa (Guilsfield) to its east.

Bank Wood (SJ 171 115)

The hill appeared in the 200m P30 list on Geoff Crowder’s v-g.me website under the partly invented name Bank Wood Top, with an accompanying note stating; Name from wood to the North-East.  

Bank Wood Top
  268m
   SJ171115
   125
  239
   Name from wood to the North-East
    
During my early hill listing I thought it appropriate to either invent a name for a hill, or use a name that appeared near to the summit of the hill on Ordnance Survey maps of the day.  My preference was to use farm names and put PenBryn or Moel in front of them or as in this instance, use the name of the wood which extends and takes in the summit of this hill and add the word Top.  This is not a practice that I now advocate as with research either conducted locally or historically an appropriate name for the hill can usually be found. 

As an appropriate name for this hill already exists on Ordnance Survey 1:25,000 Explorer maps, the use of the invented word of Top is unnecessary, therefore the name this hill is now listed by in the 200m Twmpau is Bank Wood.

The full details for the hill are:

Group:  Carnedd Wen

Name:  Bank Wood

Previously Listed Name:  Bank Wood Top 

Summit Height:  266.8m (converted to OSGM15)

OS 1:50,000 map:  125

Summit Grid Reference:  SJ 17129 11574  

Drop:  40.1m (converted to OSGM15)



Myrddyn Phillips (October 2016)






Mapping Mountains - Significant Name Changes - 200m Twmpau

Broniarth (SJ 160 117) - 7th significant name change

Survey post for Broniarth


There has been a Significant Name Change to a hill that is listed in the 200m Twmpau, and the following details are in respect of a hill that was surveyed with the Trimble GeoXH 6000 on the 20th January 2016.

The criteria for the list that this name change applies to are:

200m Twmpau - All Welsh hills at and above 200m and below 300m in height that have 30m minimum drop, with the word Twmpau being an acronym standing for thirty welsh metre prominences and upward.

The hill is a part of the Carnedd Wen range, which is an extensive group of hills situated in the southern part of north Wales.  It is positioned above Dyffryn Meifod and the Afon Efyrnwy (River Vyrnwy) to the north-west, with the small community of Meifod situated to the north north-west.

Broniarth (SJ 160 117)
The hill appeared in the 200m P30 list on Geoff Crowder’s v-g.me website under the name of Cobham’s Garden, which is a name that appeared close to the summit of the hill on Ordnance Survey maps of the day.  During my early hill listing I paid little regard to name placement on a map, or the meaning of names and to what feature the name was appropriately applied to.  Therefore I prioritised names for listing purposes that I now understand are inappropriate, and Cobham’s Garden is such an example as this name is applicable to a small patch of land to the west south-west of the summit of this hill, and although it can be appropriate to use the main named feature of a hill when naming it for listing purposes, in this instance the hill has its own name, and this is Broniarth.  


Cobham's Garden
    270c
    SJ161118
    125
  239
     

Since publication of these P30 lists on Geoff Crowder’s v-g.me website there have been a number of Ordnance Survey maps made available online, some of these are historical such as the series of Six-Inch maps on the National Library of Scotland website, whilst others are current and digitally updated such as the enlarged map on the Geograph website.  One of the historical maps now available is the Ordnance Survey Draft Surveyors map which formed the basis for the first publicly available Ordnance Survey One-Inch ‘Old Series’ map, and it was the Draft Surveyors map coupled with detail from other Ordnance Survey maps, as well as the Tithe map and also local enquiry that formed the basis for the change in this hill’s listed name.

The Draft Surveyors maps consist of the preliminary drawings made by the Ordnance Survey’s surveyors between the 1780s and 1840 and formed the basis for the first publicly available One-Inch map.  They were drawn at scales of six inches to the mile for areas considered of particular military significance and down to two inches to the mile for other areas.  Fair copies were then produced from these preliminary drawings to one inch to the mile and then copper plates were prepared for printing.  The Draft Surveyors maps for the whole of Wales are now available online and they form an important part in the study of Welsh upland place-names as they bridge the time frame between the late 18th century and the mid-19th century when the Ordnance Survey produced their first One-Inch maps. 

