Little Doward hill fort in Ercing, scene of the death of Vortigern
Quite
a few years ago I explored the identity/nature of Igerna/Eigr, Arthur’s
mother. Much of what I came up with can
be found in my book THE MYSTERIES OF AVALON.
Essentially, Eigr (the original Welsh form of her name) was a deified
headland or perhaps a version of Hera
Akraia, as the Tintagel headland may
well be the Roman period Promontory of Herakles. A great deal of mythological overlay is
present in her story.
But I failed to notice something
during the course of my research. First,
let me simply enter here some passages from older essays (found on Robert
Vermaat’s Arthurian pages, in P.C. Bartram’s A CLASSICAL WELSH DICTIONARY and in
the Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru):
“On the
Lleyn Peninsula in NW Wales is the hill-fort of Garn Boduan or Bodfuan, the
“Cairn of the Dwelling of Buan”. Buan was
a saint in the area, and his name means “swift, quick, fast”. This is interesting, as an unlocated fort
called Caer Dathal, said to be in Arfon adjacent to Lleyn, bears an Irish name
which means “swift”, from daith (see Donnchadh O’Corrain and Fidelma Maguire’s
Irish Names). Melville Richards, the
famed Welsh place-name scholar, guessed that Dathal was a Cymracization of the
Irish name Tuathal (information courtesy Dr. Hywel Wyn Owen, University of
Wales, Bangor). But as Tuathal’s cognate
in Welsh is Tudwall and a saint of this name is present on the Lleyn Peninsula,
I think it is more likely that the native Welsh name Buan or “the Swift” has
replaced the earlier Irish name Dathal “the Swift” at Garn Boduan.”
“Welsh
tradition gives Eigr a father named Anblaud (the Very Swift or Very Fierce)who,
through his sons Gwrfoddw and Llygadrudd Emys (this last being a corruption of
the name of the grave of Arthur’s son at Llygad Amr according to the “Marvels”
of Nennius; see P.C. Bartrum), has been shown to be a king of Ercing. Ercing as a regional name evolved from the
Roman name of the town of Ariconiumor Achenfield at Weston-Under-Penyard and
the region about the town now forms part of Herefordshire.”
“Iaen (Legendary).
A list of the sons of Iaen, supposed to be present at Arthur's Court, is given
in the tale of ‘Culhwch and Olwen’ (WM 461, RM 107). Their names are: Teregud,
Sulien, Bradwen, Morien, Siawn, and Caradog, and they are said to be men of
Caer Dathal, kindred to Arthur on his father's side, or perhaps ‘on their father's
side’.” [Caer Dathal was the court of Math ("Bear") son of Mathonwy. As the Welsh connected Arthur's name with their word arth, 'bear', it is easy to see how he could fancifully be said to have relatives at this fort.]
“blawdd [of
An-blaud, where An- is an intensifier]
[yr un
elf. ag a welir yn aerflawdd, cadflawdd, cymlawdd, &c.: < Clt. *blād-
?o’r gwr. IE. *bhleh2-d- neu *bhleh3-d-, cf. Goth. blōtan ‘anrhydeddu (drwy
aberthu)’, H. Nor. blōta ‘aberth’, ?Llad. flāmen ‘math o offeiriad’; petrus yw
dosbarthiad rhai o’r enghrau., ac ansicr yw ystyr engh. gyntaf adran (b) fel a.,
cf. Wiliam Llŷn: Gw (R. Stephens) (At.) 9b, Blawdd tarian blawdd Egin kred
blaidd gwyn kryf]
eg. ll.
bloddion, a hefyd fel a.
a Dychryn, arswyd, cynnwrf, cythrwfl;
prysurdeb; person ffyrnig, dychrynwr, cynhyrfwr, cyffröwr:
fright,
terror, turmoil, tumult; busyness; fierce person, one who inspires fear,
agitator, inciter.
12g. GCBM
i. 298, Wedy Ririd Uleit, ula()t haearndaun.
id. 327,
G()aedlann vlaut, amnaut amniuer.
12-13g.
GLlLl 5, Ef ula()t kyfrieu, ef uleityad—yn dygyn, / Ef kynnygyn kymynad.
13g. A
308-9, ysgavl dhisgynnyawd wlawd gymre.
c. 1400 R
128126-8, Howel gaen vuel aryf gyntevin bla()d. ha()d y glutdel ffa()d wyr
g()latoed olffin.
a. 1587 Y
178, Mae o’th ystâd a adwaen / (Och, och o’th flawdd!) chwech o’th flaen.
