Mapping Mountains – Trimble Surveys – Pumlumon

29.10.17  Ffridd (SN 793 991 [only bwlch surveyed SN 790 993]), Copa Shon (SN 781 993) and Pen y Graig Fawr (SN 773 996)

Pen y Graig Fawr (SN 773 996)

Occasionally I think of the early list compilers and the resource, or lack of, that they worked with, these being the Ordnance Survey One-Inch maps or the Bartholomew’s maps of the day, or if they were lucky access to the Six-Inch series of maps.  Nowadays the resource is almost unlimited with a plethora of online maps available, both contemporary and historical, these include the multitude of spot heights on the Interactive Coverage Map hosted on the Geograph website and the 5m contouring on OS Maps which is the relatively recent update to Get-a-map, these are complimented by independent surveyors producing heights that are more accurate than the mass of data available via Ordnance Survey and by analysis of LIDAR data which is causing havoc with the status of many a hill.  If your thing is hill data, we are lucky to be living in such an age.  With these various items at a list compiler’s disposal it is relatively easy to analyse a hill’s drop, however interpolation of contours is still needed, and with one of today’s hill’s I wanted to see if it’s status as a Subhump listed with 99m of drop was correct, as Ordnance Survey bwlch contouring suggested that its drop value was nearer to c 90m which is the minimum required for Subhump status.  This hill is Pen y Graig Fawr, and to add further interest it also has an equal map heighted 217m summit named Copa Shon adjacent to it.

These two summits form a part of the land to the south-east of Machynlleth and I devised a route also taking in a lower P30 whose summit is immersed in conifer plantation, this route would also take me to the critical bwlch of whatever summit proved higher, thus saving me a drive to survey this one point.

As I walked up the narrow lane toward the farm of Croeslyn which is positioned close to the critical bwlch of the higher of these two equal map summited hills, a slow moving drizzled shower crept up the valley as light grey cloud pushed southward.  Having previously analysed this bwlch from the confines of a Google car I knew the lay of land and where a gate gave access to the field where the bwlch is positioned, however when I arrived at the gate giving this access I heard and saw the local farmer in his yard at Croeslyn, if I could see him, he could see me, which wasn’t ideal for the ten minutes or so that I wanted to spend in his field.  I slithered my way over the slippery gate and quietly crept across the field adjacent to a hedge which would at least give a semblance of cover.  Thankfully the critical point lay close to the hedge and therefore I didn’t have to wander in to the centre of the field, and within a few moments the Trimble was set up gathering data.  Once 300 datum points were stored, I closed the equipment off, took a few photos, packed it away and quietly slithered back over the slippery gate.

Gathering data at the critical bwlch of Copa Shon

I gathered data from the critical bwlch of Copa Shon just in time as the cow nearest the hedge is close to where the Trimble was set up just a few minutes earlier

I then headed up the narrow lane to where it ends and turns in to a track and then footpath across the rain soaked fields toward the conifered summit of Ffridd, as I did so the morning’s stillness was interrupted by what sounded like a rutting stag, it was a cow, but a cow that was obviously a little non-plussed that only a few minutes earlier a Trimble had been in its field.  I’d noted the herd of cows in the adjacent field when gathering data, and as access between each field was through a large gap in the intervening hedge I was wary of them heading my way, they did so shortly after I left, and in a manner that sounded as if they were reclaiming their territory.

The forested summit of Ffridd (SN 793 991)

A forest ride marked as a public footpath gave access between the conifers and an unmarked ride then led up towards the high point of Ffridd.  This was relatively easily found and involved hardly any tree bashing as higher ground always indicated the way forward and two further unmarked rides eased passage, when at what I considered the summit I stood on a tree stump and took a few photos.

The summit of Ffridd

It was only a short distance out of the forest once backtracking to the public footpath, immerging out of conifers however brief a visit to their murky depths is always a welcome experience and as I did so an occasional patch of blue and a glimmer of sunlight penetrated an otherwise light grey and white sky.  Across the valley the shapely profile of the Tarren hills were on grand display with the higher Cadair Idris dominating the horizon.

The next point to survey was the connecting and critical bwlch of Ffridd which proved to be beside a drainage channel next to the continuation of the same conifer plantation that embeds its summit.  I assessed the lay of land from various directions and repeated this process until deciding on where to place the Trimble and stood back as it gathered its customary five minutes of data.

Gathering data at the critical bwlch of Ffridd

I was now on open hillside, although this did involve a number of barb wired fences and an occasion gate easing access.  It felt good to be out on hills that I had not previously visited giving different perspective upon higher hills whose summits I had visited on many an occasion.

Tarren y Gesail from the approach to Copa Shon

I followed the forest boundary for a few fields before the bulk of Copa Shon rose ahead, this hill’s summit consists of grass a couple of metres from a fence and whose highest point is easy to distinguish.  As the Trimble gathered data I stood and looked north toward the Tarennydd and their extended ridge and across to two smaller hills whose summits I hoped to visit later in the day.

Gathering data at the summit of Copa Shon

Ffridd from the summit of Copa Shon

It was only a short walk down to the connecting bwlch and its critical point was easy to pinpoint, this was beside a gate on a wet bit of mud beside grazed and closely cropped grass.  As five minutes of data were gathered I stood beside the fence leading toward the gate and scribbled down all necessary details of the survey; time started, name of hill, feature, measurement offset, datum points taken, overall time of survey, number of satellites logged and measurement uncertainty of placement.  All of this is repeated for every survey and helps in passing the waiting game.

Gathering data at the critical bwlch of Pen y Graig Fawr

Packing the Trimble away it was only a short walk to the high point of Pen y Graig Fawr which is adorned by a trig pillar with its base next to what looks like a small outcrop of flattened and embedded rock, however the high point of this rock has a suspicious looking bit of concrete on it, so these rocks may have been placed at the summit when the trig was first positioned on the hill, if so, this reduces the hill’s natural summit height as I took data aligned with the highest rock.  As data were gathered the hill’s to the south glimmered in silvery light with delicate greens and autumnal shadows casting out across the land. 

Gathering data at the summit of Pen y Graig Fawr

Delicate colour upon the hills

Once the allotted five minutes of data were stored I packed the equipment away and headed down to the fence connecting with the gate where the Trimble had gathered the last bwlch data, and continued down on a track leading back to Penegoes where my car was parked.  It had been a good four hours on the hill and I now wanted to investigate the summit, and later the bwlch, of Coed Pant y Glo (SH 767 014); another P30 which I had not previously visited.

   

Survey Result:

Ffridd (significant name change)

Bwlch Height:  172.2m (converted to OSGM15)  

Bwlch Grid Reference:  SN 79089 99337

Drop:  41m

Dominance:  19.16%

Copa Shon

Summit Height:  217.3m (converted to OSGM15, and higher summit confirmed)  

Summit Grid Reference:  SN 78108 99347

Bwlch Height:  127.9m (converted to OSGM15)

Bwlch Grid Reference:  SN 80033 98740 (bwlch position with Pen y Graig Fawr swapped)

Drop:  89.5m (Subhump status recommended to be swapped from Pen y Graig Fawr and then deleted)

Dominance:  41.16% (Lesser Dominant addition confirmed)

Pen y Graig Fawr

Summit Height:  216.8m (converted to OSGM15, and lower summit confirmed)  

Summit Grid Reference:  SN 77352 99601

Bwlch Height:  182.4m (converted to OSGM15)

Bwlch Grid Reference:  SN 77600 99583 (bwlch position with Copa Shon swapped)

Drop:  34.4m (Subhump status recommended to be swapped to Copa Shon and then deleted)

Dominance:  15.88% (Lesser Dominant deletion confirmed)

For further details please consult the Trimble Survey Spreadsheet

Mapping Mountains - Y Pedwarau - Y Cymoedd - dwyreiniol group of hills published

The Y Pedwarau list has been updated with the Y Cymoedd – dwyreiniol group of hills 

To access the Introduction to the Y Pedwarau Master List

To access the Master List for Y Pedwarau

Mapping Mountains – Hill Reclassifications – Y Trechol – The Dominant Hills of Wales

Gelli Hir (SN 999 883) – Lesser Dominant addition

There has been an addition to the listing of Y Trechol – The Dominant Hills of Wales with the summit height confirmed by a survey with the Trimble GeoXH 6000 and later substantiated by a survey with the Leica GS15, and the bwlch height later ascertained from LIDAR analysis conducted by Myrccyn Phillips, resulting in this hill being added to the Lesser  Dominant list. 

The criteria for this listing are:

Y Trechol – The Dominant Hills of Wales - Welsh P30s whose prominence equal or exceed half that of their absolute height, with the criteria for Lesser Dominant status being those additional Welsh P30s whose prominence is 33% or more and below 50% of their absolute height.

The details relating to this hill’s addition to the Lesser Dominant list are retrospective as the confirmation was dependent upon a survey with the Trimble GeoXH 6000 which was conducted by Myrddyn Phillips on the 7^th February 2014, the result was later substantiated by a survey with the Leica GS15 which was conducted by John Barnard, Graham Jackson and Myrddyn Phillips on the 2^nd May 2014.

Prior to the survey with the Trimble GeoXH 6000 this hill’s twin 308m map heighted summit of Y Gaer which is positioned at SO 01350 87380 was prioritised as being listed as a Lesser Dominant.  The survey with the Trimble separated these twin map heighted tops and resulted in the deletion of Y Gaer, and the addition of Gelli Hir to Lesser Dominant status.

The name of the hill is Gelli Hir and it is adjoined to the Pumlumon range of hills which are situated in Mid and West Wales (Region B, Sub-Region B2).  The hill has the A 470 road and the Afon Hafren (River Severn) to its east, and is positioned between the small community of Caersws to the north-east and the town of Llanidloes towards the south-west. 

As the summit of the hill is not on designated open access land permission to visit should be sought, however as a public footpath traverses this hill’s elongated and broad summit ridge in a north – south direction and passes close to the high point of the hill, common sense should prevail as a diversion to the summit is only a short distance away.

The addition of Gelli Hir to Lesser Dominant status was confirmed by a survey with the Trimble GeoXH 6000 and then substantiated by a survey with the Leica GS15, resulting in a summit height of 307.2m (converted to OSGM15) which is 0.1m higher than its twin map heighted summit of Y Gaer (SO 013 873), with LIDAR analysis giving the height of the bwlch as 182.5m, resulting in 124.7m of drop and 40.60% dominance this hill is added to the Lesser Dominant list.

The full details for the hill are:

Group:  Pumlumon

Name:  Gelli Hir

Dominance:  40.60% (Leica GS15 summit and LIDAR bwlch)

OS 1:50,000 map:  136

Summit Grid Reference:  SN 99903 88383 (Leica GS15)

Summit Height:  307.2m (converted to OSGM 15, Leica GS15)

Drop Summit to Bwlch:  124.7m (Leica GS15 summit and LIDAR bwlch)

Drop Bwlch to ODN:  182.5m (LIDAR) 

Gelli Hir (SN 999 883) is now added to the ranks of Lesser Dominant hills

For details on the survey that resulted in the addition of this hill to Lesser Dominant status

Myrddyn Phillips (December 2017)

Mapping Mountains – Hill Reclassifications – Y Trechol – The Dominant Hills of Wales

Y Gaer (SO 013 873) – Lesser Dominant deletion

There has been a deletion from the listing of Y Trechol – The Dominant Hills of Wales confirmed by a survey with the Trimble GeoXH 6000 and later substantiated by a survey with the Leica GS15, resulting in this hill being deleted from the Lesser  Dominant list. 

The criteria for this listing are:

Y Trechol – The Dominant Hills of Wales - Welsh P30s whose prominence equal or exceed half that of their absolute height, with the criteria for Lesser Dominant status being those additional Welsh P30s whose prominence is 33% or more and below 50% of their absolute height.

The details relating to this hill’s deletion from the Lesser Dominant list are retrospective as the confirmation was dependent upon a survey with the Trimble GeoXH 6000 which was conducted by Myrddyn Phillips on the 7^th February 2014, the summit result was later substantiated by a survey with the Leica GS15 which was conducted by John Barnard, Graham Jackson and Myrddyn Phillips on the 2^nd May 2014.

Prior to the survey with the Trimble GeoXH 6000 this hill was prioritised as being listed as a Lesser Dominant over its twin 308m map heighted summit of Gelli Hir which is positioned at SN 99903 88383.  The survey with the Trimble separated these twin map heighted tops and resulted in the deletion of Y Gaer, and the addition of Gelli Hir to Lesser Dominant status.

The name of the hill is Y Gaer and it 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 470 road and the Afon Hafren (River Severn) which is to its east, with the small community of Llandinam at the base and to the north-east of the hill and the town of Llanidloes towards the west south-west.  

As the summit of the hill is not on designated open access land permission to visit should be sought, however as a public footpath traverses this hill’s elongated and broad summit ridge in a north-east to south-west orientation and passes close to the high point of the hill, common sense should prevail and a diversion to the summit is only a short distance away.

The deletion of Y Gaer from Lesser Dominant status was confirmed by a survey with the Trimble GeoXH 6000 and the summit result was later substantiated by a survey with the Leica GS15, resulting in a summit height of 307.1m (converted to OSGM15) and a bwlch height of 215.8m (converted to OSGM15), which gives this hill 91.4m of drop and 29.74% Dominance, which is insufficient for its continued inclusion in the Lesser Dominant list.

The full details for the hill are:

Group:  Pumlumon

Name:  Y Gaer

Dominance:  29.74%

OS 1:50,000 map:  136

Summit Grid Reference:  SO 01350 87380

Summit Height:  307.1m (converted to OSGM15)

Drop Summit to Bwlch:  91.3m (converted to OSGM15)

Drop Bwlch to ODN:  215.8m 

Y Gaer (SO 013 873) is now deleted from the ranks of Lesser Dominant hills

For details on the survey that resulted in the deletion of this hill from Lesser Dominant status 

Myrddyn Phillips (December 2017) 

Mapping Mountains – Trimble Surveys – Carnedd Wen

12.10.17  Moel Bentyrch (SJ 055 095)

Moel Bentyrch (SJ 055 095)

It was just after 8.00am and I was standing rather self-consciously in a field close to a main road and below buildings that looked suspiciously like a farm with a distant beep, beep, beep of the Trimble echoing around an otherwise quiet land.  I stood away from the Trimble and unsuccessfully tried to blend in to a hedge which at least gave protection from any inquisitive passing motorist, once 300 beeps were beeped I silently marched toward my surveying equipment and quickly closed it down and packed it away before walking toward a gate that gave access on to a narrow lane.

