Field-names as content and as evidence: Pierce, "The Place-names of Dinas Powys Hundred" (1968)
Skill type: research lookup + content series. Harvested 30 Oct 2026.
What the source is (read: the Morgannwg review, 3 pp, page by page)
- Book: Gwynedd O. Pierce, The Place-names of Dinas Powys Hundred, Cardiff: University of Wales Press, 1968, pp. xxiv + 359, one map (ISBN 0-7083-0338-2 per the Wikipedia "Leckwith" citation).
- Review: D. Ellis Evans, Morgannwg vol. 12 (1968) pp. 111-113 (NLW PDF AWJBQ012011, Morgannwg collection 1169834). The reviewer calls it a model study: arranged parish by parish, each with two lists, (1) place- and farm-names, (2) field-names, with dated early forms and sources.
- The hundred covers our side of the Ely (Llandough near Penarth, Leckwith, Cogan, Penarth). Wikipedia's Leckwith article cites Pierce pp. 49-52 for Leckwith. The review notes 3 of the hundred's 23 parishes are left out (those in the commote of Miskin); whether Llandough's entry is full has NOT been checked against the book.
- Examples the reviewer singles out (book pages): Catch-me-Wood p.125; Coedarhydyglyn pp.251ff; Scarrimouch p.333; "march" p.271; Pont y Rhidyll p.233; The Migh p.29.
Why practitioners use field-names (case with numbers)
- Andy Seaman (Canterbury Christ Church; Medieval Settlement Research 32, 2017, pp. 27-34, "Further research on a predictive model of early medieval settlement location in South Wales: exploring the use of field names as proxy data") uses Pierce 1968 among his field-name sources for the Vale; field-names act as dated proxies where excavation is absent. (Full numbers in the paper; open copy on ORCA, orca.cardiff.ac.uk — not re-read this run.)
- Lesson for us: a field-name with an early dated form is a citable fact a reader can check, and it travels well on social as "name of the week".
How to run it
- Get the book: library copy (Cardiff Central Library local studies, Glamorgan Archives, NLW) or a second-hand copy. Zero spend rule: no purchase without the project lead's word; propose it in the project workspace if needed.
- Copy only Llandough (near Penarth), Leckwith and Cogan entries: name, earliest form, date, source, Pierce page. Flag any name touching Ty Mawr / Great House / Llandough Farm, and keep the two apart (Llandough Farm is not Great House Farm).
- Cross-check each early form against a primary record we can cite (tithe map apportionment, Cartae, estate rentals). Where only Pierce has it, cite Pierce.
- Content: "Name of the week" card: the name, what it meant (Pierce's reading, attributed), earliest date seen, page cite. 40-60 words; no outbound links; neutral; banned words apply.
- Research use: a field-name list for the farm's neighbourhood gives the intel lane dated anchors for the land's description before the 20th century.
How we apply it to Cedwyn
- Proposal (no spend): borrow/consult Pierce 1968 and transcribe the Llandough, Leckwith, Cogan lists into the project workspace (private), then a public "Field-names of the parish" page with a small table and page cites.
- Social: 1 "Name of the week" card per week (Tuesday, alternating with "From the journals").
- Further reading lines now (citation only): Pierce 1968; Evans' review, Morgannwg 12 (1968) 111-113.
- Cross-link with the Paterson skill: Paterson derives Cogan from Old Danish "kog"; Pierce's reading should be checked before any card states an etymology as settled.
Sources
- D. Ellis Evans, review in Morgannwg 12 (1968) pp.111-113, datasyllwr.llgc.org.uk (read 30 Oct 2026)
- en.wikipedia.org (Pierce pp.49-52, ISBN)
- Seaman 2017, Medieval Settlement Research 32: academia.edu ; orca.cardiff.ac.uk (search snippet only, not re-read)
Raw Markdown: field-names-pierce-dinas-powys-hundred-1968.md · version and changes: changelog · machine index: agents.json