1620 id.
180, blawdd yw prysurdeb.
1793 P,
Blawz, s. m.—pl. blozion … Activity; tumult.
1888 SE,
Blawdd, pl. bloddion, sm. commotion, tumult, agitation; activity.
b Ymffrost, bost:
boast,
brag.
15g.
Gwilym Tew: Gw 453, Ni bu arall call, heb gael colled, / Yn goddeithio Ffrainc
yn gy’ ddoethed, / Â’r synnwyr (cadarn cyd synied)—â’r blawdd; / Ar fwriad
anhawdd—Ef yw’r Dwned!
Dchr.
17g. J 10 141b, Blawdd. × frôst.
Fel a.
a Ffyrnig, brawychus, dychrynllyd, terfysglyd,
cynddeiriog, cyffrous:
fierce,
frightening, terrible, tumultuous, furious, exciting.
12g. GLlF
426, Kymhenda()d cancla()t, uar ula()t ulaenu.
12g. GCBM
ii. 93, Angut urt ortwy hynod, / Angert ula()t agla()t aglod.
13g. C
9713-14, Tarv trin anvidin blaut arbenic llu llid anhaut.
14g. GDG³
194, Ni bu brifwynt planetsygn, / Na rhuthr blawdd rhwng deuglawdd dygn [i’r
don ar afon Dyfi].
c. 1400 R
12418-9, blawd galar amgar g()reid.
id.
128911-12, trostan ynghyrch bla()d. trystan anghat.
1793 R.
Powell: ADV 6, Ac Eölus à giliawz, / Ar ethryb lwyr a’i ruthyr blawz [:-
Tervysglyd].
id. 26, Y
gwynt blawz a’i gawz yn gaeth [am y gaeaf].
b Cyflym, chwim, chwyrn, bywiog, heini, parod:
• quick, swift, brisk, active, nimble, ready.
16g.
Wiliam Llŷn: Gw (R. Stephens) 227, Blawdd egni Cred, blaidd gwyn cryf, / Beli
wydrgrest baladrgryf.
1632 D,
*Blawdd, chwyrn, [William] Ll[yn]. Agilis, celer, gnavus, expeditus, impiger,
properus.
1688 TJ,
Blawdd, chwyrn. Quick, nimble, swift, active.
1753 TR,
Blawdd, chwyrn. [William] Ll[yn]. swift, active, nimble, quick, fleet, speedy,
ready.
1758 ML
(Add) 361, Dychwel yn ol freiniol fron / Dyred o Gymru dirion / Dyfrysia’n
flawdd heb nawdd neb / ac attwyn rywiog atteb [i anfon colomen].
1770 W
d.g. Active, Brisk, Swift.
1793 P,
Blawz, a. … Active; nimble; swift; ready.1753 TR, Blawdd, chwyrn.
[William] Ll[yn]. swift, active, nimble, quick, fleet, speedy, ready.
1758 ML (Add)
361, Dychwel yn ol freiniol fron / Dyred o Gymru dirion / Dyfrysia’n flawdd
heb nawdd neb / ac attwyn rywiog atteb [i anfon colomen].
1770 W d.g. Active,
Brisk, Swift.
1793 P, Blawz,
a. … Active; nimble; swift; ready.”
Now, what is
immediately apparent is that the EARLIEST meaning of blawdd, as found in the
name Anblaud, was not ‘very swift.” It was
instead 'very fierce/frightening/terrible' and the like.
As
Anblaud shows up later as Amlawdd Wledig (A. the Ruler or Prince), the meaning
of this name is pretty much an exact equivalent of Uther Pendragon, the “Terrible
Chief Warrior/Leader”!
Now,
before anyone gets too excited about this, let me point out that Arthur’s
connection with Ercing is first found in the Mirabilia section of Nennius.
There we are told of the grave of Arthur’s son, whom he is supposed to
have killed. The grave is actually a
spring, called the “eye” of the stream Amr.
This is merely a folktale, but it may be the reason why Eigr was
associated with Anblaud of Ercing.
In fact, a supposed son of Amlawdd (as mentioned already above) appears to be a corruption of this spring name. Again from Bartram:
Geoffrey of Monmouth also situates Vortigern’s death at the hands of Ambrosius in Ercing.