Gathering data at the bwlch of Moel Bentyrch

The early morning’s clandestine visit to a field was to determine the prominence of a hill listed as a Submarilyn with c 142m of drop.  The hill in question is Moel Bentyrch and when heading west from Welshpool it is the first hill of note to be encountered, I’d only visited once before in 2012 and had ascended via a narrow steep path across the hill’s upper eastern face, today I wanted to visit the hill from the west, but before doing so I wanted to pretend that I was a part of a hedge in a field whilst an unusual black and yellow piece of equipment was left atop a blue rucksack that for all wants and purposes looked as if it had been abandoned in said field.  Sometimes surveying can lead you to some beautiful, and also unusual places, but surveying for bwlch height has an eclectic enjoyment all its own.

Moel Bentyrch from the west

Looking down on the bwlch of Moel Bentyrch which is just beyond where the sheep are gathered and across the fence

Following a narrow lane on the opposite side of the main road I grabbed my chance between a large bungalow and what looked like another one of those suspicious looking farms and quietly made my way in to a field and slowly walked beside mature trees gaining height toward a fence.

As I gained height the sun appeared over the upper lip of the hill, casting low light as it did so, this heightened the colour and set against a delicate blue and grey sky it made a wonderful hour on the hill.

To my south-west Disgwylfa was bronzed and green set above its conifered lower slopes, with a foreground of dulled bracken almost illuminated by the sun.  My only companions were sheep, scampering this way and that, a white mass of small animal adding perspective to the scene.

Disgwylfa (SJ 033 074)

The summit area of Moel Bentyrch is crowned by an ancient enclosure with the customary banks and ditches on show, it is a marvellous viewpoint and somewhat dwarfs the Ordnance Survey triangulation pillar which sits forlornly to the south-east, however as the hill’s eastern side plunges down steeply, views from the vicinity of the trig pillar open the land to the east, which this morning was bathed in silvery light with patchworked fields emerald like split only by hedge and narrow lane.

The trig pillar overlooking the eastern wild lands of border country

Patchwork fields only split by hedge and lane

As the Trimble gathered summit data I soaked in the scene, a visible overload of joy, being on a hill either in the early morning or late evening brings a very different feeling to the land, one that is hard to quantify, but I find it uplifting and partly addictive, as I want the feeling it gives time and again, this is only enhanced by operating the Trimble as this gives reason to stand and savour the scene, something that whilst on a normal hill walk is not always taken.

Gathering data at the summit of Moel Bentyrch

I turned my back on the hill after packing the Trimble away and quietly sauntered down the upper eastern part of the hill, back to the road and civilisation.  Just a brief encounter was all that was needed this morning to re-invigorate the day and leave me content. 

Survey Result:

Moel Bentyrch 

Summit Height:  337.5m (converted to OSGM15, Trimble GeoXH 6000) 

 

Summit Grid Reference:  SJ 05547 09518 (Trimble GeoXH 6000)

Bwlch Height:  197.0m (LIDAR)

  

Bwlch Grid Reference:  SJ 04561 09379 (LIDAR)

Drop:  140.5m (Trimble GeoXH 6000 summit and LIDAR bwlch)

Dominance:  41.63% (Trimble GeoXH 6000 summit and LIDAR bwlch)

 

For further details please consult the Trimble Survey Spreadsheet

Mapping Mountains – Significant Name Changes – Y Trechol –The Dominant Hills of Wales

Y Trechol –The Dominant Hills of Wales – Significant Name Changes

Y Trechol –The Dominant Hills of Wales are the Welsh P30 hills whose prominence equal or exceed half that of their absolute height, accompanying the Dominant list is a sub list entitled The Lesser Dominant Hills of Wales with the criteria for this sub category being those additional Welsh P30 hills whose prominence is between one third and half that of their absolute height.  The list commenced publication on Mapping Mountains on 03.012.15 with its Introduction giving details to its compilation and criteria, with Change Registers also created for the Dominant and the Lesser Dominant category.

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

Mapping Mountains - Significant Name Changes - Y Trechol - The Dominant Hills of Wales

Cae Felin Wynt (SS 683 954) - 35th significant name change

Summit Relocations post for Cae Felin Wynt

There has been a Significant Name Change to a hill that is listed in the 100m Twmpau and Y Trechol – The Dominant Hills of Wales, with the summit height, its location, the drop and status of the hill confirmed by LIDAR analysis conducted by Myrddyn Phillips.

LIDAR image of Cae Felin Wynt

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

100m Twmpau - Welsh hills at or above 100m and below 200m in height with 30m minimum drop, with an accompanying sub list entitled the 100m Sub-Twmpau with the criteria for this sub category being all Welsh hills at or above 100m and below 200m 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 3^rd December 2015.

The hill is adjoined to the Fforest Fawr group of hills, which are situated in the western part of South Wales (Region C, Sub-Region C2), and it is positioned with the B5444 and the A4217 roads to its west and the Crymlyn Bog to its east, and has the city of Abertawe (Swansea) towards the west south-west.

The hill originally appeared in the 100m P30 list on Geoff Crowder’s v-g.me website under the name of Cefn Hengoed, which is a name that appears close to the summit of this hill on contemporary Ordnance Survey maps.

Cefn Hengoed

117m

SS685956

159

165

Trig pillar at 685956. Two points of same height - other at SS681955.

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.  And as I have been unable to substantiate the name of Cefn Hengoed for that of the hill I examined the Tithe map.

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 1115 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 felin wynt in the apportionments, with the details on the Tithe map appearing in the parish of Llansamlet and in the county named as Glamorgan.

Extract from the apportionments

Therefore, the name this hill is now listed by in the 100m Twmpau and Y Trechol – The Dominant Hills of Wales is Cae Felin Wynt, and this name was derived from the Tithe map.

The full details for the hill are:

Group:  Fforest Fawr

Name:  Cae Felin Wynt

Previously Listed Name:  Cefn Hengoed  

OS 1:50,000 map:  159

Summit Height:  118.9m (LIDAR, natural ground)

Summit Grid Reference:  SS 68320 95490 (LIDAR, natural ground)

Bwlch Height:  74.2m (LIDAR)

Bwlch Grid Reference:  SS 67837 95105 (LIDAR)

Drop:  44.7m (LIDAR)

Dominance:  37.57% (LIDAR)

Myrddyn Phillips (April 2019)

Mapping Mountains - Significant Name Changes - Y Trechol - The Dominant Hills of Wales

Cae Alen (SH 781 758) - 34th significant name change

Survey post for Cae Alen

Summit Relocations post for Cae Alen

There has been a Significant Name Change to a hill that is listed in the 100m Twmpau and Y Trechol – The Dominant Hills of Wales, with the summit height, its location, the drop and status of the hill confirmed by LIDAR analysis, and a subsequent summit survey with the Trimble GeoXH 6000 conducted by Myrddyn Phillips, with the latter taking place on the 10^th October 2018.

Cae Alen (SH 781 758)

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

               

100m Twmpau - Welsh hills at or above 100m and below 200m in height with 30m minimum drop, with an accompanying sub list entitled the 100m Sub-Twmpau with the criteria for this sub category being all Welsh hills at or above 100m and below 200m 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 3^rd December 2015.

The hill is adjoined to the Carneddau group of hills, which are situated in the north-western part of North Wales (Region A, Sub-Region A1), and it is positioned with the B5106 road to its west and the Afon Conwy (River Conwy) to its east, and has the town of Conwy towards its north.

The hill originally appeared in the 100m P30 list on Geoff Crowder’s v-g.me website under the directional name of Iolyn Park North East Top, with an accompanying note stating Name from camp site to the South-West.

Iolyn Park North East top

130m

SH781758

115

17

Name from camp site 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 Pen, Bryn or Moel in front of them, or as in this instance use a directional name based on what I presumed was the name of a camp site toward the south-west.  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 79 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 alen in the apportionments, with the details on the Tithe map appearing in the parish of Gyffin and in the county named as Carnarvon [sic].

Extract from the apportionments

Therefore, the name this hill is now listed by in the 100m Twmpau and Y Trechol – The Dominant Hills of Wales is Cae Alen, and this was derived from the Tithe map.

The full details for the hill are:

Group:  Carneddau

Name:  Cae Alen

Previously Listed Name:  Iolyn Park North East Top 

OS 1:50,000 map:  115

Summit Height:  129.1m (converted to OSGM15)

Summit Grid Reference:  SH 78116 75814

Bwlch Height:  34.8m (LIDAR)

Bwlch Grid Reference:  SH 77629 74003 (LIDAR)

Drop:  94.3m (Trimble summit and LIDAR bwlch)

Dominance:  73.05% (Trimble summit and LIDAR bwlch)

For details of the summit survey of this hill

Myrddyn Phillips (April 2019)

Mapping Mountains - Significant Name Changes - Y Trechol - The Dominant Hills of Wales

Cae Glas (SS 712 946) - 33rd significant name change

There has been a Significant Name Change to a hill that is listed in the 100m Twmpau and Y Trechol – The Dominant Hills of Wales, with the summit height and its location, and the drop of the hill confirmed by LIDAR analysis conducted by Myrddyn Phillips.

LIDAR image of Cae Glas (SS 712 946)

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

100m Twmpau - Welsh hills at or above 100m and below 200m in height with 30m minimum drop, with an accompanying sub list entitled the 100m Sub-Twmpau with the criteria for this sub category being all Welsh hills at or above 100m and below 200m 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 3^rd December 2015.

The hill is adjoined to the Fforest Fawr group of hills, which are situated in the western part of South Wales (Region C, Sub-Region C2), and it is positioned with the Crymlyn Bog to its west, the Tennant Canal and the A483 road to its south and the B4290 and M4 roads to its east, and has the town of Castell-nedd (Neath) towards its north-east.

The hill originally appeared in the 100m P30 list on Geoff Crowder’s v-g.me website under a partly invented and transposed name of Pen Pant-y-sais, with an accompanying note stating; Name from valley to the South-East.

Pen Pant-y-Sais

106m

SS713946

170

165

Name from valley to the South-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 Pen, Bryn or Moel in front of them or as in this instance transpose the name of what I presumed to be a valley and add the word Pen to 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 288 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 Glas in the apportionments, with the details on the Tithe map appearing in the parish of Cadoxton Juxta Neath in the county named as Glamorgan.

Extract from the apportionments

Therefore, the name this hill is now listed by in the 100m Twmpau and Y Trechol – The Dominant Hills of Wales is Cae Glas, and this name was derived from the Tithe map.

The full details for the hill are:

Group:  Fforest Fawr

Name:  Cae Glas

Previously Listed Name:  Pen Pant-y-sais

  

OS 1:50,000 map:  170

Summit Height:  107.1m (LIDAR)

Summit Grid Reference:  SS 71271 94675 (LIDAR)

Bwlch Height:  38.2m (LIDAR, natural bwlch)

Bwlch Grid Reference:  SS 71439 96229 (LIDAR, natural bwlch) 

Drop:  68.9m (LIDAR)

Dominance:  64.34% (LIDAR)

Myrddyn Phillips (April 2019)

Mapping Mountains - Significant Name Changes - Y Trechol - The Dominant Hills of Wales

Clytiau Poethion (SH 763 717) - 32nd significant name change

Survey post for Clytiau Poethion

Summit Relocations post for Clytiau Poethion

There has been a Significant Name Change to a hill that is now listed in the 100m Twmpau and Y Trechol – The Dominant Hills of Wales, with the summit height and its location, the drop and status of the hill confirmed by LIDAR analysis and its summit height subsequently confirmed by a Trimble GeoXH 6000 survey, both conducted by Myrddyn Phillips, with the latter taking place on the 10^th October 2018.

LIDAR image of Clytiau Poethion (SH 763 717)

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

100m Twmpau - Welsh hills at or above 100m and below 200m in height with 30m minimum drop, with an accompanying sub list entitled the 100m Sub-Twmpau with the criteria for this sub category being all Welsh hills at or above 100m and below 200m 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 3^rd December 2015.

The hill is adjoined to the Carneddau group of hills, which are situated in the north-western part of North Wales (Region A, Sub-Region A1), and it is encircled by minor roads with the B5106 and the Afon Conwy (River Conwy) to its east, and has the town of Conwy to its north.

The hill has not previously been listed as its adjacent northerly hill of Maes Glas Mawr (SH 76876 72414) was thought to be higher, LIDAR analysis and the survey with the Trimble GeoXH 6000 proved otherwise and therefore Clytiau Poethion is now listed as the 100m Twmpau and the Lesser Dominant hill.

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 195 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 Clylliau [sic] Poethion in the apportionments, with the details on the Tithe map appearing in the parish of Caerhun and in the county named as Caernarvonshire [sic].

Extract from the apportionments

Therefore, the name this hill is now listed by in the 100m Twmpau and Y Trechol – The Dominant Hills of Wales is Clytiau Poethion, and this name was derived from the Tithe map.

The full details for the hill are:

Group:  Carneddau

Name:  Clytiau Poethion

Previously Listed Name:  not previously listed 

OS 1:50,000 map:  115

Summit Height:  109.1m (converted to OSGM15)

Summit Grid Reference:  SH 76337 71799

Bwlch Height:  68.7m (LIDAR)

Bwlch Grid Reference:  SH 77496 72493 (LIDAR)

Drop:  40.35m (Trimble summit and LIDAR bwlch)

Dominance:  37.00% (Trimble summit and LIDAR bwlch)

For details of the summit survey of this hill

Myrddyn Phillips (March 2019)

Mapping Mountains - Significant Name Changes - Y Trechol - The Dominant Hills of Wales

Llys y Gwynt (SH 779 728) - 31st significant name change

Survey post for Llys y Gwynt

Significant Height Revisions post for Llys y Gwynt

There has been a Significant Name Change to a hill that is listed in the 100m Twmpau and Y Trechol – The Dominant Hills of Wales, with the summit height and its location, and the drop of the hill initially confirmed by LIDAR analysis and its summit height subsequently confirmed by a Trimble GeoXH 6000 survey, both conducted by Myrddyn Phillips with the latter taking place on the 10^th October 2018.

