Gravestone Translation please

[[Ray]]

Hi

Wife and I were sorting thru a box of family documents and found the attached picture of a gravestone.

Would be grateful for a translation, please.

Thanks

Ray

[trystan]

I'm struggling a bit with this, but to whet your whistle before somebody can do it properly, it begins with:

In the memory of
Griffith Morgan
from Nyth Bran [literally 'Crow's Nest'] in this fold [parish?]
who died in the year 1737 37 years old.

He was a great runner.
He won a race, beating Prince from the fold [parish?] of Bedwas in a run of 12 miles which he sped at a speed of 7 minutes under the hour.

[I'll need more help with the rest]
(The memorial was put up in 1866, by a collection set up by Evan Thomas, Nant ddyrus, Llanwyno)

Here's an article about him: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guto_Nyth_Br%C3%A2n

And her's an animation by Caegarw Primary School, Class 5: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T9FNphsnSxk

Trystan

[[Ray]]

. . . . . and where is  Nant ddyrus, Llanwyno ?

= part answering my own query = Llanwonno

. . . . . and Mountain Ash appears on the tree.

[Sam Swift]

Some of the  Welsh words are now obsolete, but can be translated roughly as :

In Memory of
Griffith Morgan
Of Nythbrân in this parish who died in the year 1737 aged 37.

He was
He beat one called PRINCE
Of Bedwas parish, in a race
Of 12 Miles, which he completed
7 minutes under the hour

A valiant runner
A constantly winning giant was Gruffydd
He radiance will be praised permanently.  (Gwylim Glanffrwd)

The stone and words – were given
To bestow (or betoken) his countrymen’s love on his ahses
To justly keep his remembrance (By Meudwy Glan Elai)

Evan Thomas Nant –ddyrus Llanwynno with assistance of charitable friends who erected this monument in the year 1866

[[Ray]]

Sam / Trystan

Many thanks.

I'll mark the thread as complete
as it seems we have more than a good idea of the translation
and the fact that there is more about the gentleman elsewhere.

My Father-in-law was born at Mountain Ash,
so I have something to check as to why we should have a photo of the grave.
 
Ray

[EmyrBorth]

Hi
I'm surprised that you haven't received replies regarding this person, rather than a translation.
'Google'  "guto nyth bran" to discover the 'greatest runner of all time".
Emyr

[[Ray]]

Hi EmyrBorth

Have caught up with my reading now.

Many thanks for the pointer, he did seem VERY fit until he "dropped dead" that is.

Ray

[[Ray]]

Complete