Another of Arthur's sons - Llacheu - was taken from a stream name not far from the Gamber. To again draw on the excellent work of Bartram:
In fact, a supposed son of Amlawdd (as mentioned already above) appears to be a corruption of this spring name. Again from Bartram:
"LLYGADRUDD EMYS. (Legendary). ‘The red-eyed stallion’. The
name occurs in the tale of ‘Culhwch and Olwen’ where he is said to be an
uncle of Arthur, one of his mother's
brothers, and present at Arthur's Court (WM 464, RM 109), therefore presumably
son of Amlawdd
Wledig. He and
his brother Gwrfoddw
Hen were slain
by the young boar Llwydog
Gofynniad in Ystrad Tywi during the hunting of the boar Trwyth (RM
140).John Rhys thought
that Emys was probably
a mistake for Emyr, so
that the name
would mean ‘the red-eyed king or emperor’ (Celtic Folklore,p.531). Even
so it does not sound like a real name and seems to have been constructed to
explain the place-name Llygad Amr, ‘The Eye of Amr’, i.e. the source of the
Amr, now called
Gamber Head in
Ergyng (WCO 102,
112-3). Compare Amhar
ab Arthur. A.W.Wade-Evans
proposed to identify Llygadrudd Emyr with Emyr Llydaw (WCO 102, 113)."
Geoffrey of Monmouth also situates Vortigern’s death at the hands of Ambrosius in Ercing.
Another of Arthur's sons - Llacheu - was taken from a stream name not far from the Gamber. To again draw on the excellent work of Bartram:
"AMHAR ab ARTHUR. (Legendary). (505) He is mentioned in the tale of ‘Geraint
and Enid’ as one of the four servants who guarded Arthur's bed (WM 388, RM
246). He is probably
the same as
the person named Amr,son
of Arthur, in HB
§73. (So spelt
in the CDLG group
of MSS. but Anir in
H). It tells
that Amr was
killed by Arthur
and buried at a
place in Ergyng which was called after
him, Llygad Amr, ‘the eye of Amr’, i.e. the source of the river Gamber, now Gamber
Head in Herefordshire (grid ref. SO/4929)…
Amhyr appears as a personal name in the Book of Llandaf (BLD
277) and in the same manuscript Amir and Humir or Humri appear
as the names
of two rivers,
one the Gamber (BLD 174, 200-1,
226, 377, etc), the other a stream near Caerleon (BLD 183-4, 226,
374).
Lechou also occurs as the name of a stream near Caerleon
(BLD 226). This corresponds to Llacheu (q.v.), another son of Arthur, as
pointed out by A.W.Wade-Evans. (Nennius, p.75 n.6).”
The Lechou is a small rivulet which rises in the Caer Wood, on
the Maendy Farm (now Maindee).
It may
also be that the names Anblaud and Uther just happened to
closely resemble each other in meaning, and that this was what caused Eigr
to be linked to Anblaud. Yet if this
were the case, we might expect instead for Anblaud Wledig to have been identified with Uther.
Still, it
is interesting that the name of Arthur’s father (which up until now I’ve taken
as a cipher for Ambrosius Aurelianus, the Terrible Chief Dragon for whom
Vortigern had dread) has nearly the same meaning as the name of Eigr’s father.
NOTE: Uther is made a son of a Constantine. This confused figure combines characteristics of several different Roman emperors. But I should mention in passing that there appears to have been an early Constantine in Ercing as well. This passage is from Bartram's Dictionary:
NOTE: Uther is made a son of a Constantine. This confused figure combines characteristics of several different Roman emperors. But I should mention in passing that there appears to have been an early Constantine in Ercing as well. This passage is from Bartram's Dictionary:
CUSTENNIN, king in Ergyng(?). (500)
The king of an un-named locality mentioned in a charter in
the Book of Llandaf as Constantinus, Father-in-law of Peibio ab Erb, king of Ergyng. The deed
records the grant of Llangustennin Garth Benni (now Welsh Bicknor on the Wye in Ergyng, Herefordshire) by
Peibio to Dubricius. Custenhin appears as a witness (BLD
72). According to
the Life of
St.Dubricius, the saint
was grandson of
Peibio, and therefore great-grandson of Custennin. The charter is at
least partly faked. See s.n. Dyfrig. A.W.Wade-Evans proposed to identify this
Custennin with Custennin ap Macsen Wledig (WCO 57-58), while LBS had earlier
identified him with Custennin Gorneu (II.177, 375). Both identifications are doubtful
(PCB).