Llys y Gwynt (SH 779 728)

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

100m Twmpau - Welsh hills at or above 100m and below 200m in height with 30m minimum drop, with an accompanying sub list entitled the 100m Sub-Twmpau with the criteria for this sub category being all Welsh hills at or above 100m and below 200m 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 3^rd December 2015.

The hill is adjoined to the Carneddau group of hills, which are situated in the north-western part of North Wales (Region A, Sub-Region A1), and is positioned with the B5106 to its west, the B5279 to its south and the Afon Conwy (River Conwy) to its east, and has the town of Conwy to its north.

The hill originally appeared in the 100m P30 list on Geoff Crowder’s v-g.me website under the transposed name of Tan-y-bryn, with an accompanying note stating; Name from buildings to the West.

Tan-y-bryn

110c

SH779729

115

17

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 or as in this instance transpose the name of a farm and use it 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.

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 222 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 Llys y Gwynt in the apportionments, with the details on the Tithe map appearing in the parish of Caerhun and in the county named as Caernarvonshire [sic].

Extract from the apportionments

Therefore, the name this hill is now listed by in the 100m Twmpau and Y Trehol – The Dominant Hills of Wales is Llys y Gwynt, and this name was derived from the Tithe map.

The full details for the hill are:

Group:  Carneddau

Name:  Llys y Gwynt

Previously Listed Name:  Tan-y-bryn 

  

OS 1:50,000 map:  115

Summit Height:  120.6m (converted to OSGM15)

Summit Grid Reference:  SH 77982 72884

Bwlch Height:  50.7m (LIDAR)

Bwlch Grid Reference:  SH 76137 71943 (LIDAR) 

Drop:  70.0m (Trimble summit and LIDAR bwlch)

Dominance:  58.00% (Trimble summit and LIDAR bwlch)

For details on the summit survey of this hill

Myrddyn Phillips (March 2019)

Mapping Mountains - Significant Name Changes - Y Trechol - The Dominant Hills of Wales

Cae Doctor (SH 304 399) - 30th significant name change

Survey post for Cae Doctor

There has been a Significant Name Change to a hill that is listed in the 30-99m Twmpau and Y Trechol – The Dominant Hills of Wales, with the summit height, its location, the drop and status of the hill confirmed by LIDAR analysis, with the bwlch LIDAR analysis initially conducted by Aled Williams, and a subsequent summit survey with the Trimble GeoXH 6000 conducted by Myrddyn Phillips, with the latter taking place on the 3^rd October 2018.

The summit of Cae Doctor (SH 30425 39978)

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

30-99m Twmpau - Welsh hills at or above 30m and below 100m in height with 30m minimum drop, with an accompanying sub list entitled the 30-99m Sub-Twmpau with the criteria for this sub category being all Welsh hills at or above 30m and below 100m 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 3^rd December 2015.

The hill is adjoined to the Pen Llŷn group of hills, which are situated in the western part of North Wales (Region A, Sub-Region A1), and it has the A497 road to its immediate south-east and the B4417 road to its north-west, and has the small town of Nefyn to the north.

This hill was first listed in the Hills to be surveyed sub-list that accompanied the original Welsh 30-99m P30 list published on Geoff Crowder’s v-g.me website, under the invented name of Fron Oleu, with an accompanying note stating; Name from buildings to the South-West.

Fron Oleu

68m

SH305400

123

253

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 Pen, Bryn or Moel in front of them or as in this instance transpose the name of buildings that are situated near the summit of 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 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

I visited this hill along with Aled Williams and leaving the summit we met the local farmer who had driven up a near track to find out what we were doing.  Having explained our interest in surveying and upland place-names, Awen Roberts told us that the hill does not have an individual name but the two fields that vie for the high point of this hill are known as Cae Doctor (67.0m at SH 30425 39978) and Cae Myllt (66.9m at SH 30421 39985), with the former the higher and being named as such as a doctor lives close to its field boundary.

The summit of Cae Myllt (SH 30421 39985)

Therefore, the name this hill is now listed by in the 30-99m Twmpau and Y Trechol – The Dominant Hills of Wales is Cae Doctor, and this was derived from local enquiry.

The full details for the hill are:

Group:  Pen Llŷn

Name:  Cae Doctor

Previously Listed Name:  Fron Oleu

OS 1:50,000 map:  123

Summit Height:  67.0m (converted to OSGM15)

Summit Grid Reference:  SH 30425 39978

Bwlch Height:  35.8m (LIDAR)

Bwlch Grid Reference:  SH 30747 40107 (LIDAR)

Drop:  31.2m (Trimble summit and LIDAR bwlch)

Dominance:  46.59% (Trimble summit and LIDAR bwlch)

My thanks to Aled Williams for initial LIDAR analysis of this hill’s bwlch

For details of the summit survey of this hill

Myrddyn Phillips (February 2019)

Mapping Mountains - Significant Name Changes - Y Trechol - The Dominant Hills of Wales

Yr Orsedd (SH 299 270) - 29th significant name change

Survey post for Yr Orsedd

Summit Relocations post for Yr Orsedd

There has been a Significant Name Change to a hill that is listed in the 30-99m Twmpau and Y Trechol – The Dominant Hills of Wales, with the summit height, its location, the drop and status of the hill confirmed by LIDAR analysis, and a subsequent summit survey with the Trimble GeoXH 6000 conducted by Myrddyn Phillips, with the latter taking place on the 3^rd October 2018.

The summit of Yr Orsedd (SH 299 270)

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

30-99m Twmpau - Welsh hills at or above 30m and below 100m in height with 30m minimum drop, with an accompanying sub list entitled the 30-99m Sub-Twmpau with the criteria for this sub category being all Welsh hills at or above 30m and below 100m 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 3^rd December 2015.

The hill is adjoined to the Pen Llŷn group of hills, which are situated in the western part of North Wales (Region A, Sub-Region A1), and the hill is encircled by minor roads with the coast to its south-west and east, and has the village of Abersoch towards its north-east.

This hill was first listed in the Hills to be surveyed sub-list that accompanied the original Welsh 30-99m P30 list published on Geoff Crowder’s v-g.me website, under the invented name of Bryn Llanengan, with an accompanying note stating; Name from village to the North-West.

Bryn Llanengan

64m

SH296266

123

253

Name from village to the North-West

This hill was listed with a 64m summit height which is positioned at SH 295 266 and appeared as a spot height on the Ordnance Survey 1:25,000 Explorer map.  The details for this hill were reassessed when the Ordnance Survey Interactive Coverage Map hosted on the Geograph website became available online, and this map has a 66m spot height at SH 299 270 which is adjoined to the hill to the north-east, which only has an uppermost 60m ring contour on the 1:25,000 Explorer map.  Therefore the summit position of the listed hill was relocated and its drop value increased accordingly, with the Interactive Coverage Map also giving the south-westerly hill a second 64m map heighted summit, and LIDAR analysis confirms that the north-easterly of these two hills is the higher.

The old listed summit that is known locally as Bryn Tŷ Newydd

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 or as in this instance use the name of a near village and put the word Bryn in front of 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

I visited this hill along with Aled Williams and on our way back to the car I took the opportunity to call at one or two houses hoping to be directed toward the local farmer.  A woman was on the drive of the second house we called out and she was the partner of Wyn Roberts, who had been on his quad bike in an adjacent field when we were on the summit.  Having explained our interest in the hill’s name we were directed down the road to where Wyn would soon re-appear on his quad bike after checking on his herd of cows.

After flagging Wyn down and introducing ourselves he explained that the hill we had visited is known as Yr Orsedd and the lower hill to the south-west, that was first listed as the qualifying P30 is known as Bryn Tŷ Newydd.

Wyn Roberts

Therefore, the name this hill is now listed by in the 30-99m Twmpau and Y Trechol – The Dominant Hills of Wales is Yr Orsedd, and this was derived from local enquiry.

The full details for the hill are:

Group:  Pen Llŷn

Name:  Yr Orsedd

Previously Listed Name:  Bryn Llanengan 

OS 1:50,000 map:  123

Summit Height:  67.5m (converted to OSGM15)

Summit Grid Reference:  SH 29952 27038

Bwlch Height:  32.0m (LIDAR)

Bwlch Grid Reference:  SH 29808 27337 (LIDAR)

Drop:  35.4m (Trimble summit and LIDAR bwlch)

Dominance:  52.52% (Trimble summit and LIDAR bwlch)

For details of the summit survey of this hill

Myrddyn Phillips (February 2019)

Mapping Mountains - Significant Name Changes - Y Trechol - The Dominant Hills of Wales

Cae Ddu Main (SN 622 983) - 28th significant name change

Hill Reclassifications post for Cae Ddu Main

Summit Relocations post for Cae Ddu Main

There has been a Significant Name Change to a hill that is listed in the 100m Twmpau and Y Trechol – The Dominant Hills of Wales, with the summit height, its location, the drop and status of the hill confirmed by LIDAR analysis conducted by Myrddyn Phillips.

LIDAR image of Cae Ddu Main

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

100m Twmpau - Welsh hills at or above 100m and below 200m in height with 30m minimum drop, with an accompanying sub list entitled the 100m Sub-Twmpau with the criteria for this sub category being all Welsh hills at or above 100m and below 200m 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 3^rd December 2015.

The hill is adjoined to the Mynydd Penlle’rcastell group of hills, which are situated in the western part of South Wales (Region C, Sub-Region C1), and is positioned with the A483 road to its immediate west and the A48 and M4 to its north, and has the village of Penlle’r-gaer to its north.

The hill originally appeared in the 100m P30 list on Geoff Crowder’s v-g.me website under the invented name of Valley Wood Hill, with an accompanying note stating; Name from wood to the North-East.

Valley Wood Hill

102m

SS619984

159

164/165/178

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 Pen, Bryn or Moel in front of them or as in this instance use the name of a wood and add the word Hill to 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 beside a raised field boundary, with land either side of this considered of equal height, and the prioritised summit position is given the number 2928 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 ddu main in the apportionments, with the details on the Tithe map appearing in the parish of Llangyfelach and in the county named as Glamorgan.

Extract from the apportionments

Therefore, the name this hill is now listed by in the 100m Twmpau and Y Trehol – The Dominant Hills of Wales is Cae Ddu Main, and this name was derived from the Tithe map.

The full details for the hill are:

Group:  Mynydd Penlle’rcastell

Name:  Cae Ddu Main

Previously Listed Name:  Valley Wood Hill

  

OS 1:50,000 map:  159

Summit Height:  106.9m (LIDAR, remaining natural high point)

Summit Grid Reference:  SN 62212 98337 (LIDAR, remaining natural high point)

Bwlch Height:  69.1m (LIDAR, natural bwlch)

Bwlch Grid Reference:  SN 62051 00000 (LIDAR, natural bwlch) 

Drop:  37.8m (LIDAR)

Dominance:  35.34% (LIDAR)

Myrddyn Phillips (February 2019)

Mapping Mountains - Significant Name Changes - Y Trechol - The Dominant Hills of Wales

Bryn (SH 426 361) - 27th significant name change

Survey post for Bryn

Hill Reclassifications post for Bryn

Summit Relocations post for Bryn

There has been a Significant Name Change to a hill that is now listed in the 30-99m Twmpau and Y Trechol – The Dominant Hills of Wales, with it suggested as a P30 by Chris Pearson in February 2018 and its status confirmed by LIDAR analysis conducted by Chris Crocker.  The hill was subsequently analysed by LIDAR and surveyed with the Trimble GeoXH 6000 by Myrddyn Phillips, with the latter taking place on the 10^th September 2018.

LIDAR image of Bryn

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

30-99m Twmpau - Welsh hills at or above 30m and below 100m in height with 30m minimum drop, with an accompanying sub list entitled the 30-99m Sub-Twmpau with the criteria for this sub category being all Welsh hills at or above 30m and below 100m 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 3^rd December 2015.

The hill is adjoined to the Pen Llŷn group of hills, which are situated in the western part of North Wales (Region A, Sub-Region A1), and is positioned overlooking the sea to its south and the A 497 road to its north, and has the town of Pwllheli towards the west.

The hill originally appeared in the accompanying sub list entitled Hills to be surveyed and which is adjoined to the 30-99m P30 list published on Geoff Crowder’s v-g.me website under the invented name of Creigiau Penychain, with an accompanying note stating; Name from buildings to the North.

Creigiau Penychain

36m

SH427362

123

254

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 Pen, Bryn or Moel in front of them or as in this instance use the word Creigiau instead.  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, and the upper section of the hill which now comprises one field, used to comprise two, with the boundary between each showing as a slight elevation on LIDAR.  This boundary although old, is not ancient, and is a relatively recent man-made construct.

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 two upper fields at the time of the Tithe are orientated north-west – south-east of one another.  The enclosed land where the north-westerly field is situated is given the number 2183 on the Tithe map, whilst the south-easterly field is given the number 2212 on the Tithe map, 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 north-westerly field is named Bryn Cefn Tŷ and the south-easterly field is named Cae Bryn in the apportionments, with the details on the Tithe map appearing in the parish of Aber-erch and in the county named as Caernarfonshire.

Extract from the apportionments

Extract from the apportionments

After visiting the hill I took the opportunity to call at the farm of Penychain which is situated to the immediate north of the hill, and met Griffith Owen; the local farmer, who is now aged 76 and has lived at this farm for many years.  Griffith told me that the headland to the south-east of this hill’s summit is known as Penychain and that the hill is known as Bryn, with some locals also knowing it as Bryn Penychain to differentiate this generic name from other hills in the vicinity that are also known as Bryn.

Therefore, the name this hill is now listed by in the 30-99m Twmpau and Y Trechol – The Dominant Hills of Wales is Bryn, and this was derived from local enquiry.

