Welsh Place Names B
BAGUILT (Clw) Bagythel (1300). Earliest Record: Bachelie (1086). Meaning: "Bacca's OE leah ‘wood, clearing' "
BALA LAKE / LLYN TEGID (Gwy) Pemblemere (1285) / Thlintegit (1285). Earliest Record: Pemmelesmere (1191). Meaning: from ME pimble ‘pebble' and mere ‘lake'. Welsh Meaning: from WELSH llyn ‘lake' and the personal name Tegid deriving either from Latin Tacitus ‘the silent one' or WELSH teg ‘fair'.
BALA (Gwy) Bala (1278). Meaning: from WELSH bala ‘outlet from a lake'.
BANGOR (Gwy) Bangor (1291). Earliest Welsh Record: Benchoer moer in Britannia (634). Meaning: from WELSH bangor ‘strong plaited rod in a fence'. The original monastic cell was either made of wattle or surrounded by a plaited fence.
BANGOR-ON-DEE / BANGOR-IS-Y-COED (Clw) Bangor (1277). Earliest Record: Bancoraburg (8th century). Meaning: "the OE burh ‘fortified manor' of the men of Bangor". It was probably founded by the same Deniol as the other Bangor. It was at one time part of the parish of Is-coed (WELSH ‘below the wood').
BARDSEY ISLAND / YNYS ENLLI (Gwy) Bardesey (1277) / Enli (1154-75). Earliest Record: Berdeseie (c. 1191). Earliest Welsh Record: Enlli (1011). Meaning: "Bardr's OSCAN ey ‘island'"; Bardr was a Viking name. Welsh Meaning: "Enlli's ynys ‘island' ".
BARMOUTH / ABERMO (Gwy) Abermau (1284). Meaning: from WELSH aber ‘mouth' and the river name Mawddach probably deriving from the personal name Mawdd. Over the centuries it was corrupted through Abermau and Y Bermo to give Barmouth.
BARRY / Y BARRI (SGl) Barry (1176-98). Meaning: from a derivative of WELSH barr ‘summit, hill'.
BASINGWERK (Clw) Bassingwerk (1278) / Maesglas Earliest Record: Besingwerc' (c. 1155). Meaning: "the OE weorc ‘stronghold' of Basa". Welsh Meaning: from maes ‘meadow' and glas ‘green'. The abbey was founded in 1131.
BEAUMARIS / BIWMARES (Gwy) Beaumaris . Earliest Record: villa de Bello Marisco (1284) Earliest Welsh Record: Duwmares (16th century). Meaning: it was Beaumaris in 1296 from OFRENCH beau ‘beautiful' and marais ‘marsh'. It is shown in brackets as the castle was built by Edward I just after the date of this map. Welsh Meaning: Duwmares, the first WELSH spelling, recorded in the 16th century, may show a confusion with WELSH duw ‘God'.
BEDDGELERT (Gwy) Bedkelerd (1269). Earliest Record: Bekelert (1258). Meaning: from WELSH bedd ‘grave' and a (probably Irish) personal name Celert or Cilert. Bethgelert, the 16th century spelling, is the first time the name appears to be linked with Llywelyn's famous hound, Gelert (canine babysitter extraordinaire). The commemorative stone was erected by the enterprising landlord of the Royal Goat Hotel, David Prichard, in the 18th century to reinforce the legend.
BEGUILDY (Pow) Bugeildy Meaning: WELSH ‘shepherd's house'.
BETTISFIELD (Clw) Bettysfeld (1500). Earliest Record: Beddesfeld (1086). Meaning: probably "Betti's OE feld ‘field' ".
BETWS-Y-COED (Gwy) Betws (1284). Earliest Record: Betus (1254). Meaning: from WELSH betws ‘prayer house', itself derived from MIDDLE ENGLISH bed-hus ‘oratory', and WELSH y coed ‘the wood'.
BLAENLLYFNI (Pow) Blaenllyfni Meaning: from WELSH blaen ‘river source' and, probably, a river name.
BLAENPORTH (Dyf) Blaenporth Meaning: from WELSH blaen ‘river source' and porth ‘harbour, gateway'.
BONVILSTON / TRESIMON (SGl) Bonewilestun (c. 1250). Earliest Record: Bonevilstun (1186). Earliest Welsh Record: Tresymon (1578). Meaning: "Bonville's tun"; from OE tun ‘farm, settlement'. Simone de Bonville held the manor in 1230. Welsh Meaning: "the WELSH tre ‘homestead' of Simone".
BOSHERSTON (Dyf) Stakep' bosser (1291). Meaning: see Stackpole. William Boscher lived here at one time.
BOULSTON (Dyf) Boleston (1230). Meaning: "Bole's tun"; from OE tun ‘farm, settlement'.
BRECHFA (Dyf) Brechfacothi Meaning: WELSH "mottled place".
BRECON / ABERHONDDU (Pow) Brechonie (1276) / Aberhotheni (1191). Earliest Record: Brecheniauc (1100). Meaning: from the WELSH personal name Brychan, a 5th century ruler, and WELSH -iog ‘territory of'. The kingdom was later called Brycheiniog which was corrupted by English speakers to Brecknock. Welsh Meaning: from WELSH aber ‘mouth' and the river name Honddu, related to WELSH hawdd ‘pleasant, quiet' and du ‘dark'. The castle dates from the 11th century
BRONLLYS (Pow) Brendlais Meaning: from WELSH llys ‘court' and the personal name Brwyn meaning ‘rushes'.
BROUGHTON (Clw) Brocton (1284). Earliest Record: Brochetune (1086). Meaning: from OE broc ‘brook' and tun ‘farm, settlement'.
BRYNGWYN (Pow) Bryngwyn Meaning: WELSH bryn ‘hill' gwyn ‘white'.
BUCKLEY (Clw) Bokele (1301). Meaning: from OE boc ‘beech' and leah ‘wood, clearing'.
BUILTH WELLS / LLANFAIR-YM-MAULLT (Pow) Buelld (1271) / Llanveir in Bueld (1271). Earliest Record: Buelt (10th cent). Earliest Welsh Record: Lanveyr (1254). Meaning: WELSH bu ‘cow' and gellt, later gwellt, ‘pasture, grass' (originally the cantref name). Wells was added in the 19th century to denote the chalybeate springs. Llanfair comes from llan ‘church' and Mair ‘Mary'. The castle was built in the 11th century.