Amlawdd is brought into connection with a Constantine in the former's genealogy, as shown by Bartram:
The wife of Amlawdd Wledig was Gwen ferch Cunedda Wledig (JC 7, ByA 29(14), 31 in EWGT pp.45, 92, 94). His pedigree is given in ByA 31 in EWGT p.94: Amlawd wledic ap Kynwal ap Ffrwdwr ap Gwrvawr ap Kadien ap Kynan ap Eudaf ... The first record of this is by Gutun Owain (d.c.1498) and it does not rank with the ‘Hanesyn Hen’ texts, but it has respectable authority. It makes Amlawdd Wledig a first cousin to Custennin Fendigaid. But it never gained much currency, being superseded in the mid-16th century by one based on Arthurian Romance.
And yet another Constantine is associated with Amlawdd Wledig:
Amlawdd is brought into connection with a Constantine in the former's genealogy, as shown by Bartram:
The wife of Amlawdd Wledig was Gwen ferch Cunedda Wledig (JC 7, ByA 29(14), 31 in EWGT pp.45, 92, 94). His pedigree is given in ByA 31 in EWGT p.94: Amlawd wledic ap Kynwal ap Ffrwdwr ap Gwrvawr ap Kadien ap Kynan ap Eudaf ... The first record of this is by Gutun Owain (d.c.1498) and it does not rank with the ‘Hanesyn Hen’ texts, but it has respectable authority. It makes Amlawdd Wledig a first cousin to Custennin Fendigaid. But it never gained much currency, being superseded in the mid-16th century by one based on Arthurian Romance.
And yet another Constantine is associated with Amlawdd Wledig:
CUSTENNIN ap
MYNWYEDIG.(Legendary).He is called Custennin Heusor, ‘the shepherd’, ap
Mynwyedig (Dyfnedig, RM) in the tale of ‘Culhwch and
Olwen’. When Culhwch
and his six
companions were searching
for Olwenferch Ysbaddaden Pencawr
they first found Custennin the shepherd on the top of a knoll guarding a huge
flock of sheep, covered
in a coat of skins, and
near him an enormous shaggy mastiff (WM 472, RM 114-5). His wife was an un-named daughter of
Anlawdd [Amlawdd] Wledig and therefore aunt to Culhwch and to Arthur. It was
‘because of her’ (we are not told how) that Ysbaddaden the giant had injured Custennin
and slain twenty-three
of his twenty-four
sons (WM 472-5,
RM 115-7). The
last remaining son
joined Culhwch and his
six companions, and later received the
name Goreu. It was at the house of Custennin that the
seven warriors stayed while Culhwch negotiated with Ysbaddaden for the hand of
Olwen (WM 475f, RM 475f). The implication in the story is that both Custennin
and his wife were rather larger than normal human beings.
ARTHUR OF CORNWALL/CERNYW AND CELLIWIG – IN SOUTH WALES?
Various Arthurian writers have pointed that there were
several Cernyws or “Cornwalls” in Britain other than modern-day Cornwall (and
never mind Cornouaille in Brittany). I
once discussed both the ancient kingdom of the Cornovii, which became Powys, as
well as the Roman period town of Durocornovium at Wanborough. And then there is a Llangernyw in Conwy, and
more importantly perhaps, a Coedcernyw, modern Coedkernew, in southern
Wales. Malcolm Wilson on his Website “In
the name of ‘Arthur’”, https://inthenameofarthur.wordpress.com/2016/04/11/celliwig-caerleon-camelot-cernyw-part-ii/comment-page-1/
, nicely summarizes what we know of the latter place:
“There is also a Gelli-Wig (near Grosmont Castle) in what is
now Gwent, Southeast Wales (cantref of GWENT UCH COED on the map), and what
was, in medieval times, Monmouthshire (one assumes Geoffrey’s youthful stomping
ground.) Not only a Gelli-Wig (Gelliwig) but a Coedcernyw (today Coedkernew
between Caerleon and Cardiff in South Wales – cantref of GWENT IS COED on the
map), and two mentions in the Llandaff Charters[3] of a ‘Brinn Cornou’,[4] and
‘Cruc Cornou’,[5] both near this Gelli-Wig. (Don’t be put off by the various
different spellings of Cernyw/Kernyw/Kernew/Gorneu/Cornou, this was normal.)”
Celliwig/Gelliwig/Kelliwic (etc.) was claimed as Arthur’s
primary court in Welsh tradition. For
the one near Grosmont, see http://www.coflein.gov.uk/en/site/36911/details/gelliwig.