The full details for the hill are:

Group:  Pen Llŷn

Name:  Bryn

Previously Listed Name:  Creigiau Penychain

OS 1:50,000 map:  123

Summit Height:  36.7m (converted to OSGM15) (natural summit)

Summit Grid Reference:  SH 42656 36173 (natural summit)

Bwlch Height:  6.6m (LIDAR)

Bwlch Grid Reference:  SH 43103 36535 (LIDAR)

Drop:  30.0m (Trimble summit and LIDAR bwlch)

Dominance:  81.88% (Trimble summit and LIDAR bwlch)

For details of the summit survey of this hill

Myrddyn Phillips (January 2019)

Mapping Mountains - Significant Name Changes - Y Trechol - The Dominant Hills of Wales

Cae Ffwyn Uchaf (SN 588 005) - 26th significant name change

Hill Reclassifications post for Cae Ffwyn Uchaf

Summit Relocations post for Cae Ffwyn Uchaf

There has been a Significant Name Change to a hill that is listed in the 30-99m Twmpau and Y Trechol – The Dominant Hills of Wales, with the summit height, its location, drop and status of the hill confirmed by LIDAR analysis conducted by Myrddyn Phillips.

LIDAR image of Cae Ffwyn Uchaf

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

30-99m Twmpau - Welsh hills at or above 30m and below 100m in height with 30m minimum drop, with an accompanying sub list entitled the 30-99m Sub-Twmpau with the criteria for this sub category being all Welsh hills at or above 30m and below 100m 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 3^rd December 2015.

The hill is adjoined to the Mynydd Penlle’rcastell group of hills, which are situated in the western part of South Wales (Region C, Sub-Region C1), and is positioned with the B 4296 immediately to its east with the M 4 and the Afon Lliw beyond, and has the town of Gorseinon towards the south.

Since this hill appeared in the original Welsh 30-99m P30 list published on Geoff Crowder’s v-g.me website its summit has been relocated, with it originally appearing under the name of Pen yr Heol, with an accompanying note stating; Name from road at summit.

Pen yr Heol

67m

SS586998

159

164/178

Height from 1987 1:50000 map. Name from road 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 Pen, Bryn or Moel in front of them or as in this instance transpose the name of what I thought to be a road, and which is in fact a district of Gorseinon, as that for 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

The enclosed land where the summit of this hill is situated is given the number 273 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 ffrenuchaf [sic] in the apportionments, with the details on the Tithe map appearing in the parish of Llandeilo Tal-y-bont in the county named as Glamorganshire.

Extract from the apportionments

Therefore, the name this hill is now listed by in the 30-99m Twmpau and Y Trechol – The Dominant Hills of Wales is Cae Ffwyn Uchaf, and this was derived from the Tithe map.

The full details for the hill are:

Group:  Mynydd Penlle’rcastell

Name:  Cae Ffwyn Uchaf

Previously Listed Name:  Pen yr Heol 

OS 1:50,000 map:  159

Summit Height:  66.6m (LIDAR)

Summit Grid Reference:  SN 58825 00532 (LIDAR)

Bwlch Height:  36.0m (LIDAR, natural bwlch)

Bwlch Grid Reference:  SN 59731 00951 (LIDAR, natural bwlch)

Drop:  30.6m (LIDAR)

Dominance:  45.90% (LIDAR)

My thanks to Aled Williams for helping to decipher the Tithe name given to the bounded land where the summit of this hill is situated

Myrddyn Phillips (January 2019)

Mapping Mountains - Significant Name Changes - Y Trechol - The Dominant Hills of Wales

Mynydd Penlle’rcastell (SN 664 095) - 25th significant name change

Survey post for Mynydd Penlle’rcastell

There has been a Significant Name Change to a hill that is listed in the Y Trichant and Y Trechol – The Dominant Hills of Wales, with the summit height, its location and drop of the hill initially confirmed by LIDAR analysis and subsequently by a summit survey with the Trimble GeoXH 6000 which were conducted by Myrddyn Phillips, with latter taking place on the 1^st August 2018.

Mynydd Penlle'rcastell (SN 664 095)

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

Y Trichant – Welsh hills at or above 300m and below 400m in height that have 30m minimum drop, with an accompanying sub list entitled the Sub-Trichant with the criteria for this sub category being all Welsh hills at or above 300m and below 400m in height with 20m or more and below 30m of drop.  The list is authored by Myrddyn Phillips, with the Introduction to the list and its renaming appearing on Mapping Mountains on the 13^th May 2017.

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 33.33% or more and below 50% of their absolute height, with the Introduction to the Mapping Mountains publication of this list appearing on the 3^rd December 2015.

LIDAR image of Mynydd Penlle'rcastell

The hill is the highest in its own group, therefore it is adjoined to the Mynydd Penlle’rcastell range of hills which are situated in the western part of South Wales (Region C, Sub-Region C1), and it is positioned with the Afon Llwchwr (River Loughor) to its west and the A 474 to its north and east, and has the town of Rhydaman (Ammanford) to its north-west.

The hill appeared in the original Welsh P30 lists under the 300m height band on Geoff Crowder’s v-g.me website, under the name of Mynydd y Betws, which is a name consistently applied to the northern part of this hill on Ordnance Survey maps.

Mynydd y Betws

371m

SN665094

159

165/178

Marilyn. Clem/Yeaman. 374m on 1987 1:50000 map. Trig pillar at 339m to the North-West.

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.

Extract from the Ordnance Survey 1:50,000 Landranger map

There are three names that are consistently applied to the upper part of this hill on Ordnance Survey maps, these are:

Mynydd y Betws, which appears on the northern part of the hill.

Penlle’rcastell, which appears close to its summit.

Mynydd y Gwair, which appears on the southern part of the hill.

Having these three names consistently appearing on Ordnance Survey maps for the upper part of this hill indicates that there is a boundary between where these names are applicable to.  Therefore, the Tithe map was consulted.

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.  However, in this instance the upper part of this hill is open and it is named Mynydd Penlle’rcastell on the Tithe map.

Extract from the Tithe map

Therefore, the name this hill is now listed by in the Y Trichant and Y Trechol – The Dominant Hills of Wales is Mynydd Penlle’rcastell, and this name was derived from the Tithe map.

The full details for the hill are:

Group:  Mynydd Penlle’rcastell

Name:  Mynydd Penlle’rcastell

Previously Listed Name:  Mynydd y Betws

OS 1:50,000 map:  159

Summit Height:  373.3m (converted to OSGM15)

Summit Grid Reference:  SN 66498 09531

Bwlch Height:  166.4m (LIDAR)

Bwlch Grid Reference:  SN 69945 09589 (LIDAR)

Drop:  206.9m (Trimble summit and LIDAR bwlch)

Dominance:  55.42% (Trimble summit and LIDAR bwlch)

For details on the summit survey of Mynydd Penlle’rcastell

Myrddyn Phillips (January 2019)

Mapping Mountains - Significant Name Changes - Y Trechol - The Dominant Hills of Wales

Llain Fawr (SN 428 202) - 24th significant name change

Survey post for Llain Fawr

There has been a Significant Name Change to a hill that is listed in the 30-99m Twmpau and Y Trechol – The Dominant Hills of Wales, with the summit height, its location and drop of the hill initially confirmed by LIDAR analysis and subsequently by a summit survey with the Trimble GeoXH 6000 which were conducted by Myrddyn Phillips, with latter taking place on the 31^st July 2018.

Llain Fawr (SN 428 202)

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

30-99m Twmpau - Welsh hills at or above 30m and below 100m in height with 30m minimum drop, with an accompanying sub list entitled the 30-99m Sub-Twmpau with the criteria for this sub category being all Welsh hills at or above 30m and below 100m 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 addition Welsh P30 hills whose prominence is 33.33% or more and below 50% of their absolute height, with the Introduction to the Mapping Mountains publication of this list appearing on the 3^rd December 2015.

LIDAR image of Llain Fawr

The hill is adjoined to the Mynydd Sylen group of hills, which are situated in the western part of South Wales (Region C, Sub-Region C1), and is positioned with the Afon Tywi (River Towy) and the A 40 to the north-west, and the B 4300 to the south, and has the town of Caerfyrddin (Carmarthen) towards the west.

The hill originally appeared in the 30-99m P30 list on Geoff Crowder’s v-g.me website under the name of Tan-yr-allt. 

Tan-yr-allt

81m

SN429202

159

177

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 or as in this instance transpose a farm name 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.

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 589 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 Llainfawr in the apportionments, with the details on the Tithe map appearing in the parish of Llangunnor and in the county named as Carmarthen.

Extract from the apportionments

Therefore, the name this hill is now listed by in the 30-99m Twmpau and Y Trechol – The Dominant Hills of Wales is Llain Fawr, and this was derived from the Tithe map.

The full details for the hill are:

Group:  Mynydd Sylen

Name:  Llain Fawr

Previously Listed Name:  Tan-yr-allt 

OS 1:50,000 map:  159

Summit Height:  80.8m (converted to OSGM15)

Summit Grid Reference:  SN 42855 20265

Bwlch Height:  23.om (LIDAR)

Bwlch Grid Reference:  SN 42905 19831 (LIDAR)

Drop:  57.8m (Trimble summit and LIDAR bwlch)

Dominance:  71.49% (Trimble summit and LIDAR bwlch)

Myrddyn Phillips (January 2019)

Mapping Mountains - Significant Name Changes - Y Trechol - The Dominant Hills of Wales

Parc y Fedwen (SN 460 196) - 23rd significant name change

Survey post for Parc y Fedwen

There has been a Significant Name Change to a hill that is listed in the 30-99m Twmpau and Y Trechol – The Dominant Hills of Wales, with the summit height, its location and drop of the hill initially confirmed by LIDAR analysis and subsequently by a summit survey with the Trimble GeoXH 6000 which were conducted by Myrddyn Phillips, with latter taking place on the 31^st July 2018.

Parc y Fedwen (SN 460 196)

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

30-99m Twmpau - Welsh hills at or above 30m and below 100m in height with 30m minimum drop, with an accompanying sub list entitled the 30-99m Sub-Twmpau with the criteria for this sub category being all Welsh hills at or above 30m and below 100m 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 addition Welsh P30 hills whose prominence is 33.33% or more and below 50% of their absolute height, with the Introduction to the Mapping Mountains publication of this list appearing on the 3^rd December 2015.

LIAR image of Parc y Fedwen

The hill is adjoined to the Mynydd Sylen group of hills, which are situated in the western part of South Wales (Region C, Sub-Region C1), and is positioned with the B 4300, the Afon Tywi (River Towy) and the A 40 to the north, and has the town of Caerfyrddin (Carmarthen) towards the west.

The hill originally appeared in the 30-99m P30 list on Geoff Crowder’s v-g.me website under an invented name of Bryn Penddaulwyn with an accompanying note stating; Name from buildings to the East.

Bryn Penddaulwyn

96m

SN461196

159

186

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 Pen, Bryn 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.

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 1220 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 Parkyfedwen [sic] in the apportionments, with the details on the Tithe map appearing in the parish of Llangunnor and in the county named as Carmarthen.

Extract from the apportionments

Therefore, the name this hill is now listed by in the 30-99m Twmpau and Y Trechol – The Dominant Hills of Wales is Parc y Fedwen, and this was derived from the Tithe map.

The full details for the hill are:

Group:  Mynydd Sylen

Name:  Parc y Fedwen

Previously Listed Name:  Bryn Penddaulwyn

OS 1:50,000 map:  159

Summit Height:  97.1m (converted to OSGM15)

Summit Grid Reference:  SN 46091 19673

Bwlch Height:  55.9m (LIDAR)

Bwlch Grid Reference:  SN 46613 19503 (LIDAR)

Drop:  41.2m (Trimble summit and LIDAR bwlch)

Dominance:  42.44% (Trimble summit and LIDAR bwlch)

Myrddyn Phillips (January 2019)

Mapping Mountains - Significant Name Changes - Y Trechol - The Dominant Hills of Wales

Graig y Llafur (SN 590 052) - 22nd significant name change

There has been a Significant Name Change to a hill that is listed in the 30-99m Twmpau and Y Trechol – The Dominant Hills of Wales, with the summit and bwlch height and position confirmed by LIDAR analysis conducted by Myrddyn Phillips.

LIDAR image of Graig y Llafur

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

30-99m Twmpau - Welsh hills at or above 30m and below 100m in height with 30m minimum drop, with an accompanying sub list entitled the 30-99m Sub-Twmpau with the criteria for this sub category being all Welsh hills at or above 30m and below 100m 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 addition Welsh P30 hills whose prominence is 33.33% or more and below 50% of their absolute height, with the Introduction to the Mapping Mountains publication of this list appearing on the 3^rd December 2015.

The hill is adjoined to the Mynydd Penlle’rcastell group of hills, which are situated in the western part of South Wales (Region C, Sub-Region C1), and is positioned with the Afon Llwchwr (River Loughor), the B 4297, the A 48 and the M 4 all to the west, and has the town of Pontarddulais towards the south south-east.

The hill originally appeared in the 30-99m P30 list on Geoff Crowder’s v-g.me website under the name of Tal y Fan with an accompanying note stating; Name from buildings to the South-West.

Tal y Fan

48m

SN591053

159

178

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 Pen, Bryn or Moel in front of them or as in this instance transpose the farm name 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

The enclosed land where the summit of this hill is situated is given the number 1665 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 Graig y Llafur in the apportionments, with the details on the Tithe map appearing in the parish of Llandeilo Tal-y-bont and in the county named as Glamorganshire.

Extract from the apportionments

Therefore, the name this hill is now listed by in the 30-99m Twmpau and Y Trechol – The Dominant Hills of Wales is Graig y Llafur, and this was derived from the Tithe map.

