Mapping Mountains – Significant Name Changes – Y Trichant

Hoddell Top (SO 238 653)

There has been a Significant Name Change to a hill that is listed in the Y Trichant, with the summit height being confirmed by a Trimble GeoXH 6000 survey which took place on the 13^th June 2018, and the bwlch height confirmed by LIDAR analysis conducted by Myrddyn Phillips.

The criteria for the listing 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.

The hill is adjoined to the Fforest Glud range of hills which are situated in the south-eastern part of Mid and West Wales (Region B, Sub-Region B1), and it is positioned with the Cascob Brook to its west, north and east, and has the village of Kinnerton towards the south south-east. 

Hoddell Top (SO 238 653)

The hill appeared in the 300m P30 list on Geoff Crowder’s v-g.me website under the invented name of Ack Wood Hill, with an accompanying note stating; Name from wood to the North-West. 

Ack Wood Hill

377m

SO238654

137/148

201

Name from wood 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 or as in this instance, use the name of a wood and put the word Hill after 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now advocate as with time and inclination place-name data can be improved either by asking local people or by examining historical documents, through this form of research an appropriate name for the hill can usually be found.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

When visiting this hill I was fortunate to speak with three local farmers, two of whom are father and son, the first being Ron Phillips who is now aged 82 and farms from the Rectory (SO 249 659), Ron gave me a number of names relating to local hills and confirmed that the land where the summit of this hill is situated is a part of Hoddell Farm (SO 253 642) and recommended that I speak with Raymond Thomas who used to farm from Dyffryn (SO 249 654) and now lives in a bungalow below this farm.

Ron Phillips of the Rectory

I later stopped and talked with Ithel Thomas who was spraying 300 sheep and looked as if he needed a rest, Ithel farms from Dyffryn (SO 249 654) and his land is adjoined to that of Hoddell Farm but only goes as far south as the Ackwood Lane which is named on contemporary Ordnance Survey maps.  Ithel knows the hill above his farm as Hoddell Top and knew that the high point has a water tank / reservoir on it.

Ithel Thomas of Dyffryn

Thanking Ithel for his time I mentioned that Ron had suggested I speak with his father; Raymond; and Ithel kindly pointed which of two bungalows he lives at.  Raymond Thomas is now ages 80 and used to farm from Dyffryn, when I visited he invited me in and offered a glass of water which I duly drank, Raymond gave me the name of Hoddell Top for this hill without any prompting on my part with mention that this is the name his son had also used.

Raymond Thomas who used to farm from Dyffryn

Therefore, the name this hill is now listed by in the Y Trichant is Hoddell Top, and this was derived from local enquiry.

The full details for the hill are:

Group:  Fforest Glud

Name:  Hoddell Top

Previously Listed Name:  Ack Wood Hill

Summit Height:  377.0m (converted to OSGM15)

OS 1:50,000 map:  137, 148

Summit Grid Reference:  SO 23857 65354

Drop:  38.6m (Trimble summit and LIDAR bwlch)

Gathering data with the Trimble GeoXH 6000 at the summit of Hoddell Top

For details on the survey of Hoddell Top

Myrddyn Phillips (October 2018)