I have recently successfully etymologized the name Eliwlad,
given as son of Madog son of Uther. This
personage, in the form of an eagle, is found at “glyncoet Kernyw”. Patrick Sims-Williams identified this place
with “the large, wooded Glynn valley near Bodmin [Cornwall].” But might it not have been Coedkernew in
southern Wales? Just a few kilometers
north of Coedkernew is Maes Arthur, ‘Arthur’s Field/Plain.’
Coedkernyw was in the ancient kingdom of Gwynllwg, which has
been named for its 5th century ruler Gwynllyw. According to Wikipedia (deriving its
information from The Welsh Academy Encyclopaedia of Wales of 2008),
“It was named after Gwynllyw, its 5th century or 6th century
ruler and consisted of the coastal plain stretching between the Rhymney and Usk
rivers, together with the hills to the north. It was traditionally regarded as
part of the kingdom of Glamorgan (Welsh: Morgannwg) [to be technically more
correct, of Glywysing], rather than
that of Gwent which extended only as far westwards as the River Usk. However,
under the Laws in Wales Acts of 1535-42, the hundred was included with those
situated to the east, to form the new county of Monmouthshire.”
Arthur features in a story on this Gwynllyw in the Life of
St. Cadog. As told by Bartram:
“Gwynllyw had first sought the hand of Gwladus peaceably, but Brychan had refused, and slighted the messengers. Then Gwynllyw set out with three hundred servants, came to the court of Brychan at Talgarth, and found the young lady before the door of her residence. They took her by force and returned with speed, but were pursued by Brychan and his auxiliaries. Two hundred of his men were slain, but he arrived safely at the borders of his kingdom, still being pursued, when he was seen by Arthur and his companions, Cai and Bedwyr. They were sitting on the top of Bochriw Carn. Arthur attacked Gwynllyw's pursuers and chased them back to their own land.”
“Gwynllyw had first sought the hand of Gwladus peaceably, but Brychan had refused, and slighted the messengers. Then Gwynllyw set out with three hundred servants, came to the court of Brychan at Talgarth, and found the young lady before the door of her residence. They took her by force and returned with speed, but were pursued by Brychan and his auxiliaries. Two hundred of his men were slain, but he arrived safely at the borders of his kingdom, still being pursued, when he was seen by Arthur and his companions, Cai and Bedwyr. They were sitting on the top of Bochriw Carn. Arthur attacked Gwynllyw's pursuers and chased them back to their own land.”
Bochriw Carn is the cairn atop Mynydd Fochriw in
Caerphilly.
[Cadog son of Gwynllyw's given name was actually Catmail or Cadfael, from Cato-maglos, "Battle-prince/chieftain/lord." He is known to have had a disciple named Cadwaladr, 'Battle-Prince/leader/chieftain.' A church to this Cadwaladr, Llangadwaladr, is in Gwent at Bishton next to Magor. There was a castle at Bishton, but also the nearby Wilcrick Hill fort. See http://www.coflein.gov.uk/en/site/307946/details/wilcrick-hill-hillfort. I've maintained all along that Arthur's "leader of battles" designation points to a Latin rendering of just such a British name.]
[Cadog son of Gwynllyw's given name was actually Catmail or Cadfael, from Cato-maglos, "Battle-prince/chieftain/lord." He is known to have had a disciple named Cadwaladr, 'Battle-Prince/leader/chieftain.' A church to this Cadwaladr, Llangadwaladr, is in Gwent at Bishton next to Magor. There was a castle at Bishton, but also the nearby Wilcrick Hill fort. See http://www.coflein.gov.uk/en/site/307946/details/wilcrick-hill-hillfort. I've maintained all along that Arthur's "leader of battles" designation points to a Latin rendering of just such a British name.]
Sub-Roman Wales, showing Gwynllwg (of Coed Cernyw) and Ergyng
All of the above is NOT an indication that the original 5th-6th century Arthur belonged in Southeastern Wales. Instead, it shows us clearly just how complicated the process of relocation could be during the development of later Arthurian legend. As I've remarked before, Arthur was placed just about everywhere. Proof of this is found not only in Welsh story and folktales, but in the landscape features named for the hero. It was only natural for the Welsh to bring the great king into their fold when the other Celtic lands had been lost to Germanic invaders. I still maintain that the Arthur of the Nennius battle list was centered at the west end of Hadrian's Wall, that he is know to us through the early genealogies as Ceidio son of Arthwys and that his battles were entirely in the North.
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