Welsh Place Names C

CAEO (Dyf) Caer Gaeo Meaning: from WELSH caer ‘fort' and (probably) a personal name or WELSH cau ‘to enclose'. of stream' and, probably, geran ‘howl'. The castle was built after 1223.

CAERLEON / CAERLLiON-AR-WYSC (Gwe) Karliun (1254). Earliest Record: Isca (Roman period). Earliest Welsh Record: Cair Legeion guar Usic (c. 800). Meaning: ‘the caer of the llion on the Usk'; from WELSH caer ‘fort' and LATIN legionum ‘of the legions'. Called Isca, it was the headquarters of 2nd Augustan Legion. The castle was built after 1219.

CAERNAFON (Gwy) Kaerinaruon (1272). Earliest Record: Segontium (Roman period). Earliest Welsh Record: Kairarvon (1191). Meaning: from WELSH caer ‘fort' yn ‘in' Arfon. Arfon means ‘facing Anglesey'. Segontium, the Roman station on the site, derived its name from BRITISH sego- ‘strong, powerful', the source of the present river name Saint. Edward I's castle was built 1285-1322, but there had been an 11th century small Norman castle here.

CAERPHILLY / CAERFFILI (MGl) Kaerfili (1271). Meaning: "Ffili's (a man of whom nothing is known) caer"; from WELSH caer ‘fort'. The present castle was started in 1267.

CAERSWS (Pow) Caersws Meaning: from WELSH caer ‘fort' and the personal name Sws.

CAERWENT (Gwe) Caerwent Meaning: from WELSH caer ‘fort' and either CELTIC ven- ‘pleasant' (hence WELSH gwen ‘smile') or WELSH gwent ‘field' in an earlier sense of ‘market-place'. Venta Silurum, the Roman camp here, contained the element ven- and the tribal name Silures.

CALDEY ISLAND (Dyf) Kaldey (1291). Meaning: from OSCAN kald ‘cold' and ey ‘island'. The monastery was founded in the 12^th century

CALDICOT (Gwe) Caldicote (1286). Earliest Record: Caldecote (1086). Meaning: from OE cald ‘cold' and cot ‘cottages'. There was a Norman castle here.

CANTON (in CARDIFF) / TREGANNA (SGl) Canetune (c. 1230). Earliest Record: Canet (1199). Meaning: "the tun on the River Canna (now disappeared)" or "Canna's tun"; from OE tun ‘farm, settlement'. Welsh Meaning: WELSH tre ‘farm" and Canna.

CAPEL LLIGWY (Gwy) Lligwy Meaning: from WELSH capel ‘chapel' and an unknown word. It was built in the early 12^th century

CARDIFF (SGl) Kerdif (1263). Earliest Welsh Record: Kairdif (1106). Meaning: "the caer on the River Taf"; from WELSH caer ‘fort'. The river name is related to a supposed CELTIC tamesa meaning ‘river' or ‘dark river'.

CARDIGAN / ABERTEIFI (Dyf) Keredigiawn (1283) / Abertevei (1191). Earliest Record: Cereticiaun (12^th cent). Meaning: from the WELSH name Ceredig (a 5^th century ruler of whom almost nothing is known) and WELSH -ion ‘territory of'. In the 13^th century the area became Kardiganshire and Keredigiawn was retained as the town name. Welsh Meaning: from WELSH aber ‘mouth' and the river name Teifi.

CAREW (Dyf) Carew Meaning: possibly from WELSH carw ‘stag'. The Norman castle was rebuilt c. 1300.

CARMARTHEN (Dyf) Kaermerden (1234). Earliest Record: Maridunum (Roman period). Meaning: the Roman name derived from WELSH mor ‘sea' and din ‘fort'. WELSH caer ‘fort' was added later after the meaning had been forgotten. The early castle was in existence in 1109.

CARN FADRUM (Gwy) Carn Fadrum Meaning: from WELSH carn ‘cairn, heap of stones' and, possibly, a personal name.

CARN DOCHAN (Gwy) Carn Dochan Meaning: from WELSH carn ‘cairn, heap of stone' and, possibly, a personal name.

CARREG CENNEN (Dyf) Carreg Cennen Meaning: from WELSH carreg ‘rock' and, probably, a personal name Cynnen. There was a castle here long before the present one of c. 1300.

CASTELL COCH (SGl) Castel Coch Meaning: WELSH castell ‘castle' the Victorian castle was built on the foundations of a 13^th century castle) and coch ‘red'.

CASTELL-Y-BERE (Gwy) Castell y Bere Meaning: from WELSH castell ‘castle' (abandoned 1294), y ‘the' and bere, the meaning of which is uncertain.

CASTLEMARTIN (Dyf) Castelmartyn (13^th century). Meaning: from MIDDLE ENGLISH castel ‘castle' and St. Martin (after the local church).