Extract from the Ordnance Survey Draft Surveyors map

The name this hill is now listed by is Broniarth and the land that this name is applicable to was confirmed via the Tithe map.  The term Tithe map is generally given to a map of a Welsh or English parish or township and which was prepared after the 1836 Tithe Commutation Act.  This act allowed tithes to be paid in cash rather than goods.  The Tithe maps gave names of owners and occupiers of land in each parish and importantly for place-name research they also included the name of enclosed land.  This enclosed land is usually based on a field system, however not every field is given a name, but many are and especially so in Wales.

Assessing information on the Tithe map is simplified by the use of a split screen enabling the summit to be pinpointed on the map on the right and for the same point to appear on the Tithe map on the left

An overlay facility enables direct comparison between the Tithe map and the current map

The enclosed land is given a number which can be cross referenced against the apportionments; it is these apportionments that give the name of the owner or occupier of the land as well as the name of the land.  However, in this instance the land where the summit of this hill is situated is on common land and named as Broniarth Common; it appears in the county named as Montgomery and in the parish of Guilsfield.

Extract from the Ordnance Survey One-Inch 'Old Series' map

There are many maps that are now available online and these give the opportunity to compare the composition of a hill’s name and in the instance of Broniarth this can be followed from the Draft Surveyors map, through the Tithe map, to the Ordnance Survey One-Inch ‘Old Series’ map and to contemporary Ordnance Survey 1:25,000 Explorer maps.  There are of course many other maps also available for this form of comparison, but the study of the ones mentioned above can give us inkling to how this hill’s name was represented through the ages and this is depicted below:

Tithe Map:  Broniarth Common

Ordnance Survey Draft Surveyors map:  Broniarth

Ordnance Survey One-Inch ‘Old Series’ map:  Broniarth Hills

Ordnance Survey 1:25,000 Explorer map:  Not named 


Extract from the current Ordnance Survey 1:25,000 Explorer map

Therefore, the name this hill is now listed by in the 200m Twmpau is Broniarth and this was derived from a number of sources, including the Tithe map for consideration of what land the name applied to, the Ordnance Survey Draft Surveyors and One-Inch ‘Old Series’ maps for confirmation of the name, and also through local enquiry.


The full details for the hill are:

Group:  Carnedd Wen

Name:  Broniarth

Previously Listed Name:  Cobham’s Garden 

Summit Height:  279.2m (converted to OSGM15)

OS 1:50,000 map:  125

Summit Grid Reference:  SJ 16075 11772 

Drop:  53.3m (converted to OSGM15)



Myrddyn Phillips (October 2016)







Mapping Mountains - Significant Name Changes - 200m Twmpau

Flat Field (SJ 198 136) - 6th significant name change

Survey post for Flat Field


There has been a Significant Name Change to a hill that is listed in the 200m Twmpau, and the following details are in respect of a hill that was surveyed with the Trimble GeoXH 6000 on the 8th August 2015.

The criteria for the list that this name change affects are:

200m Twmpau - All Welsh hills at and above 200m and below 300m in height that have 30m minimum drop, with the word Twmpau being an acronym standing for thirty welsh metre prominences and upward.

The hill is a part of the Carnedd Wen range, which is an extensive group of hills situated in the southern part of north Wales.  It is positioned between the small community of Meifod to its west and the village of Cegidfa (Guilsfield) to its south-east and is part of the area known as Pentre’r beirdd.

The Trimble GeoXH 6000 gathering data at the summit of Flat Field

The hill appeared in the 200m P30 list on Geoff Crowder’s v-g.me website under an invented name of Bryn Pentre’r-beirdd, with an accompanying note stating; Name from buildings to the West.  During my early hill listing I thought it appropriate to either invent a name for a hill, or use a name that appeared near to the summit of the hill on Ordnance Survey maps of the day.  My preference was to use farm names and put Pen, Bryn or Moel in front of them.  This is not a practice that I now advocate as with research either conducted locally or historically an appropriate name for the hill can usually be found.


