Placename in Wales

[dobfarm]

Hi Speedwell,

Your not the only person with spelling or pronouncing Welsh place names, as kids in the 1950's, we went to Llandudo on holidays and in Yorkshire we always pronounced it Lan(Land)-dud-no, and years later I worked with a man  originally a hill framers son, from a farming community in Snowdonia, North Wales, a real hardcore Welshman who later acquired an added part Yorkshire twang. I use to say ! we're off to Landudno for the weekend, he'd say its "Llandudno" sounding to us in Yorkshire as sounding like "Th-land-dud-no" and of recent watching Dew Pritchard 'Salvage hunters' TV programme saying or pronouncing it - sound like as "Clan-dud-no"

Now a days I just say "Dudno" -Ho! Heck 

 Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch or to us is "Goki - gor" 

Dobby

[Greensleeves]

I live in the area of Wales which was ruled by Brychan Brycheiniog in the fifth century, but so far, no evidence has been found as to the site of his court.  However, the Welsh are very literal about place names, so they usually describe what's there.  The village up the hill from me has an interesting moated site, surrounded by what was once a deep ditch.  The interpretation claims it was a 14th century farm settlement.  But considering that the name of the village is Bronllys (llys being the Welsh name given to a royal court) I wouldn't mind betting this is where  King Brychan had his court, nicely placed well away from the busy and dangerous river crossing in the valley, comfortably placed with a hill fort behind him, and forts facing him on the top of every hill on the other side of the valley.  I won't ever be able to prove it, of course, but one day in the future, when someone suddenly realises that  they have been ignoring the obvious,  it would be nice to know that I posted my theory here first!