The full details for the hill are:

Group:  Mynydd Penlle’rcastell

Name:  Graig y Llafur

Previously Listed Name:  Tal y Fan 

OS 1:50,000 map:  159

Summit Height:  48.3m (LIDAR)

Summit Grid Reference:  SN 59070 05280 (LIDAR)

Bwlch Height:  13.3m (LIDAR, natural bwlch)

Bwlch Grid Reference:  SN 59169 04870 (LIDAR, natural bwlch) 

Drop:  35.1m (LIDAR)

Dominance:  72.57% (LIDAR)

Myrddyn Phillips (January 2019)

Mapping Mountains - Significant Name Changes - Y Trechol - The Dominant Hills of Wales

Lan (SN 441 196) - 21st significant name change

Survey post for Lan

There has been a Significant Name Change to a hill that is listed in the 100m Twmpau and Y Trechol – The Dominant Hills of Wales, with the summit height, its location and drop of the hill initially confirmed by LIDAR analysis and subsequently by a summit survey with the Trimble GeoXH 6000 which were conducted by Myrddyn Phillips, with latter taking place on the 31^st July 2018.

Lan (SN 441 196)

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

100m Twmpau - Welsh hills at or above 100m and below 200m in height with 30m minimum drop, with an accompanying sub list entitled the 100m Sub-Twmpau with the criteria for this sub category being all Welsh hills at or above 100m and below 200m 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 addition Welsh P30 hills whose prominence is 33.33% 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 3^rd December 2015.

LIDAR image of Lan

The hill is adjoined to the Mynydd Sylen group of hills, which are situated in the western part of South Wales (Region C, Sub-Region C1), and is positioned with the Afon Tywi (River Towy) and the B 4300 road to its north, and has the town of Caerfyrddin (Carmarthen) to the west north-west.

The hill originally appeared in the 100m P30 list on Geoff Crowder’s v-g.me website under the name of Allt Cystanog, which is a name consistently given to the wooded northerly slopes of this hill on Ordnance Survey maps.

Allt Cystanog

115m

SN441196

159

177

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. 

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 626 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 Lan in the apportionments, with the details on the Tithe map appearing in the parish of Llangunnor [sic] and in the county named as Carmarthen.

Extract from the apportionments

Therefore, the name this hill is now listed by in the 100m Twmpau and Y Trechol - The Dominant Hills of Wales is Lan, and this name was derived from the Tithe map.

The full details for the hill are:

Group:  Mynydd Sylen

Name:  Lan

Previously Listed Name:  Allt Cystanog 

  

OS 1:50,000 map:  159

Summit Height:  115.5m (converted to OSGM15)

Summit Grid Reference:  SN 44107 19652

Bwlch Height:  37.0m (LIDAR)

Bwlch Grid Reference:  SN 44956 19487 (LIDAR) 

Drop:  78.5m (Trimble summit and LIDAR bwlch)

Dominance:  67.97% (Trimble summit and LIDAR bwlch)

For details on the summit survey of Lan

Myrddyn Phillips (January 2019)

Mapping Mountains - Significant Name Changes - Y Trechol - The Dominant Hills of Wales

West Park (SR 940 990) - 20th significant name change

There has been a Significant Name Change to a hill that is listed in the 30-99m Twmpau and Y Trechol – The Dominant Hills of Wales, with the summit height, drop and status of the hill confirmed by LIDAR analysis conducted by Myrddyn Phillips.

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

30-99m Twmpau - Welsh hills at or above 30m and below 100m in height with 30m minimum drop, with an accompanying sub list entitled the 30-99m Sub-Twmpau with the criteria for this sub category being all Welsh hills at or above 30m and below 100m 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 addition Welsh P30 hills whose prominence is 33.33% or more and below 50% of their absolute height, with the Introduction to the Mapping Mountains publication of this list appearing on the 3^rd December 2015.

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 between the B roads of the 4320 to the north and the 4319 to the south, and has the town of Penfro (Pembroke) towards the north-east.

The hill originally appeared in the 30-99m P30 list on Geoff Crowder’s v-g.me website under the name of Axton Hill, which is a name that consistently appears on Ordnance Survey maps beside a minor road to the south-west of the summit and not necessarily applicable to the hill itself.

Axton Hill

80c

SR941990

158

36

Hill list authors are prone to list a hill by the name that appears nearest to its summit on contemporary Ordnance Survey maps, without much consideration for its local or historical confirmation, or whether map placement is appropriate.  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 historical 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 451 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 West Park in the apportionments, with the details on the Tithe map appearing in the parish of Moncton and in the county named as Pembroke.

Extract from the apportionments

Therefore, the name this hill is now listed by in the 30-99m Twmpau is West Park, and this was derived from the Tithe map.

The full details for the hill are:

Group:  Brandy Hill

Name:  West Park

Previously Listed Name:  Axton Hill 

Summit Height:  81.7m (LIDAR)

Summit Grid Reference:  SR 94023 99001 (LIDAR)

Bwlch Height:  51.3m (LIDAR)

Bwlch Grid Reference:  SR 94747 99655 (LIDAR)

Drop:  30.4m (LIDAR)

Dominance:  37.19%

Myrddyn Phillips (December 2018)

Mapping Mountains - Significant Name Changes - Y Trechol - The Dominant Hills of Wales

Cae Uchaf (SS 575 943) - 19th significant name change

Summit Relocations post for Cae Uchaf

There has been a Significant Name Change to a hill that is listed in the 100m Twmpau and Y Trechol – The Dominant Hills of Wales, with the summit height, drop and status of the hill being confirmed by LIDAR analysis conducted by Myrddyn Phillips.

LIDAR image of Cae Uchaf

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

100m Twmpau - Welsh hills at or above 100m and below 200m in height with 30m minimum drop, with an accompanying sub list entitled the 100m Sub-Twmpau with the criteria for this sub category being all Welsh hills at or above 100m and below 200m 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 addition Welsh P30 hills whose prominence is 33.33% 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 3^rd December 2015.

The hill is adjoined to the Gŵyr group of hills, which are situated in the western part of South Wales (Region C, Sub-Region C1), and it is positioned with the B 4296 road to its east, and has the small community of Y Crwys (Three Crosses) at its base to the west south-west.

The hill originally appeared in the 100m P30 list on Geoff Crowder’s v-g.me website under the invented name of Three Crosses Hill with an accompanying note stating; Name from town to the West. 

Three Crosses Hill

144m

SS576944

159

164

Name from town 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 or as in this instance use a name of a village and add the word Hill 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 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 1424 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 ucha in the apportionments, with the details on the Tithe map appearing in the parish of Llanrhidian and in the county named as Glamorgan.

Extract from the apportionments

Therefore, the name this hill is now listed by in the 100m Twmpau is Cae Uchaf, and this was derived from the Tithe map.

The full details for the hill are:

Group:  Gŵyr

Name:  Cae Uchaf

Previously Listed Name:  Three Crosses Hill 

  

OS 1:50,000 map:  159

Summit Height:  144.4m (LIDAR)

Summit Grid Reference:  SS 57511 94397 (LIDAR)

Bwlch Height:  73.4m (LIDAR, natural bwlch remains)

Bwlch Grid Reference:  SS 50983 90868 (LIDAR)

Drop:  71.0m (LIDAR)

Dominance:  49.19% (LIDAR)

Myrddyn Phillips (November 2018)

Mapping Mountains - Significant Name Changes - Y Trechol - The Dominant Hills of Wales

Park Quarry (SN 428 120) - 18th significant name change

Summit Relocations post for Park Quarry

There has been a Significant Name Change to a hill that is listed in the 30-99m Twmpau and Y Trechol – The Dominant Hills of Wales, with the summit and bwlch height and position confirmed by LIDAR analysis conducted by Myrddyn Phillips.

LIDAR image of Park Quarry

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

30-99m Twmpau - Welsh hills at or above 30m and below 100m in height with 30m minimum drop, with an accompanying sub list entitled the 30-99m Sub-Twmpau with the criteria for this sub category being all Welsh hills at or above 30m and below 100m 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 addition Welsh P30 hills whose prominence is 33.3% or more and below 50% of their absolute height, with the Introduction to the Mapping Mountains publication of this list appearing on the 3^rd December 2015.

The hill is adjoined to the Mynydd Sylen group of hills, which are situated in the western part of South Wales (Region C, Sub-Region C1), and is positioned with the stream valley of the Gwendraeth Fach to the south and east, and the A 484 road to the west, and has the small town of Cydweli (Kidwelly) towards the south.

The hill originally appeared in the 30-99m P30 list on Geoff Crowder’s v-g.me website under the invented name of Pen Ystrad-fawr with an accompanying note stating; Name from buildings to the South-West.

Pen Ystrad-fawr

93m

SN429121

159

177/178

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 Pen, Bryn 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. 

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 798 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 Park Quarry in the apportionments, with the details on the Tithe map appearing in the parish of Llandefailog and in the county named as Carmarthen.

Extract from the apportionments

Therefore, the name this hill is now listed by in the 30-99m Twmpau and Y Trechol - The Dominant Hills of Wales is Park Quarry, and this was derived from the Tithe map.

The full details for the hill are:

Group:  Mynydd Sylen

Name:  Park Quarry

Previously Listed Name:  Pen Ystrad-fawr 

Summit Height:  93.9m (LIDAR)

OS 1:50,000 map:  159

Summit Grid Reference:  SN 42853 12091 and SN 42859 12091 (LIDAR) 

Drop:  48.5m (LIDAR)

Dominance:  51.63%

Myrddyn Phillips (November 2018)

Mapping Mountains - Significant Name Changes - Y Trechol - The Dominant Hills of Wales

Pen Twmp (SM 988 329) - 17th 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 3^rd 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

SM988330

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 Pen, Bryn 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 - Y Trechol - The Dominant Hills of Wales

Craig yr Aderyn (SH 647 065) - 16th 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 14^th 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 3^rd 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

SH647066

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 Pen, Bryn 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)

For details on the survey of Craig yr Aderyn

Myrddyn Phillips (August 2018)

Mapping Mountains - Significant Name Changes - Y Trechol - The Dominant Hills of Wales

Foel Cocyn (SH 624 042) - 15th significant name change

Survey post for Foel Cocyn

There has been a Significant Name Change to a hill that is listed in the Y Trichant and Y Trechol – The Dominant Hills of Wales, with the summit height being confirmed by a Trimble GeoXH survey which took place on the 14^th May 2018, and the drop of the hill being confirmed by LIDAR analysis conducted by Myrddyn Phillips.

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

Y Trichant – Welsh hills at or above 300m and below 400m in height that have 30m minimum drop.  The list is authored by Myrddyn Phillips and the Introduction to the list and the re-naming and publication history of it was published on Mapping Mountains on the 13^th May 2017.

Y Trechol – The Dominant Hills of Wales – Welsh P30 hills whose prominence equal or exceed 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 3^rd 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 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 Cocyn (SH 624 042)

The hill appeared in the 300m P30 list on Geoff Crowder’s v-g.me website under the name of Ffridd Cocyn.  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, and although the name of Ffridd Cocyn has been consistently presented on Ordnance Survey maps, it was enquiries with a number of local farmers who gave the name of Foel Cocyn for this hill. 

Ffridd Cocyn

313m

SH625043

135

23

Marilyn. Clem/Yeaman.

When visiting this and adjacent hills I was fortunate to speak with a number of local farmers including Edward Cook of Perfeddnant (SH 628 055), who I met on the upper slopes of this hill, Edward was out on his quad bike with a colleague and two sheep dogs and I was surprised when he gave me the name of Foel Cocyn for this hill as I had accepted the map name for many years.  I asked if this should be Ffridd Cocyn and Edward replied ‘no, I know it as Foel Cocyn’.

Edward Cook of Perfeddnant

I descended from this small grouping of hills to Llanerch-goediog (SH 640 050) and met Stephen Jones who has lived at this farm all of his life outside of three years he spent at university.  When asked about this hill Stephen said that it’s known as Cocyn, he later referred to it as Foel Cocyn, I again asked if this should be Ffridd Cocyn, and was told that it’s a foel.

Stephen Jones of Llanerch-goediog

My route continued north-east from Stephen’s farm and I was fortunate to meet Joanne Redman at the summit of the next hill, she helped me with its name which will be documented in a forthcoming Significant Name Changes post, and suggested that I should contact her father; Tomos Lewis who lives and farms from Nant-y-mynach (SH 644 048), she then kindly gave me his telephone number.

The following day I phoned Tomos and two days later then visited him.  Tomos has lived in this area all of his life having been brought up in one of the council houses in Abertrinant and has lived at Nant-y-mynach since the age of six.  He gave me the name of Foel Cocyn for this hill during our telephone conversation and later confirmed this name when we met, I asked about the name of Ffridd Cocyn and he said that ‘we’ve always known the top as Foel Cocyn’.  

Tomos Lewis of Nant-y-mynach

The term ffridd is usually given to land that is enclosed and is lower than the mountain, or mynydd land adjoined to a farm, both are associated with the cynefin naming system, details relating to these are given below:

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.

When visiting these farmers I asked if there was a farm named Cocyn in the area which would substantiate the use of the word ffridd in relation to this hill, and was told there wasn’t, with Edward Cook telling me that the word cocyn refers to the small hummocks on the side of the hill. 

Although the name of Ffridd Cocyn has been consistently given on Ordnance Survey maps in relation to this hill, it seems this name is either no longer used in the local community or it was never used and that the transcript of this hill’s name was incorrectly given by Ordnance Survey as Ffridd instead of Foel.

Even if the name of Ffridd Cocyn was once used locally, this would refer to enclosed land incorporating a field, whereas the name of Foel Cocyn refers to the hill and not necessarily to just an enclosed field.

Therefore, the name this hill is now listed by in the Y Trichant and in Y Trechol – The Dominant Hills of Wales is Foel Cocyn, and this was derived from local enquiry.

