Aled Williams has recently established a new blog called Bugail yr Enwau, which focuses on gathering upland place-names through local surveys and historical research.
https://bugailenwau.blogspot.com/
As many in the Mapping Mountains
community know, Aled specialises in the upland place-names of Wales and
co-authors a number of hill-lists with me, namely: The 400m Hills of Wales –
Bryniau 400m Cymru, The Fours – The 400m Hills of England, and Y Pellennig –
The Remotest Hills of Wales. I met up with Aled to find out more about his new
blog.
Myrddyn: Hello Aled, could you tell us
what your new blog is about?
Aled: For over fifteen years now, I
have specialised in the cataloguing and study of place-names in the Welsh
uplands. The scope of this work is extensive, covering all upland areas from
Eryri in the north to Bannau Brycheiniog in the south. This blog is dedicated to this research, serving as a place to share news and information as my work
develops and as it feeds into other projects and activities.
Myrddyn: Is your blog in Welsh or
English?
Aled: It is bilingual. Obviously the
subject matter is largely Welsh in nature, but there will be interest from
monoglot English speakers, so all the articles will be available in both
languages.
Myrddyn: I believe Bugail yr Enwau
translates as ‘shepherd of the names’, why did you choose this name for the
blog?
Aled: I wanted a Welsh name that summed
up my research endeavours. Collecting upland place‑names is laborious work:
like sheep, names must be gathered down from the mountain! So the name is a
slightly tongue-in-cheek reference to my work in shepherding upland
place-names.
 |
| Aled gathering names on Mynydd Hiraethog, June 2014 |
Myrddyn: I see. So what prompted you to establish the blog?
Aled: External factors, really.
Place-names have become a hot topic in Wales in recent years. There is growing
concern that Welsh names are being replaced by newly invented English names or
translated ones, whether house-names or topographical-names. For the latter,
digital mapping and its relationship with social media is fuelling this
perception, and may well be accelerating it. Various groups and organisations
are actively running initiatives and projects to protect Welsh place-names, and
because of my expertise in upland place-names, I am involved with the some of
these activities. It’s important that people know about my work and are able to
contact me for assistance. It also serves as a platform I can use for outreach.
Myrddyn: An online presence is
essential these days. Do you see it as being helpful to your efforts in
collecting place-names?
Aled: Absolutely. It opens up another
avenue where local people can contact me directly if they have upland place‑names
to safeguard or proposals for changes to official maps. A contact form has been
set up for this purpose.
Myrddyn: Did I also hear that you are
working with Eryri National Park to add and correct place-names on Ordnance
Survey maps?
Aled: That’s right. In fact, we have
already received Ordnance Survey’s acceptance relating to two names: Ysgar and
Diffwys Criafol, both of which are topographical names for places located on
the east side of Crib Goch; neither of which had been recorded by Ordnance
Survey during the original nineteenth-century surveys that laid the foundations
of their Welsh mapping. Those interested can read about it in the News section
of the blog.
Myrddyn: Is obtaining Ordnance Survey
acceptance on place-name changes straightforward?
Aled: No it isn’t. Cartographic changes are rightly
scrutinised by Ordnance Survey, and their appropriateness must be demonstrated
by compelling evidence. Without a vetting process, there is potential for all
manner of erroneous or invented place-names to appear on maps. For the two
names in question, the process took six months to complete and required input
from Eryri National Park and the Welsh Language Commissioner. This was another
reason for establishing the blog: to provide traceability and transparency on
these changes, so the public know the who, what, when, and why.
Myrddyn: Will the evidence packs be posted each time an Ordnance Survey map change is accepted?
Aled: That is the intention. Posts will
appear in the News section of the blog.
Myrddyn: I wish you luck with the new
blog.
Aled: Thank you!
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