Bryn Pentre'r-beirdd
   234m
    SJ198136
    125
  239
    Name from buildings to the West


The name this hill is now listed by is Flat Field, and this was derived from the Tithe map.  The term Tithe map is generally given to a map of a Welsh or English parish or township and which was prepared after the 1836 Tithe Commutation Act.  This act allowed tithes to be paid in cash rather than goods.  The Tithe maps gave names of owners and occupiers of land in each parish and importantly for place-name research they also included the name of enclosed land.  This enclosed land is usually based on a field system, however not every field is given a name, but many are and especially so in Wales.

Accessing information on the Tithe map is simplified by the use of a split screen enabling the bounded land as it appears today on the map on the right to be compared to how it was enclosed during the time of the Tithe map on the left

The enclosed land where the summit of Flat Field is situated is given the number 563 on the Tithe map, this can be cross referenced against the apportionments; it is these apportionments that give the name of the owner or occupier of the land as well as the name of the land.  The land where the summit of this hill is situated is named as Flat Field and is described as Arable; it appears in the county named as Montgomery and in the parish of Guilsfield, with the adjacent bounded land to the west which now forms part of the same field given the number 562 on the Tithe map and the name Coppice Field in the apportionments.  Importantly it is the land of Flat Field that takes in the summit of this hill and not that of Coppice Field.

The land where the summit of this hill is situated is named as Flat Field on the Tithe map


The full details for the hill are:

Group:  Carnedd Wen

Name:  Flat Field

Previously Listed Name:  Bryn Pentre’r-beirdd 

Summit Height:  234.0m (converted to OSGM15)

OS 1:50,000 map:  125

Summit Grid Reference:  SJ 19845 13602
  
Drop:  41m



Myrddyn Phillips (August 2016)







Mapping Mountains - Significant Name Changes - 200m Twmpau

Cae Hir (SO 141 964) - 5th significant name change

Survey post for Cae Hir


There has been a Significant Name Change to a hill that is listed in the 200m Twmpauand the following details are in respect of a hill that was surveyed with the Trimble GeoXH 6000 on the 11st January 2015.

The criteria for the list that this name change affects are:

200m Twmpau - All Welsh hills at and above 200m and below 300m in height that have 30m minimum drop, with the word Twmpau being an acronym standing for thirty welsh metre prominences and upward.

The hill is a part of the Carnedd Wen range, which is an extensive group of hills situated in the southern part of north Wales, and is positioned to the east of the small community of Betws Cedewain and to the west of the Afon Hafren (River Severn).

The Trimble GeoXH 6000 gathering data at the summit of Cae Hir

The hill appeared in the 200m P30 list on Geoff Crowder’s v-g.me website under an invented name of Moel Pencaenion, with an accompanying note stating; Name from buildings to the South, with Pencaenion being the name of a farm.  During my early hill listing I thought it appropriate to invent a name for a hill if no name seemed to appear for it on Ordnance Survey maps of the day.  My preference was to use farm names and put PenBryn or Moel in front of them.  This is not a practice that I now advocate as with research either conducted locally or historically an appropriate name for the hill can usually be found.


Moel Pencaenion
      299m
      SO141964
      136
  215
      Clem/Yeaman. Twin top. Name from buildings to the South.


The name this hill is now listed by is Cae Hir, and this was derived from the Tithe map.  The term Tithe map is generally given to a map of a Welsh or English parish or township and which was prepared after the 1836 Tithe Commutation Act.  This act allowed tithes to be paid in cash rather than goods.  The Tithe maps gave names of owners and occupiers of land in each parish and importantly for place-name research they also included the name of enclosed land.  This enclosed land is usually based on a field system, however not every field is given a name, but many are and especially so in Wales.

