168 



The manor of WJnstone, or Trewyn, in the old deeds, means exactly the same thing. It 

 would be interesting to know what was the name of Trewyn prior to the time the Winstones held 

 it — whether they gave the name to the place or the place to them. 



Persons have often taken their names from places which they or their ancestors owned or 

 occupied. For instance, Sir John Oldcastle, the Lollard martyr, being a Welshman, had undoubt- 

 edly a Welsh name ; but he adooted the cognomen of Oldcastle as his real name, from the old 

 castellated mansion in which he was born, and by this name he was known till he became Lord 

 Cobham. 



We have numerous instances in this neighbourhood of places having derived their names 

 from persons. Old Welsh people call Walterstone, to this day, Trewalter — Walter's home ; and 

 Rowlestone, Tre-Rowland. 



Trefedw can hardly mean Birch House, as "Tre" is generally associated with the name of 

 some person or persons. Houses associated with Birch are generally called by such names as 

 *'Ty-yn-y-Fedw" — house in the Birch ; '" Y Fedw" — the Birches. There are three or four bear- 

 ing the last-mentioned name within a Tew miles of Pandy. The old Cwmry would hardly call a 

 house the locality o' which abounded with Birch. "Tre-fedw." When we bear in mind that the 

 old Welsh form of Bedol was Bedw, we can easily see that "Tre-fedw" — Bedw's home — is quite 

 in harmony with the laws according to which the old sons of Cambria found place-names. 



The etymology of Cwmyoy, I must admit, is somewhat difficult, but I have never seen or 

 heard Cwmyw suggested as its probable derivation. We must not be misled by the way in 

 which it is spelt now (Cwmyoy). This way of spelling it is comparatively recent. In old manu- 

 scripts and ancient writings it is spelt sometimes " Cwm-ian " and sometimes " Cwm-ion." The 

 Rev. Thomas Price (Carnhuanwc), the eminent Welsh historian, says in his history of the Cwmry 

 that there has been much strife amongst philologists from time to time, as to the meaning of 

 " Cwm-ion." " But," he says, "as it is the same Cwm as that of Ewas Lacy, I am strongly in- 

 clined to believe it has some connection with the word Ewas." But the meaning of Ewas again 

 has greatly puzzled philologists. Mr. Price, who was an excellent Welsh scholar, could not sug- 

 gest any meaning. Cwmyw could be easily retained : there is no room here for corruption to set 

 in. As it is found in early writings "Cwm-ian" — the valley of the yoke — combined with the 

 fact that the range of mountain and dingle ha'l the e.Kact shape of the old yoke used for coupling 

 o.xen, I am inclined to adopt one of the meanings suggested by Dr. Bull. 



JOHN DAVIES. 

 Pandy, June 5th, 1884. 