The full details for the hill are:

Group:  Tarennydd

Name:  Foel Cocyn

Previously Listed Name:  Ffridd Cocyn

OS 1:50,000 map:  135

Summit Height:  312.9m (converted to OSGM15, Trimble GeoXH 6000)

Summit Grid Reference:  SH 62455 04290 (Trimble GeoXH 6000)

Bwlch Height:  62.5m (LIDAR)

Bwlch Grid Reference:  SH 67118 06459 (LIDAR)

Drop:  250.4m (Trimble GeoXH 6000 summit and LIDAR bwlch)

Dominance:  80.04% (Trimble GeoXH 6000 summit and LIDAR bwlch)

For details on the survey of Foel Cocyn

Myrddyn Phillips (July 2018)

Mapping Mountains - Significant Name Changes - Y Trechol - The Dominant Hills of Wales

Coed Hyrddyn (SJ 200 439) - 14th 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 7^th February 2013, with a subsequent Trimble GeoXH 6000 summit survey taking place on the 5^th 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 3^rd 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

SJ200439

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 Pen, Bryn 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

SJ200439

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%

For details on the summit survey of Coed Hyrddyn

Myrddyn Phillips (July 2018)

Mapping Mountains - Significant Name Changes - Y Trechol - The Dominant Hills of Wales

Moel Fynydd (SH 697 161) - 13th significant name change

There has been a Significant Name Change to a hill that appears in the following lists; Y Trichant and Y Trechol – The Dominant Hills of Wales, with the criteria for the two listings that this name change applies to are:

Y Trichant – All Welsh hills at and above 300m and below 400m in height that have 30m minimum drop, with an accompanying sub category entitled the Sub-Trichant consisting of all Welsh hills at and above 300m and below 400m in height that have 20m or more and below 30m of drop.  The list is authored by Myrddyn Phillips and the Introduction to the list and the re-naming and publication history was published on Mapping Mountains on the 13^th May 2017.

Y Trechol – The Dominant Hills of Wales – All 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 3^rd December 2015.

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 Llyn Gwernan to its east south-east and the town of Dolgellau to its east north-east. 

Moel Fynydd (SH 697 161)

The hill appeared in the 300m P30 list on Geoff Crowder’s v-g.me website under the name of Craig y Castell.  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 Craig y Castell on contemporary Ordnance Survey maps implies, that part of the hill is known by this name and is directly associated with an ancient fortification, and in the case of the hill whose summit is positioned at SH 697 161 it was a local farmer who has lived the whole of his life under this hill that gave the name of Moel Fynydd.

Craig y Castell

321m

SH698162

124

23

Marilyn. Clem/Yeaman. aka Moel Gwernan.

The local farmer is Emyr Rees who is aged 70 and is a Welsh speaker and has lived all of his life at Tynyceunant (SH 688 152), this farm is situated to the south-west of the hill.  When we met Emyr was wielding a large mallet and was in the process of fixing a post.  We met at the start of the access track beside the narrow road that leads to his farm and this hill was directly above us and therefore after introducing myself and explaining my interest in upland place-names, all I had to do was point and say ‘what about that one, has it a name?’, Emyr replied ‘that’s Moel Fynydd’.  Emyr also gave me a number of other names for near hills or the bounded land where the summit of each was situated, some have been detailed in previous Significant Name Changes posts, the one that has not will be detailed in a forthcoming one.

Emyr Rees of Tynyceunant

Therefore, the name this hill is now listed by in the Y Trichant and Y Trechol – The Dominant Hills of Wales is Moel Fynydd and this name was derived from local enquiry.

The full details for the hill are:

Group:  Cadair Idris

Name:  Moel Fynydd

Previously Listed Name:  Craig y Castell 

OS 1:50,000 map:  124

Summit Height:  321.4m (LIDAR)

Summit Grid Reference:  SH 69777 16198 (LIDAR)   

Bwlch Height:  167.8m (LIDAR)

Bwlch Grid Reference:  SH 70838 16524 (LIDAR)

Drop:  153.6m (LIDAR)

Dominance:  47.78% (LIDAR)

Myrddyn Phillips (April 2018)

Mapping Mountains - Significant Name Changes - Y Trechol - The Dominant Hills of Wales

Bryn y Gwynt (SH 599 449) - 12th significant name change

Hill Reclassifications post for Bryn y Gwynt

Significant Height Revisions post for Bryn y Gwynt

Summit Relocations post for Bryn y Gwynt

There has been a Significant Name Change to a hill that is now listed in the 30-99m Twmpau and Y Trechol – The Dominant Hills of Wales, with the summit height, bwlch height, their locations, the drop, dominance and status of the hill confirmed by LIDAR analysis conducted by Aled Williams and a subsequent Trimble GeoXH 6000 survey conducted by Myrddyn Phillips and Aled Williams.

Bryn y Gwynt (SH 599 449)

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

30-99m Twmpau - Welsh hills at or above 30m and below 100m in height with 30m minimum drop, with an accompanying sub list entitled the 30-99m Sub-Twmpau with the criteria for this sub category being all Welsh hills at or above 30m and below 100m 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 3^rd December 2015, and the list is now available in its entirety on Mapping Mountains in Google Doc format.

The hill is situated in the Moelwynion range of hills in the Region of North Wales (Region A, Sub-Region A1), and is positioned with the A 4085 road to its north-east and has the Welsh Highland Railway to its immediate west and overlooks the Afon Glaslyn also to its west, and has the village of Beddgelert to its north north-west and the town of Porthmadog to its south south-west.

The hill appeared in the Hills to be surveyed sub list that accompanied the main Welsh P30 lists that were published on Geoff Crowder’s v-g.me website under the name of Coed Hafod-y-llyn.  This is the name of the wood where the hill is situated and would be an appropriate name to use if a name for the hill itself did not exist.

Coed Hafod-y-llyn

56m

SH598448

124

18

Hill list authors are prone to list a hill by the name that appears nearest to its summit on contemporary Ordnance Survey maps, without much consideration for its local or historical confirmation, or whether map placement is appropriate, or as in this case whether an individual name for the hill in preference to the name of the wood it is situated in, exists.  This is not a practice I now advocate as with time and inclination place-name date can be improved 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 local knowledge from Aled Williams coupled with historical information from the Ordnance Survey series of Six-Inch maps that gave the name of Bryn y Gwynt for this hill.  

Extract from the series of Ordnance Survey Six-Inch maps

Therefore, the name this hill is now listed by in the 30-99m Twmpau and Y Trechol – The Dominant Hills of Wales is Bryn y Gwynt and this was derived from local enquiry and the Ordnance Survey series of Six-Inch maps.

The full details for the hill are:

Group:  Moelwynion

Name:  Bryn y Gwynt

Previously Listed Name:  Coed Hafod-y-llyn

Summit Height:  59.9m (converted to OSGM15, Trimble GeoXH 6000)

Summit Grid Reference:  SH 59949 44919 (Trimble GeoXH 6000) 

  

Bwlch Height:  28.0m (LIDAR)

Bwlch Grid Reference:  SH 60224 45248 & SH 60226 45258 & SH 60227 45259 (LIDAR)

Drop:  31.9m (Trimble GeoXH 6000 summit and LIDAR bwlch)

Dominance:  53.21% (Trimble GeoXH 6000 summit and LIDAR bwlch)  

My thanks to Aled Williams for sending the details of this hill to me.

Myrddyn Phillips (February 2018)

Mapping Mountains - Significant Name Changes - Y Trechol - The Dominant Hills of Wales

Coed Pant y Glo (SH 767 014) - 11th significant name change

Survey post for Coed Pant y Glo

There has been a Significant Name Change to a hill that is listed in the 100m Twmpau and Y Trechol - The Dominant Hills of Wales, with the hill’s summit height and drop being confirmed by a survey with the Trimble GeoXH 6000 which took place on the 29^th October 2017 and subsequent LIDAR analysis conducted by Myrddyn Phillips.

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

100m Twmpau – All Welsh hills at and above 100m and below 200m in height that have 30m minimum drop, with the word Twmpau being an acronym for ‘thirty welsh metre prominences and upward’.

Y Trechol – The Dominant Hills of Wales – All Welsh P30 hills whose prominence equal or exceed half that of their absolute height.

The hill is adjoined to the Pumlumon range, this group of hills are situated in the north-western part of Mid and West Wales (Region B, Sub-Region B2), and the hill is positioned overlooking the A 489 road to its south and the Afon Dyfi to its north, with the town of Machynlleth towards the west. 

Coed Pant y Glo (SH 767 014)

The hill appeared in the 100m P30 list on Geoff Crowder’s v-g.me website under the name of Bryntudor, with an accompanying note stating; 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 Pen, Bryn or Moel in front of them or as in this instance, just use the name of a house situated close to the summit 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 historical documents, through this form of research an appropriate name for the hill can usually be found, and in the case of this hill an appropriate name for it appears on contemporary as well as historical Ordnance Survey maps.

Bryntudor

141m

SH768014

135

23/215

Name from buildings 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 on the Geograph website, and it is the series of Six-Inch maps that give the name of the wood where the summit of this hill is situated as Coed Pant y Glo.  This name also appears on the contemporary Ordnance Survey 1:25,000 Explorer map.

Extract from the Ordnance Survey Six-Inch map

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

Therefore, the name this hill is now listed by is Coed Pant y Glo and this was derived from the series of Ordnance Survey Six-Inch maps as well as the contemporary 1:25,000 Explorer map.

The full details for the hill are:

Group:  Pumlumon

Name:  Coed Pant y Glo

Previously Listed Name:  Bryntudor 

OS 1:50,000 map:  135

Summit Height:  140.7m (converted to OSGM15, Trimble GeoXH 6000)

Summit Grid Reference:  SH 76776 01435 (Trimble GeoXH 6000)  

Bwlch Height:  49.05m (LIDAR)

Bwlch Grid Reference:  SH 77889 01169 (LIDAR)

Drop:  91.7m (Trimble GeoXH 6000 summit and LIDAR bwlch)

Dominance:  65.15% (Trimble GeoXH 6000 summit and LIDAR bwlch)

For details on the survey of Coed Pant y Glo

Myrddyn Phillips (January 2018)

Mapping Mountains - Significant Name Changes - Y Trechol - The Dominant Hills of Wales

Cefn Digoll (SJ 264 058) - 10th significant name change

Survey post for Cefn Digoll


There has been a Significant Name Change to a hill that is listed in the Y Pedwarau and Y Trechol - The Dominant Hills of Wales, with the height, drop and dominance of the hill being confirmed by a Trimble GeoXH 6000 survey which took place on the 24^th and 28^th March 2017, with the bwlch of the hill also analysed via LIDAR data by Aled Williams.

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

Y Pedwarau - These are the Welsh hills at and above 400m and below 500m in height that have 30m minimum drop.  The list is co-authored by Myrddyn Phillips and Aled Williams, with the introduction to the Mapping Mountains publication of this list appearing on the 30th January 2017.

Y Trechol - The Dominant Hills of Wales - These are the Welsh P30 hills whose prominence equal or exceed half that of their absolute height.  The list is authored by Myrddyn Phillips.

The hill is a part of the Cefn Digoll 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 483 road and the village of Trewern to its north and the town of Y Trallwng (Welshpool) to its west north-west.  

The summit of Cefn Digoll

The hill appeared in the 400m P30 list on Geoff Crowder’s v-g.me website under the name Beacon Ring, this is the English name given to the summit area of the hill, with its Welsh counterpart being Caer Digoll.  During my early hill listing I did not lay emphasis on prioritising a name for a hill over that for its summit, and therefore on occasion I used a summit name in preference to that of the hill name, and the use of Beacon Ring is such an example as the hill is known in English as the Long Mountain.  This practice can be appropriate if the summit name is prioritised locally, otherwise for listing purposes it is customary to prioritise the hill name in preference to that of its summit.
  

Beacon Ring

408m

SJ265058

126

216

Marilyn. Clem/Yeaman. Trig pillar marked on map.

Also during my early hill listing I thought it sufficient to use English or anglicised names for hills even if a Welsh name existed, this in the main is not a practice that I now advocate, especially if the Welsh name has historical evidence of use, and as the English names for this hill and its summit have Welsh counterparts, these being Cefn Digoll and Caer Digoll respectively, the hill name of Cefn Digoll is being used. 

Therefore, the name this hill is now listed by in the Y Pedwarau and Y Trechol – The Dominant Hills of Wales is Cefn Digoll, as this is the Welsh name for the hill.

The full details for the hill are:

Group:  Cefn Digoll

Name:  Cefn Digoll

Previously Listed Name:  Beacon Ring 

Summit Height:  408.3m (converted to OSGM15)

OS 1:50,000 map:  126

Summit Grid Reference:  SJ 26476 05824  

Drop:  305.0m (converted to OSGM15)

Dominance:  74.69%

For details on the survey of Cefn Digoll

Myrddyn Phillips and Aled Williams (April 2017)

Mapping Mountains - Significant Name Changes - Y Trechol - The Dominant Hills of Wales

Cefn Nedd (SO 185 965) - 9th 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 Wales, with the height, drop, dominance and status of the hill being confirmed by a Trimble GeoXH 6000 survey which took place on the 9^th 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%

For details on the survey of Cefn Nedd

Myrddyn Phillips (March 2017)

Mapping Mountains - Significant Name Changes - Y Trechol - The Dominant Hills of Wales

Clepyn Melyn (SN 961 464) - 8th significant name change


This hill is now listed as Mynydd Epynt, with the details below kept for historic merit


Survey post for Mynydd Epynt

Significant Height Revisions post for Mynydd Epynt

There has been a Significant Name Change to a hill that is listed in the Y Pedwarau and Y Trechol - The Dominant Hills of Wales, with the summit height and dominance of the hill being confirmed by a survey with the Trimble GeoXH 6000 which was conducted on the 28^th December 2016, with the hill previously analysed via LIDAR data by Aled Williams.

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

Y Pedwarau - These are the Welsh hills at and above 400m and below 500m in height that have 30m minimum drop.  The list is co-authored by Myrddyn Phillips and Aled Williams, with the introduction to the Mapping Mountains publication of this list appearing on the 30th January 2017.

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 list is authored by Myrddyn Phillips.

The hill is a part of the Mynydd Epynt range, this group of hills is situated in the south-eastern part of Mid and West Wales (Region B, Sub-Region B-2), and is positioned above the B 4519 road and between the small communities of Garth to its north and Upper Chapel to its south-east. 

Clepyn Melyn (SN 961 464)

The hill appeared in the 400m P30 list on Geoff Crowder’s v-g.me website under the name Mynydd Eppynt, which is the composition of the name that appeared relatively close to the summit of the hill on Ordnance Survey 1:50,000 Landranger and 1:25,000 Explorer maps of the day.  