Accessing information on the Tithe map is simplified by the use of a split screen enabling the summit to be pinpointed on the map on the right and for the same point to appear on the Tithe map on the left

A close up of the enclosed land on the Tithe map with C. 122 indicating where the summit of this hill is situated

The enclosed land where the summit of Cae Hir is situated is given the number c. 122 on the Tithe map, this can be cross referenced against the apportionments; it is these apportionments that give the name of the owner or occupier of the land as well as the name of the land.  The land where the summit of this hill is situated is named as Cae Hir on the Tithe map and is described as Arable; it appears in the county named as Montgomery and in the parish of Betws Cedewain.

The land where the summit of this hill is situated is named Cae hir on the Tithe map


The full details for the hill are:

Group:  Carnedd Wen

Name:  Cae Hir

Previously Listed Name:  Moel Pencaenion 

Summit Height:  296.4m (converted to OSGM15)

OS 1:50,000 map:  136

Summit Grid Reference:  SO 14104 96457 

Drop:  100.9m (converted to OSGM15)



Myrddyn Phillips (July 2016)






Mapping Mountains - Significant Name Changes - 200m Twmpau

Ffridd (SJ 084 141) - 4th significant name change

Survey post for Ffridd


There has been a Significant Name Change to a hill that is listed in the 200m Twmpauwith the following details relating to a hill that was surveyed with the Trimble GeoXH 6000 on the 13th December 2014.

The criteria for the list that this name change affects are:

200m Twmpau The word Twmpau is an acronym standing for thirty welsh metre prominences and upward, and the criteria for the 200m height band of hills within the overall Twmpau are; all Welsh hills at and above 200m and below 300m in height that have 30m minimum drop,  with an accompanying sub category entitled the 200m Sub-Twmapu with these being all Welsh hills at and above 200m and below 300m in height that have 20m and more and below 30m of drop. 

The hill is situated in the Y Berwyn, which is an extensive hill range in the south-eastern part of north Wales, and is positioned between the small communities of Dolanog to the south-west; Pontrobert to the south-east and Llanfihangel-yng-Ngwynfa to the north and it overlooks the Afon Efyrnwy (River Vyrnwy) to the south.

The Trimble GeoXH 6000 gathering data at the summit of Ffridd

The hill appeared in the Sub List that accompanied the 200m P30 list on Geoff Crowder’s v-g.me website and its status as a 200m Sub-Twmpau was confirmed by the survey with the Trimble GeoXH 6000.  The hill appeared in this Sub List under the name of Penygorddyn, this name appears closest to this listed hill’s summit but strictly applies to a 274m map heighted hill at SJ 081 140 whose summit area comprises a banked and possibly ditched hilltop enclosure that is now immersed in a conifer plantation.  During my early hill listing I used the map name that appeared closest to the summit of the listed hill, without due consideration for its positional value, doing so can perpetuate the use of inappropriate names.  This is not a practice that I now advocate as with research either conducted locally or historically an appropriate name for the hill can usually be found.


Penygorddyn
    296m
    SJ084141
    125
    239


The name this hill is now listed by is Ffridd and this was derived from the Tithe map.  The term Tithe map is generally given to a map of a Welsh or English parish or township and which was prepared after the 1836 Tithe Commutation Act.  This act allowed tithes to be paid in cash rather than goods.  The Tithe maps gave names of owners and occupiers of land in each parish and importantly for place-name research they also included the name of enclosed land.  This enclosed land is usually based on a field system, however not every field is given a name, but many are and especially so in Wales.

Accessing information on the Tithe map is simplified by the use of a split screen enabling the summit to be pinpointed on the map on the right and for the same point to appear on the Tithe map on the left

The land where the summit of this hill is situated is named as Frydd on the Tithe map

The enclosed land where the summit of Ffridd is situated is given the number 1005 on the Tithe map, this can be cross referenced against the apportionments; it is these apportionments that give the name of the owner or occupier of the land as well as the name of the land.  The land where the summit of this hill is situated is named Frydd [sic] (Ffridd conforming to standard modern Welsh) on the Tithe map, and it appears in the county named as Montgomery and in the parish of Llanfihangel-yng-Ngwynfa.



