Mapping Mountains – Significant Name Changes – 30-99m Twmpau and Y Trechol – The Dominant Hills of Wales

 

Cadair Pedwar Gwynt (SH 263 753) 

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, bwlch height and their locations, the drop, dominance and status of the hill derived from LIDAR analysis conducted by Myrddyn Phillips. 

Cadair Pedwar Gwynt (SH 263 753)

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. 

The 30-99m 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 which 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 Ynys Môn group of hills which are situated in the north-western part of North Wales (Region A, Sub-Region A1), and it is positioned on Ynys Gybi (Holyhead Island) to the west of Ynys Môn, and has the coast to its immediate south-west and minor roads to its north-east and the B4545 road farther to its north, and has the village of Trearddur towards the north north-west. 

The hill appeared in the original 30-99m Welsh P30 list on Geoff Crowder’s v-g.me website under the transposed name of Hirfron, with an accompanying note stating; Name from buildings to the East.

Hirfron

63m

SH263753

114

262

Trig pillar. 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 or as in this instance transpose the name of a near building 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

This was one of a number of hills visited during the day and before starting the short walk to its summit I made local enquiries concerning its name, starting at the White Eagle pub.  I was directed by four people who were finishing their lunch to Haulfryn, where Susan Roberts lived.  Susan is a school teacher and was sitting on a reclining chair with a duvet over her having not gone to work due to illness.  She invited me in and we chatted for about 30 minutes and she told me the high point of the hill is known as Cadair Pedwar Gwynt after the seat constructed on its summit, explaining that it is also known as Lady Verney’s Seat. 

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

 

The full details for the hill are: 

Group:  Ynys Môn 

Name:  Cadair Pedwar Gwynt

Previously Listed Name:  Hirfron 

OS 1:50,000 map:  114

Summit Height:  63.7m (LIDAR)

Summit Grid Reference:  SH 26346 75302 (LIDAR)

Bwlch Height:  4.45m (LIDAR)

Bwlch Grid Reference:  SH 25393 79147 (LIDAR) 

Drop:  59.3m (LIDAR)

Dominance:  93.02% (LIDAR)

 

Myrddyn Phillips (April 2021)