Mynydd Eppynt

478m

SN960463

147

188

Marilyn.   Clem/Yeaman.

Hill list authors are prone to list a hill by the name that appears nearest to its summit on Ordnance Survey maps, without much consideration for its local or historical confirmation, or whether map placement is appropriate, and in the case of Mynydd Eppynt (the name is now presented on Ordnance Survey maps with a single ‘p’ as Mynydd Epynt) the name is more appropriately associated with the hill range rather than an individual hill.  However, place-name data can be improved by asking local people and examining historical documents, and in the case of this hill it was a local farmer who gave the name Clepyn Melyn for land near to the summit of the hill, which to the authors knowledge is the main named feature of this hill and therefore appropriate to use for listing purposes.

Therefore, the name this hill is listed by in Y Pedwarau and Y Trechol - The Dominant Hills of Wales is Clepyn Melyn and this was derived from local enquiry.

The full details for the hill are:

Group:  Mynydd Epynt

Name:  Clepyn Melyn

Previously Listed Name:  Mynydd Eppynt 

Summit Height:  475.7m (converted to OSGM15)

OS 1:50,000 map:  147

Summit Grid Reference:  SN 96124 46428 

Drop:  c 198

For details on the summit survey of this hill

Myrddyn Phillips and Aled Williams (January 2017)

Mapping Mountains - Significant Name Changes - Y Trechol - The Dominant Hills of Wales

Cefn y Coed (SO 211 934) - 7th significant name change

Survey post for Cefn y Coed

Significant Height Revisions post for Cefn y Coed

There has been a Significant Name Change to a hill that is listed in the Y Trichant - The 300m Hills of Wales and Y Trechol - The Dominant Hills of Wales, with the summit height, bwlch height and their locations, the drop and status of the hill derived from a Leica RX1250 survey conducted by Alan Dawson and a subsequent Trimble GeoXH 6000 summit survey and LIDAR bwlch analysis conducted b Myrddyn Phillips.

Cefn y Coed (SO 211 934)

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

Y Trichant – The 300m Hills of Wales – Welsh hills at or above 300m and below 400m in height that have 30m minimum drop, with an accompanying sub list entitled the Sub-Trichant, with the criteria for this sub category being all Welsh hills at or above 300m and below 400m in height with 20m or more and below 30m of drop.  The list is authored by Myrddyn Phillips with the Introduction to the list and the renaming of it appearing on Mapping Mountains on the 13^th May 2017, and the Introduction to the Mapping Mountains publication of the list appearing on the 1^st January 2022.

Y Trichant - The 300m Hills of Wales by Myrddyn Phillips

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 3^rd December 2015, and the list is now available in its entirety on Mapping Mountains in Google Doc format.

Y Trechol - The Dominant Hills of Wales by Myrddyn Phillips

The hill is a part of the Cilfaesty range, this group of hills is situated in the north-eastern part of Mid and West Wales, and is positioned above the A 489 road and between the town of Trefaldwyn (Montgomery) to its north, Yr Ystog (Churchstoke) to its east, Aber-miwl (Abermule) to its west north-west and Sarn to its south.

The hill appeared in the 300m P30 list on Geoff Crowder’s v-g.me website under the transposed name of Caeliber Isaf, which is a name that appeared close to the summit of the hill on the contemporary Ordnance Survey 1:50,000 Landranger and 1:25,000 Explorer map.

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 Caeliber Isaf is such an example as this name has been consistently applied by the Ordnance Survey to land on the southern side of this hill.  The name Caeliber Isaf can be translated in to English as the lower fair copse, which is an unusual name if applicable to the highest hill hereabouts, and especially so when one considers that the name Caeliber Uchaf also appears on Ordnance Survey maps and has been consistently applied to land to the west of where the name Caeliber Isaf appears, the translation in to English of Caeliber Uchaf can be given as the upper fair copse.  Both names are known locally as applicable to areas or districts of land and not to hills.  

Caeliber Isaf

355c

SO212934

137

216

Marilyn. Clem/Yeaman.

  

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.  One of the historical maps now available is the Ordnance Survey One-Inch ‘Old Series’ map, which was the first map made publicly available by the Ordnance Survey and it is this map that has the name of Cefn y Coed running across the summit of this hill and beyond, and when coupled with detail later found on the Tithe map and also through local enquiry it formed the basis of this name being considered the most appropriate for this hill.

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.

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

However, many local people now know the name Cefn y Coed to be applicable to an area/district of land and not necessarily to the hill, this was confirmed by Gordon Davies who has lived at Camp Farm all of his life, with his grandfather moving here in 1904, this farm is situated approximately 1.3 km west of the hill’s summit.  This hill was surveyed with the Trimble GeoXH 6000 in the company of Rick Salter and Jenny Hatfield and we visited Camp Farm on our descent and I took the opportunity to ask Gordon about the name of the hill.

Gordon knows this hill as Cwm Bromley Top, as the land where the summit of the hill is situated is a part of the farm of Cwm Bromley.  This farm is situated to the east of the summit at grid reference SO 226 934.  He also knows the point at SO 20930 92921 as Black Hill and explained that this land takes in at least three bounded and fenced fields.  Gordon confirmed that Caeliber Isaf is a small district of land which is in the main on the other (southern) side of the hill, and that there are also other areas of land with Caeliber in their names that are also close by.

Gordon Davies

Although Gordon knows the hill as Cwm Bromley Top this is only applicable as the land where the summit of the hill is situated, is on land of Cwm Bromley farm.  Ideally this needed confirming and therefore I contacted Ted and Merle Davies who have farmed Cwm Bromley since Ted’s family moved there in 1937.  Ted is now aged 65 and told me that he knows the field where the high point of the hill is situated as the Tank Field, as there’s a water tank in the field.  I asked if he had ever heard, used or referred to the hill or the upper field as Cwm Bromley Top, he had not, although he did say that he’s referred to it as the top of Cwm Bromley, Ted then told me that Cefn y Coed is a little hamlet.  As there is no confirmation that Cwm Bromley Top is the name of the hill or the upper field by the farmer from Cwm Bromley farm it may be surmised that this name is not frequently used. 

I later checked 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 Q33 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 y Coed (conforming to standard modern Welsh) on the Tithe map and described as Pasture; it appears in the county named as Montgomery and in the parish of Ceri.

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 Cefn y Coed on the Tithe map

Although there is now consensus amongst the local community that the name of Cefn y Coed is applicable to a small hamlet or area of land and not necessarily the hill, the Tithe map confirms that the bounded land at the summit of this hill that once took in what is now a number of individual fields was known at the time of the Tithe map as Cefn y Coed, and this is substantiated by the Ordnance Survey One-Inch ‘Old Series’ map.  One may presume from this that Cefn y Coed is the name of the land at the summit of this hill, and in all likelihood is the name of the hill itself, and that the passage of time has supplanted this name to also take in the small hamlet and area of land surrounding the hill. 

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

Therefore, the name this hill is now listed by in the Y Trichant - The 300m Hills of Wales and Y Trechol - The Dominant Hills of Wales is Cefn y Coed, and this was derived from the Tithe map and the Ordnance Survey One-Inch ‘Old Series’ map, coupled with information given from local enquiry.  

The full details for the hill are:

Group:  Cilfaesty

Name:  Cefn y Coed

Previously Listed Name:  Caeliber Isaf 

OS 1:50,000 map:  137

Summit Height:  353.6m (converted to OSGM15, Trimble GeoXH 6000)

Summit Grid Reference:  SO 21164 93411 (Trimble GeoXH 6000) 

 

Bwlch Height:  184.2m (LIDAR)

Bwlch Grid Reference:  SO 20667 90868 (LIDAR)

Drop:  169.3m (Trimble GeoXH 6000 summit and LIDAR bwlch)

Dominance:  47.89% (Trimble GeoXH 6000 summit and LIDAR bwlch)

Myrddyn Phillips (December 2016)

  

Mapping Mountains - Significant Name Changes - Y Trechol - The Dominant Hills of Wales

Moelfre (SH 558 375) - 6th significant name change

Survey post for Moelfre

Hill Reclassifications post for Moelfre

There has been a Significant Name Change to a hill that appears in the following lists; 30-99m Twmpau and Y Trechol - The Dominant Hills of Wales, with the hill's height, drop, dominance and status being confirmed by the survey with the Trimble GeoXH 6000 which took place on the 23^rd February 2016, and which confirmed the adjacent easterly summit positioned at SH 56181 37683 as being lower. 

The criteria for the two listings that this name change applies to are:
   
30-99m Twmpau - All Welsh hills at and above 30m and below 100m 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 a part of the Moel Hebog range, which is a group of hills situated in the north-western part of north Wales, and it is positioned between the small communities of Morfa Bychan to the west and Borth-y-gest to the east south-east.

The westerly summit of Moelfre (SH 558 375)

The hill appeared in the 30m-99m P30 list on Geoff Crowder’s v-g.me website under the name Coed Borth.  This name was found through local enquiry with Dewi Jones and at a later date confirmed by Aled Williams; a resident and native of Porthmadog respectively.  As Ordnance Survey maps of the day did not give a spot height to the westerly summit, it was the easterly summit with its 72m map spot height that was listed, both have now been Trimbled with the westerly summit proving higher. 

Coed Borth

72m

SH561376

124

18/254

    

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 Coed Borth is such an example as although this is the locally known name for the wood close to the easterly summit of this hill, it doesn’t take in the actual summit, whilst the same wood has been consistently named as Parc y Borth on Ordnance Survey maps.  However, Aled has confirmed that the higher westerly top and its adjacent easterly lower top are locally and collectively known as Moelfre. 

Before enquiring with Aled I checked 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 name where the summit of this hill is situated is named Moelvra on the Tithe map

The enclosed land where the summit of this hill is situated is given the number 920 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 Moelvra [sic] on the Tithe map and described as Pasture; it appears in the county named as Caernarfon and in the parish of Ynyscynhaearn.

Therefore, the name this hill is now listed by is Moelfre (spelling conforming to standard modern Welsh), and this was derived from local enquiry, as well as the land where the summit of this hill is situated being confirmed by the use of the same name on the Tithe map. 

The full details for the hill are:

Group:  Moel Hebog

Name:  Moelfre

Previously Listed Name:  Coed Borth

Summit Height:  74.1m (converted to OSGM15)

OS 1:50,000 map:  124

Summit Grid Reference:  SH 55830 37553  

Drop:  36.3m (converted to OSGM15)

Dominance:  49.00%

For details on the survey of Moelfre

Myrddyn Phillips (October 2016)

Mapping Mountains - Significant Name Changes - Y Trechol - The Dominant Hills of Wales

Y Faerdre (SH 781 794) - 5th significant name change

Survey post for Y Faerdre

There has been a Significant Name Change to a hill that is listed in the 100m Twmpau and Y Trechol - The Dominant Hills of Wales, with the summit height, bwlch height and their locations, the drop, dominance and status of the hill derived from a Trimble GeoXH 6000 summit survey and LIDAR bwlch analysis conducted by Myrddyn Phillips.

Y Faerdre (SH 781 794)

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

100m Twmpau - Welsh hills at or above 100m and below 200m in height that have 30m minimum drop, with an accompanying sub list entitled the 100m Sub-Twmpau, with the criteria for this sub category being all Welsh hills at or above 100m and below 200m 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. 

100m Twmpau by Myrddyn Phillips

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 3^rd December 2015, and the list is now available in its entirety on Mapping Mountains in Google Doc format.

Y Trechol - The Dominant Hills of Wales by Myrddyn Phillips

The hill is adjoined to the Mynydd Hiraethog group of hills, which are situated in the northern part of North Wales (Region A, Sub-Region A2), and it is positioned with the A546 road to its west and the B5115 road to its east, and has the town of Deganwy encircling it on three sides.

The hill appeared in the 100m P30 list on GeoffCrowder’s v-g.me website, under the transposed and invented name of Degannwy Castle Top, with an accompanying note stating; Name from remains of castle.

Degannwy Castle Top

107m

SH782794

115

17

Name from remains of castle.

  

 

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 or as in this instance, use the name of the castle whose remains are situated on the summit of the hill and add the word Top to 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.    

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 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 is the Draft Surveyors map coupled with local enquiry and detail on Ordnance Survey 1:25,000 Explorer maps that formed the basis for the change in this hill’s listed name.

Extract from the Ordnance Survey Draft Surveyors 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 18^th century and the mid-19^th century when the Ordnance Survey produced their first One-Inch maps. 

The summit of this hill has the remains of Castell Deganwy (Degannwy Castle in English) situated on it, and local enquiry as well as research online coupled with detail on Ordnance Survey maps indicates that the hill is also known as The Vardre, this is an obvious anglicisation of a Welsh word, and it is the Draft Surveyors map that gives historical documentation of its original form; Y Faerdre, the meaning of this word is an area of land where crops were grown under the supervision of the steward.  It is appropriate to use the name Y Faerdre as opposed to that of the anglicised form as the Welsh form is prioritised when list compiling.     

Therefore, the name this hill is now listed by in the 100m Twmpau and Y Trechol - The Dominant Hills of Wales is Y Faerdre and this was derived from a number of sources with the original Welsh form being used on the Ordnance Survey Draft Surveyors map, and the anglicised form from local enquiry and the contemporary Ordnance Survey 1:25,000 Explorer map.

The full details for the hill are:

Group:  Mynydd Hiraethog

Name:  Y Faerdre

Previously Listed Name:  Degannwy Castle Top

 

OS 1:50,000 map:  115

Summit Height:  109.0m (converted to OSGM15, Trimble GeoXH 6000)

Summit Grid Reference:  SH 78160 79432 (Trimble GeoXH 6000)

  

Bwlch Height:  30.4m (LIDAR)

Bwlch Grid Reference:  SH 79280 80334 (LIDAR)

Drop:  78.5m (Trimble GeoXH 6000 summit and LIDAR bwlch)

Dominance:  72.08% (Trimble GeoXH 6000 summit and LIDAR bwlch)

Myrddyn Phillips (October 2016)

Mapping Mountains - Significant Name Changes - Y Trechol - The Dominant Hills of Wales

Coed Gaer (SH 799 808) - 4th significant name change

Survey post for Coed Gaer

Summit Relocations post for Coed Gaer

There has been a Significant Name Change to a hill that is listed in the 100m Twmpau and Y Trechol - The Dominant Hills of Wales, with the summit height, bwlch height and their locations, the drop, dominance and status of the hill derived from a Trimble GeoXH 6000 summit survey and LIDAR bwlch analysis conducted by Myrddyn Phillips.