The full details for the hill are:

Group:  Y Berwyn

Name:  Ffridd

Previously Listed Name:  Penygorddyn

Summit Height:  295.9m (converted to OSGM15)

OS 1:50,000 map:  125

Summit Grid Reference:  SJ 08441 14114 

Drop:  29.1m (converted to OSGM15)



Myrddyn Phillips (July 2016)






Mapping Mountains - Significant Name Changes - 200m Twmpau

Y Frochas (SJ 194 083) - 3rd significant name change

Survey post for Y Frochas


There has been a Significant Name Change to a hill that is listed in the 200m Twmpauwith the following details relating to a hill that was surveyed with the Trimble GeoXH 6000 on the 20th August 2014.

The criteria for the list that this name change affects are:

200m Twmpau The word Twmpau is an acronym standing for thirty welsh metre prominences and upward, and the criteria for the 200m height band of hills within the overall Twmpau are; all Welsh hills at and above 200m and below 300m in height that have 30m minimum drop,  with an accompanying sub category entitled the 200m Sub-Twmapu with these being all Welsh hills at and above 200m and below 300m in height that have 20m and more and below 30m of drop. 

The hill is part of the Carnedd Wen range, which is an extensive group of hills situated in the southern part of north Wales, and it is positioned to the west and south-west of the towns of Y Trallwng (Welshpool) and Cegidfa (Guilsfield) respectively.

The Trimble GeoXH 6000 gathering data at the summit of Y Frochas

The hill appeared in the Sub List that accompanied the 200m P30 list on Geoff Crowder’s v-g.me website and its status as a 200m Sub-Twmpau was confirmed by the survey with the Trimble GeoXH 6000.  The hill appeared in this Sub List under an invented name; Bryn y Frochas, with an accompanying note stating; Name from surrounding district.  This invented name was based on the name of Y Frochas which appeared nearest to this hill’s summit on Ordnance Survey maps of the day.  During my early hill listing I thought it appropriate to invent a name for a hill if no name seemed to appear for it on Ordnance Survey maps.  My preference was to use the nearest name to the summit on the map and put PenBryn or Moel in front of it.  This is not a practice that I now advocate as with research either conducted locally or historically an appropriate name for the hill can usually be found.


Bryn y Frochas
    250c
    SJ195083
    125
  216/239
    Name from surrounding district


The name this hill is now listed by is Y Frochas and this was derived from a notice on the fence leading onto the land where the summit of the hill is situated, and which was later confirmed by a Commons Registration Act document dating from 1965 forwarded to me by Aled Williams, as well as information on the Tithe map.  The term Tithe map is generally given to a map of a Welsh or English parish or township and which was prepared after the 1836 Tithe Commutation Act.  This act allowed tithes to be paid in cash rather than goods.  The Tithe maps gave names of owners and occupiers of land in each parish and importantly for place-name research they also included the name of enclosed land.  This enclosed land is usually based on a field system, however not every field is given a name, but many are and especially so in Wales.

The Countryside Council for Wales notice on the fence leading to Y Frochas

Accessing information on the Tithe map is simplified by the use of a split screen enabling the summit to be pinpointed on the map on the right and for the same point to appear on the Tithe map on the left

The enclosed land is given a number which can be cross referenced against the apportionments; it is these apportionments that give the name of the owner or occupier of the land as well as the name of the land.  However, in this instance the land where the summit of this hill is situated is on common land and named as Frocas Common; it appears in the county named as Montgomery and in the parish of Castell Caereinion.  The name of the hill is also given as Frochas Common, with the inclusion of the ‘h’ on the Tithe map to the Llanerchydol Township, in the lower division of the Parish of Pool.

Therefore the name this hill is now listed by in the 200m Twmpau is Y Frochas and this was derived from a number of sources including a Commons Registration Act document.


The full details for the hill are:

Group:  Carnedd Wen

Name:  Y Frochas

Previously Listed Name:  Bryn y Frochas  

Summit Height:  250.7m (converted to OSGM15)

OS 1:50,000 map:  125

Summit Grid Reference:  SJ 19469 08313
  
Drop:  27.3m (converted to OSGM15)



Myrddyn Phillips (July 2016)







Mapping Mountains - Significant Name Changes - 200m Twmpau

Y Golfa (SJ 173 073) - 2nd significant name change

Survey post for Y Golfa


There has been a Significant Name Change to a hill that is listed in the 200m Twmpauwith the following details relating to a hill that was surveyed with the Trimble GeoXH 6000 on the 20th August 2014.

