Llangeinor's name

[ctdavies]

I understand that some discussion is taking place over the original name for modern Llangeinor. Should it have been Cwm Tynyrheol or Cwm Felin Arw? I believe it was John Davies in his "A History of Wales" that mentions when the valley-ward movement of people took place they took their patron saint with them. It would appear that Llangeinor is a good example of that process. It is easy to think that as the school opened in 1900 and called Tynyrheol and not Llangeinor is a clear indicator that the latter name only came into use after the houses were built in the 1920s from below the school eventually to opposite Pandy.

"Tynyrheol" does this mean the house or homestead in the road? If so it suggests it stood in the fork of the old road from the Ogmore where it divided straight on to the the river crossing by the station, or right towards ther upper valley.

However the railway station opened before the housing is called Llangeinor and not anything else. Cwm Felin Arw appears on early Ordnance Survey maps but Tynyrheol mentioned in parish registers as early as 1819, only appears as a single point on the earliest OS map and never is mentioned in the census 1841+. "Rough Mill Village" (Felin Arw) is the only name apart from individual farms etc. that does appear in 1841 census but I cannot find Tynyrheol in the Land Tax Assessments from 1767 onwards or in the 1844 Tithe Survey.

My great grandfather was born in the old corn mill in 1837 whilst it still worked( his father being the last miller) mentions in a court statement in the 1890s that he was born in Felin Arw, Tynyrheol.

It would seem that Cwm Felin Arw applied to area along the mill stream as it comes down from Llangeinor Mountain, now crossed by the new 1920s inter-valley road to the Ogmore. Moving along to Cwm Tynyrheol it would appear this applies to the old inter-valley road from between Cae'r Odin Villa and the school.

Whether or not anyone actually referred to either Cwm as being " Llangeinor" before the housing explosion is an on-going discussion that may never be resolved.

[gerald]

When I was researching St Cein's story, I came across the name Allt Y Esgair as the place where she came to build her holy cell in this area? Any views?

[ffaldauboy]

From the Pontyrhyl Police Station Log of 1897, held at the Glamorgan Archives. PC 111 - "There is regular trouble at all three pubs on my beat. They are the Braichycymer, and the Old Tavern and Green Meadow at Cwm Garw Village."

The name "Cwm Garw Village" is used every day in the log between 1896 and 1899.

[ctdavies]

Thanks both for your views. I don't recollect seeing the name Allt yr Esgair, but I will look. Cwm Garw village makes sense as a location name. Many entries in both parish registers and the census make use of Cwm Garw when not referring to an individual farm or house/pub name. The Old Tavern was formerly called the Corner House due to its location. It was next door to the tavern that Llangeinor Post Office was located and this site became the Co-op of the 1950s, the post office then being moved to Heol llangeinor.

[gerald]

I have a newspaper article dated 5/6/1914, by a 'Cadrawd' re the Llangeinor name. Where in answer to a previous argument? Cadrawd claims he has never heard of Llangeinor being called Lanwere? he has only known it as respectively in 1213-1216 as Egleskienur, Egliskainwr, Egliskeynwyre, etc., In the history of Margam Abbey he quotes Dr W. De Gray Birch, Llan-Kehin-wyryf-- the church of Kehin the Virgin.
Another part of the article refers to "The Earl of Pembroke and William Thomas in the Lordship and Manor of Lanwere, otherwise Llangeinwere."

[ctdavies]

Thanks Gerald,

I understand that Margam Abbey had a grange at "Llangeinor" hence the farm name Cae Abbad or Cae'r Abbad. I don't know how some place names can be so different in their spelling over time. Was it a case of "what you hear - is what you get!"

[gerald]

Another piece of the article I referred to earlier:"The water grist mill called Garwe Mill, otherwise Mein Arwe, in Llangeinwere aforesaid, or to any suit of mill."

[ctdavies]

Thanks again I didn't realise the mill site was so old!