Coed Gaer (SH 799 808)

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

100m Twmpau - Welsh hills at or above 100m and below 200m in height that have 30m minimum drop, with an accompanying sub list entitled the 100m Sub-Twmpau, with the criteria for this sub category being all Welsh hills at or above 100m and below 200m 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. 

100m Twmpau by Myrddyn Phillips

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 3^rd December 2015, and the list is now available in its entirety on Mapping Mountains in Google Doc format.

Y Trechol - The Dominant Hills of Wales by Myrddyn Phillips

The hill is adjoined to the Mynydd Hiraethog group of hills, which are situated in the northern part of North Wales (Region A, Sub-Region A2), and it is positioned with the B5115 road to its north, the A470 road to its west and minor roads to its south and east, and has the town of Llandudno towards the north-west.

The hill appeared in the original Welsh 100m P30 list on Geoff Crowder’s v-g.me website, under the invented and transposed name of Pen Goed Gaer, with an accompanying note stating; Name from wood at summit.

Pen Coed Gaer

130c

SH802810

115/116

17

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 Pen, Bryn or Moel in front of them or as in this instance transpose the name of a wood and add the word Pen to 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.  However, as an appropriate name for this hill already exists on the contemporary Ordnance Survey 1:25,000 Explorer map, the use of the invented and prefixed word of Pen is unnecessary.

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

Therefore, the name this hill is now listed by in the 100m Twmpau and Y Trechol - The Dominant Hills of Wales is Coed Gaer, and this was derived from a variety of Ordnance Survey maps including the contemporary 1:25,000 Explorer map.

The full details for the hill are:

Group:  Mynydd Hiraethog

Name:  Coed Gaer

Previously Listed Name:  Pen Coed Gaer 

OS 1:50,000 map:  115

Summit Height:  134.0m (converted to OSGM15, Trimble GeoXH 6000)

Summit Grid Reference:  SH 79924 80840 (Trimble GeoXH 6000) 

 

Bwlch Height:  60.0m (LIDAR)

Bwlch Grid Reference:  SH 81486 81889 (LIDAR)

Drop:  74.0m (Trimble GeoXH 6000 summit and LIDAR bwlch) 

Dominance:  55.25% (Trimble GeoXH 6000 summit and LIDAR bwlch) 

Myrddyn Phillips (September 2016)

Mapping Mountains - Significant Name Changes - Y Trechol - The Dominant Hills of Wales

Trwyn y Fuwch (SH 813 823) - 3rd significant name change

Survey post for Trwyn y Fuwch

There has been a Significant Name Change to a hill that is listed in the 100m Twmpau and Y Trechol - The Dominant Hills of Wales, with the summit height, bwlch height and their locations, the drop, dominance and status of the hill derived from a Trimble GeoXH 6000 summit survey and LIDAR bwlch analysis conducted by Myrddyn Phillips.

Trwyn y Fuwch (SH 813 823)

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

100m Twmpau - Welsh hills at or above 100m and below 200m in height that have 30m minimum drop, with an accompanying sub list entitled the 100m Sub-Twmpau, with the criteria for this sub category being all Welsh hills at or above 100m and below 200m 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. 

100m Twmpau by Myrddyn Phillips

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 3^rd December 2015, and the list is now available in its entirety on Mapping Mountains in Google Doc format.

Y Trechol - The Dominant Hills of Wales by Myrddyn Phillips

The hill is adjoined to the Mynydd Hiraethog group of hills, which are situated in the northern part of North Wales (Region A, Sub-Region A2), and it is positioned with the B5115 road to its south-west, and has the town of Llandudno towards the west.

The hill appeared in the original Welsh 100m P30 list on Geoff Crowder’s v-g.me website, under the transposed name of Creigiau Rhiwledyn, which is a prominent name that appears close to its summit on the contemporary Ordnance Survey 1:50,000 Landranger and 1:25,000 Explorer map, with an accompanying note stating; aka Little Orme or Little Ormes Head.

Creigiau Rhiwledyn

141m

SH813824

116

17

aka Little Orme or Little Ormes Head. Trig pillar.

 

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 Creigiau Rhiwledyn is such an example as this name has been consistently applied by the Ordnance Survey to the cliffs that are positioned north-eastward of the summit of this hill, and although it can be appropriate to use the main named feature of a hill for listing purposes, in this instance the hill has its own Welsh name, and this is Trwyn y Fuwch.

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.  It is also standard practice to use a Welsh name for a hill if another name exists that has originated in a different language.

Therefore, the name this hill is now listed by in the 100m Twmpau and Y Trechol - The Dominant Hills of Wales is Trwyn y Fuwch, and this was derived from a variety of sources including the Dictionary of the Place-Names of Wales (Hywel Wyn Owen and Richard Morgan, Gomer Press 2007), with the prioritised language protocol being used.

The full details for the hill are:

Group:  Mynydd Hiraethog

Name:  Trwyn y Fuwch

Previously Listed Name:  Creigiau Rhiwledyn 

OS 1:50,000 map:  116

Summit Height:  141.7m (converted to OSGM15, Trimble GeoXH 6000)

Summit Grid Reference:  SH 81314 82382 (Trimble GeoXH 6000) 

 

Bwlch Height:  6.3m (LIDAR)

Bwlch Grid Reference:  SH 78249 82533 (LIDAR)

Drop:  135.4m (Trimble GeoXH 6000 summit and LIDAR bwlch)

Dominance:  95.56% (Trimble GeoXH 6000 summit and LIDAR bwlch)

Myrddyn Phillips (September 2016)

Mapping Mountains - Significant Name Changes - Y Trechol - The Dominant Hills of Wales

Craig Berwyn (SJ 071 323) - 2nd significant name change

Summit survey post for Craig Berwyn

Bwlch survey post for Craig Berwyn

There has been a Significant Name Change to a hill that appears in the following lists; Y Pellennig, Yr Uchafion, 800m Twmpau and Y Trechol - The Dominant Hills of Wales, with the following details relating to a hill whose summit was surveyed with the Trimble GeoXH 6000 on the 21^st June 2014 and its bwlch on the 13th September 2019.

The criteria for the four listings that this name change affects are:

Y Pellennig –The Remotest Hills of Wales comprise all Welsh hills whose summit is 2.5km or more from the nearest paved public road and which have a minimum 15m of drop.  The list is co-authored by Myrddyn Phillips and Aled Williams.

Yr Uchafion - All Welsh hills at or above 500m in height that have 15m minimum drop.  The list is co-authored by Myrddyn Phillips and Aled Williams. 

800m Twmpau - All Welsh hills at or above 800m and below 900m in height with 30m minimum drop.  The list is authored by Myrddyn Phillips.  

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 situated in the Y Berwyn, which is an extensive group of hills positioned in the south-eastern part of north Wales, and is relatively remote for a Welsh hill with the nearest towns being Llandrillo to the north-west and Llanarmon Dyffryn Ceiriog to the east.

The Trimble GeoXH 6000 gathering data at the summit of Craig Berwyn (SJ 071 323) with the trig pillar atop Cadair Berwyn (SJ 072 327) in the background on the left

The hill first made an appearance in a hill list as Cader Berwyn, S. Top in a 1929 update to the Twenty-Fives which was compiled by John Rooke Corbett and published by the Rucksack Club Journal.  Since this time the hill has been listed a number of times and usually by names associated with that of Cadair Berwyn, which strictly speaking is the hill to its north positioned at SJ 072 327, and which has a triangulation pillar situated at its summit and a map height of 827m.

Unfortunately all previous hill list authors have used the map name that appears nearest to the summit of this hill, although doing this is convenient it has conjured up all manner of  combinations of inappropriate names centred around that of its adjacent hill, these names include; Cadair Berwyn New Top, Cadair Berwyn South Top as well as the use of the adjacent hill’s name; Cadair Berwyn.

The hill was only confirmed by the Ordnance Survey as the highest in the Y Berwyn when contacted by Bernard Wright who had recognised that the summit of the hill was higher than its adjacent northerly peak; Cadair Berwyn, and also higher than its adjacent southerly peak; Moel Sych, Bernard suggested the name of Craig Uchaf for this hill as it seemingly had no name for it on the map of the day.  This is the name previously given the hill in unpublished format within the Yr Uchafion prior to extensive place-name research for this area taking place.

As a result of this research the hill has subsequently appeared under the name of Craig Berwyn in all four of the previously mentioned lists, this is the name that some local farmers and shepherds know the hill by, ironically this name already appears on Ordnance Survey 1:50,000 Landranger and 1:25,000 Explorer maps.

The full details for the hill are:

Group:  Y Berwyn

Name:  Craig Berwyn

Previously Listed Name:  Craig Uchaf 

Summit Height:  832.0m (converted to OSGM15)

OS 1:50,000 map:  125

Summit Grid Reference:  SJ 07163 32351 

Drop:  347.3m

Dominance:  41.74%

For details on the summit survey of Craig Berwyn

Myrddyn Phillips (July 2016)

Mapping Mountains - Significant Name Changes - Y Trechol - The Dominant Hills of Wales

Gelli Hir (SN 999 883) - 1st significant name change

1st survey post for Gelli Hir

2nd survey post for Gelli Hir

There has been a Significant Name Change to a hill that is listed in the Y Trichant and Y Trechol - The Dominant Hills of Wales, with the following details relating to a hill that was surveyed with the Trimble GeoXH 6000 on the 7^th February 2014 and also on the 2^nd May 2014 along with the Leica GS15.

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

Y Trichant - These are the Welsh hills at and above 300m and below 400m in height that have 30m minimum drop,  with the introduction to the re-naming and the publication history of this list appearing on Mapping Mountains on the 13^th May 2017.

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 situated in the Pumlumon range, which is an extensive group of hills in the northern part of mid Wales.  The hill is positioned to the south-west of Caersws and to the north-east of Llanidloes, with the small community of Llandinam and the Afon Hafren (River Severn) to its east.

Gelli Hir (SN 999 883)

The hill appeared in the 300m P30 list on Geoff Crowder’s  v-g.me website under the name of; Rhosfawr, which at that time was taken as the name of the hill, however this is the name of a farm which is situated to the west of the hill’s summit.

Rhosfawr

308m

SN999884

136

214

Clem/Yeaman. Twin top.

The name this hill is now listed by is Gelli Hir, this name can be translated as long grove, and this was derived from examination of the Ordnance Survey Historical 1:25,000 map as well as the Tithe map, coupled with tentative details from local enquiries.  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 Ordnance Survey Historical 1:25,000 map is probably the best OS map for placement of names relating to hills and their features, on this map Gelli Hir appears close to the summit of this hill and following its upper northerly ridge

When I first surveyed this hill I made place-name enquiries with a local resident to the south south-east of the hill.  The details are given below:

After visiting the summit of Y Gaer at SO 013 873, I descended to the farm of Cefn and surprised Graham Pugh who was heading to the farm yard from a large barn full of recently born lambs.  Graham is aged 53 and had lived in the local area for 25 years and at the farm of Cefn for 20 years, he originally comes from Staylittle / Penffordd-las (SN 887 920).  He can speak Welsh but said that he gets his ‘rights’ and ‘lefts’ muddled up and told me about a visit to a market where he was given directions and he couldn’t remember if the word meant left or right, we both chuckled at this.  I believe this was due to a lack of Welsh being spoken in the area where Graham now lives, so his use of the language is not on a daily basis.  I explained where I had come from and where I was heading.  We were soon talking about the name of the hill.

Graham told me he didn’t really know a name for this hill, I asked if he ever referred to the hill by any name and he said that he just calls it Top of the Bwlch.  The farm of Bwlch is situated at SN 995 875, it seems the summit of the hill is on their land.  I asked if he had ever heard the name of Gelli Hir in relation to this hill.  He then said that this was funny as he’d had a recent conversation with the person from Coedmawr farm, who had just bought the land going up to the top of this hill from the other (north-west) side and they had called it Gelli something.  The name of Gelli Hir (Gelli-hir on older maps) appears on current maps just below the summit of this hill.  However, on older OS maps this name appears as a ‘ridge’ name going across the top of the hill and down its northern ridge.

Graham Pugh of Cefn farm

Place-name research can be similar to fitting pieces of a giant jigsaw together, each piece is important, but on occasion the pieces (the information given) seem as if they do not fit together.  However, each piece of information is important and can be assessed against other information found at a later date.  And this was so with this hill’s name, as I already knew that the Historical 1:25,000 map has the name of Gelli Hir following the upper northern ridge of this hill, as this map is by far the most precise produced by the Ordnance Survey for place-name position I was inclined to believe that the name of Gelli Hir was appropriate to use for this hill, and the information given by Graham Pugh, although only tentative, was also substantive when coupled with the placement of this name on the old 1:25,000 map.  I hoped that the Tithe map would substantiate the use of Gelli Hir for this hill’s name.

Unfortunately the Tithe map for this area is almost unintelligible, however the number 2096 is given to the adjoining land to where the summit of this hill is situated, this number 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 given the number of 2096 is named as Allotment on the Tithe map, and importantly the next number; 2097, which is probably the adjoined land, is named as Gelli hir and is described as Pasture; these details are listed under the county named as Montgomery and in the parish of Llandinam.

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.  Unfortunately in this instance the Tithe map is almost unintelligible, however the number 2096 is given to the adjoined land

2096 is named as 'Allotment' with 2097 named as Gelli hir

The full details for the hill are:

Group:  Pumlumon

Name:  Gelli Hir

Previously Listed Name:  Rhosfawr

Summit Height:  307.2m (converted to OSGM15)

OS 1:50,000 map:  136

Summit Grid Reference:  SN 99902 88383 

   

Drop:  124m

Dominance:  40.37%

For details on the first survey and the second survey of Gelli Hir

Myrddyn Phillips (June 2016)