The criteria for the list that this name change affects are:

200m Twmpau The word Twmpau is an acronym standing for thirty welsh metre prominences and upward, and the criteria for the 200m height band of hills within the overall Twmpau are; all Welsh hills at and above 200m and below 300m in height that have 30m minimum drop,  with an accompanying sub category entitled the 200m Sub-Twmapu with these being all Welsh hills at and above 200m and below 300m in height that have 20m and more and below 30m of drop. 

The hill is part of the Carnedd Wen group of hills, which are situated in the southern part of north Wales, and it is positioned to the north of the A 458 road that heads west toward the coast from Y Trallwng (Welshpool).

Y Golfa (SJ 173 073)

The Welsh P30 lists that were published on Geoff Crowder's v-g.me website had accompanying sub lists entitled; Hills to be Surveyed.  This Sub-List included all known hills that when surveyed may have sufficient prominence to be included in the main P30 list, this was based on map detail with Ordnance Survey spot heights taken at face value, therefore a hill with a 250m summit and a 231m bwlch spot height was not included in the Sub-List as with a 29m prominence it was deemed not to have a chance of inclusion in the main P30 list.  I now know that Ordnance Survey spot heights have a +/- 3m margin of uncertainty applicable to them and therefore the Sub-Twmpau list has been standardised to include all hills that have 20m and more and below 30m of drop.

As this hill’s detail on Ordnance Survey maps did not meet the criteria for inclusion in the Hills to be Surveyed Sub-List, the first time this hill was categorised was in an unpublished format when the Welsh P30 hills and their now standardised sub lists were updated, the hill was subsequently surveyed with the Trimble GeoXH 6000.  Prior to the survey with the Trimble the hill was categorised using the point (Pt. 299.8m) notation, this convention is used when an appropriate name has  not been discovered for the hill from any source rather than use a name for which there is no historical or local evidence of use.

The name this hill is now listed by is Y Golfa and this was derived from the Tithe map.  The term Tithe map is generally given to a map of a Welsh or English parish or township and which was prepared after the 1836 Tithe Commutation Act.  This act allowed tithes to be paid in cash rather than goods.  The Tithe maps gave names of owners and occupiers of land in each parish and importantly for place-name research they also included the name of enclosed land.  This enclosed land is usually based on a field system, however not every field is given a name, but many are and especially so in Wales.

The enclosed land is given a number which can be cross referenced against the apportionments; it is these apportionments that give the name of the owner or occupier of the land as well as the name of the land.  However, in this instance the land where the summit of this hill is situated is on common land and named as Golfa Common; it appears in the county named as Montgomery and in the parish of Castell Caereinion.

Accessing information on the Tithe map is simplified by the use of a split screen enabling the bounded land as it appears today on the map on the right to be compared to how it was enclosed during the time of the Tithe map on the left

The hill this post relates to has a higher adjacent hill named on current Ordnance Survey maps as Y Golfa (SJ 182 070), both summits are now a part of Welshpool Golf Club and are designated open access land.  The land named as Golfa Common on the Tithe map also takes in the higher summit now known as Y Golfa, in affect they are a part of the same hill and known by the same name.  


The full details for the hill are:

Group:  Carnedd Wen

Name:  Y Golfa

Previously Listed Name:  Pt. 299.8m

Summit Height:  299.8m (converted to OSGM15)

OS 1:50,000 map:  125

Summit Grid Reference:  SJ 17363 07344 

Drop:  26.4m (converted to OSGM15)



Myrddyn Phillips (July 2016)






Mapping Mountains - Significant Name Changes - 200m Twmpau

Gallt y Celyn (SH 811 542) - 1st significant name change

Summit survey post for Gallt y Celyn

Bwlch survey post for Gallt y Celyn

Hill Reclassifications post for Gallt y Celyn


There has been a Significant Name Change to a hill that is listed in the 200m Twmpau, and the following details are in respect of a hill whose summit was surveyed with the Trimble GeoXH 6000 on the 24th December 2013 and whose bwlch was surveyed on the 23rd February 2016. 

