What’s in a name?

Rhian’s research into farm and field names in the ancient commote of Ardudwy has shown that many of these names are centuries old.  Not only are they ancient but they tell us a great deal about our past history, the way land was held and used and the people whom it sustained and supported.

The Tithe records of 1840 provide 1,000 farm and 14,000 field names in Ardudwy, and the accompanying maps are a good place to start looking for names.  Many farmers whose families have farmed the same lands for generations were found to use most of the names which were recorded in 1840.  So, one can safely say that the farm and field names which exist today are over 150 years old.  Better still, papers in local estate collections which are found in the National Library of Wales and in county archives often show that significant numbers of names were recorded between 1341 and 1623 and a few even go back to 1209.  It is more than likely that many names are even older than the written records and most remain unchanged.

Field names particularly have been conserved naturally by farming families who use them regularly.  However, this tradition cannot be relied upon to ensure the survival of names today.  Radical changes in social and economical patterns of land use mean that farms cannot sustain the younger generation and often farms become amalgamated.  Farmhouses are sold and lands are farmed by families who have no hereditary knowledge of the field names.  A decision to replace traditional field names with reference numbers on government agricultural maps and schedules has led to a critical, missed opportunity to preserve ancient names.

Many field names are colourful reminders of earlier times and tell us something about the landscape.  For example, ‘Cae (field) y meini hirion (standing stones) and ‘Llain (strip) y pryfed bach (mountain hares) and ‘Pant (hollow or shelf) Cadwgan (a man’s name) Ddreiniog (thorny).  It is not clear whether the shelf or platform was thorny or whether it was an allusion to Caradog’s personality!  Field names which incorporate ‘erw’, ‘talar’, ‘maes’, ‘cyfer’ among others suggest the existence of anciently worked arable lands on the lower slopes.  Collections of documents and estate papers often include these lands by name and, together with the names recorded in the Tithe, make it possible to locate ancient communities.  These Tithe maps, overlaid with Ordnance Survey maps and aerial photographs for almost the whole of Ardudwy may be seen on the project website: www.adnabodardudwy.org.uk.

In Ardudwy, we have found through the activites of the Heritage Lottery Fund project, Adnabod Ardudwy (Knowing Ardudwy), that there is a groundswell of interest in farm and field names and in their cultural and historic value.  Raising awareness of their value has made people recognise the vulnerability of these ancient names and the urgent need to conserve them.

Farm and field names are essential building blocks in landscape reconstruction and contain footprints of our history and culture.  Ardudwy is no different from any other area in Wales in this respect.  These are our linguistic monuments.  Can we really afford to lose them?  Wales has been active and robust in the conservation of buildings, ecology and monuments for many years.  Names have been overlooked in this process.  They are just as worthy of conservation.

Establishments can make their contributions as can government, both on a national and local level.  Creative and effective solutions can be found if there is a will to protect names.  But action needs to be taken soon. 

© Rhian Parry