CAUSE (Shr) Caures (1255). Earliest Record: Chaus (1165). Meaning: the castle was built at Alretone by the Corbet family who came from Caux in Normandy.

CHEPSTOW / CASGWENT (Gwe) Chepstowe (1308) / Casteel Guent (c. 1150). Earliest Record: Estrighoel (1086). Meaning: the meaning of Estrighoel (it was later Strigull) is unknown. OE ceapstow means ‘market-place'. Welsh Meaning: WELSH castell ‘castle'. Gwent may contain CELTIC ven-: see Caerwent.

CHESTER (Che) Chester (13^th century) / Caerllion Fawr (13^th century). Early records: Deova (150), Legacaestir (c. 730). Earliest Welsh Record: Cair Legion (c. 800). Meaning: see the entry for Dee. The 730 version of the name is "the OE castre ‘Roman fort' of the legions". The WELSH version contains the word caer ‘fort'.

CHIRK / Y WAUN (Clw) Chyrke (1295). Meaning: from the river name Ceiriog. Edward I founded the castle just after the date of this map. Welsh Meaning: from WELSH y ‘the' waun ‘moorland, meadow'.

CHURCH STOKE (Pow) Chirstoc (1249). Earliest Record: Cirestoc (1086). Meaning: "the OE stoc ‘the place' at or near the cirice ‘church' ".

CILGERRAN (Dyf) Cilgerran Meaning: from WELSH cil ‘nook, narrowing, source the WELSH personal name Hwyel.

CILYBEBYLL (WGl) Cilybebill Meaning: from WELSH cil ‘nook, narrowing, source of stream' and, possibly, y ‘the' pebyll ‘tents' (cf. pavilion). The castle was rebuilt in the early 13th century.

CILYCWM (Dyf) Cilycwm Meaning: "the WELSH cil ‘narrowing, river source' of y ‘the' cwm ‘valley' ".

CLARBESTON (Dyf) Clarebaston (1338). Earliest Record: Clarenbaldi (1230). Meaning: "`Clarenballd's (a Germanic name) tun' "; from OE tun ‘farm, settlement'.

CLIFFORD (Her) Clifford (1230). Earliest Record: Cliford (1086). Meaning: from OE clif ‘cliff, slope' and ford.

CLUN (Shr) Clune (1086). Meaning: from the obscure British river name Colun.

CLYNNOG FAWR (Gwy) Clynnog Meaning: from WELSH celynnen ‘holly' and the adjectival ending -og.

COITY (MGl) Coytif Meaning: "the WELSH ty ‘house' in the coed ‘wood' ". The castle dates from the 12th century

COLWINSTON (SGl) Colwinestun (13th century). Earliest Record: Colwinestun (1139-49). Meaning: "Colwine's tun"; from OE tun ‘farm, settlement'.

CONWAY / ABERCONWY (Gwy) Aberconnewy (1258). Earliest Record: Canubio (Roman). Earliest Welsh Record: Aberconuy (12th century). Meaning: from the river name Conway, which itself derived from the BRITISH can- meaning ‘famous, glorious'. The Latin name of the Roman Station, which was at Caerhun on the River Conway, probably also took its name from the river. Welsh Meaning: from WELSH aber ‘mouth' and the river name Conwy. Edward I's castle was built 1283-1302.

CORNELLY DOWN (MGl) Corneldune (c. 1250). Earliest Record: Cornelisdon' (c. 1218). Meaning: "Cornel's dun'; from OE dun ‘down, hill' ".

CORWEN (Clw) Corvaen (1254). Meaning: from WELSH côr ‘sanctuary', or cor ‘small', and maen ‘stone'. (Not, as sometimes suggested, ‘white choir'. )

COSHESTON (Dyf) Costyneston (1324). Earliest Record: Vill Costentini (1268). Meaning: "Constantine's tun"; from OE tun ‘farm, settlement'.

COWBRIDGE / PONT FAEN (SGl) Coubrugge (1263). Meaning: from OE cu ‘cow' and brycg ‘bridge'. Welsh Meaning: from WELSH pont ‘bridge' and faen ‘stone'.

CRICCIETH / CRICIETH (Gwy) Crukieth (1273). Meaning: from WELSH crug ‘mound' and WELSH caith, the plural form of caeth ‘captive, bondsman'. Inner ward built 1230.

CRICKADARN (Pow) Crugcadarn Meaning: WELSH crucadarn ‘strong mound or cairn'.

CRICKHOWELL / CRUCYWEL (Pow) Crikhoel (1263). Meaning: from WELSH cruc ‘mound' and the WELSH personal name Hwyel.

CWMDU (Pow) Cwmdu Meaning: WELSH du ‘black' cwm ‘shallow valley'.

CYMMER ABBEY (Gwy) Cymer Meaning: WELSH cymer ‘junction'. It was founded in 1190.