The hill is situated in the Mynydd Hiraethog group of hills, and is positioned to the north of the Afon Conwy and the A5 road and between the towns of Betws-y-coed to its north-west, Pentrefoelas to its south-east and Llanrwst to its north.

The Trimble GeoXH 6000 gathering data at the summit of Gallt y Celyn

The hill appeared in the Sub List that accompanied the 200m P30 list on Geoff Crowder’s v-g.me website and was later added to the P30 list when drop values based on interpolation were included.  It was subsequently reclassified to a 200m Sub-Twmpau based on its summit survey and finally reinstated as a 200m Twmpau after its bwlch was surveyed.

The hill originally appeared in this Sub List under an invented name of Bryn Graeanllyn, with an accompanying note stating; Name from buildings to the West.  As was my liking during my early hill listing I thought it appropriate to invent a name for a hill if no name seemed to appear for it on Ordnance Survey maps of the day.  My preference was to use farm names and put Pen, Bryn or Moel in front of them.  This is not a practice that I now advocate as with research either conducted locally or historically an appropriate name for the hill can usually be found.


Bryn Graeanllyn
    258m
    SH811542
    116
  18
    Name from buildings to the West


The name this hill is now listed by is Gallt y Celyn and this was derived from the Tithe map.  The term Tithe map is generally given to a map of a Welsh or English parish or township and which was prepared after the 1836 Tithe Commutation Act.  This act allowed tithes to be paid in cash rather than goods.  The Tithe maps gave names of owners and occupiers of land in each parish and importantly for place-name research they also included the name of enclosed land.  This enclosed land is usually based on a field system, however not every field is given a name, but many are and especially so in Wales.


The enclosed land is given the number of 2434 on the Tithe map

The enclosed land where the summit of Gallt y Celyn is situated is given the number of 2434 on the Tithe map, this can be cross referenced against the apportionments; it is these apportionments that give the name of the owner or occupier of the land as well as the name of the land.  The land where the summit of this hill is situated is named as Allotment on Gallt y Celyn and is described as Rocky Pasture; it appears in the county named as Denbigh.

When cross referenced in the apportionments the enclosed land is named as part of Gallt y Celyn

This is an example where the practice of transferring the map name given to a lower heighted hill to that of a near higher hill that is unnamed on current Ordnance Survey maps, and then using a directional name for the lower hill based on the name now given to the higher hill is foolhardy.  The details of this example appear below:


200m Twmpau:

Dinas Mawr    254.0m (converted to OSGM15) summit at SH 808 539

Gallt y Celyn    257.6m (converted to OSGM15) summit at SH 811 542


The hill at SH 808 539 is named Dinas Mawr on Ordnance Survey 1:50,000 Landranger and 1:25,000 Explorer maps, whereas that of Gallt y Celyn is unnamed on Ordnance Survey maps.  By transferring the name of the lower hill to the higher hill and then using a directional name for the lower hill, you get:


Tumps:

Dinas Mawr SW Top at SH 808 539

Dinas Mawr at SH 811 542


Both of these names are now inappropriate for the hill they are given to.  This is how these hills are currently listed in Mark Jackson’s Tumps.  If only the same amount of time were spent on place-name data when compared to the time spent on numerical data the contents within all hill lists would improve dramatically.



The full details for the hill are:

Group:  Mynydd Hiraethog

Name:  Gallt y Celyn

Previously Listed Name:  Bryn Graeanllyn 

Summit Height:  257.6m (converted to OSGM15)

OS 1:50,000 map:  116

Summit Grid Reference:  SH 81121 54259  

Drop:  30.1m (converted to OSGM15)



For details on the summit survey and the bwlch survey of Gallt y Celyn.

Myrddyn Phillips (June 2016)



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