Welsh Journals

1.0.1 CHAPELRY OF NANT-DDU (AND HEPSTE), so named HB IV, 50, 1841-81 Cens, 1833 TD, earlier forms being Nantddu Hamlet/Hepstea Hamlet 1879 ERB, Chapel of Nant ddu 1809 HB 1 st ed., Hamlets of Hepste and Nantdu c. 1670 QSO, Capel Nantye 1578 Saxton. Nant W, n.f., earlier n.m., originally 'valley, ravine, glen', later developing the sense 'stream, rivulet, brook etc' (DPH 345) + du W, adj., 'black, sable, dark; fig. sad, gloomy, angry, bitter (GPC) > ddu after n.f., + Hepste, r.n. v. 1.1. This land unit takes it name from the rivers of the same in the vicinity. 1.1 AFON HEPSTE (OSM), so named REL, is Hebste EANC 88, 178, Hepste 1830 OS, Hepstey River 1819 GFB Map, Hepste R HB 1st ed Map, Hepseyflud 1578 Saxton, (Dyffryn) Hepste 1503 DP. Afon W, n.f., 'river' (GPC) + HebstelHepste, which, according to R. J. Thomas (loc. cit.), < hesb W, adj. f. oihysb dried-up, exhausted (of liquid or its source, esp. water, river, well etc)' (GPC), + te(u) > taf (infra) implying 'darkness'. This river passes through a limestone area where several watercourses disappear below ground and this fact could account for this name; cf Afon Haffes (4. 1) and Nant Sychbant (7.0 s. n. ) also in this limestone belt. 1.2 (AFON) TAF FAWR (OSM), so named REL, is Taf Vawr or Greater Tdf 1833 TD, Taf-fawr 1830 OS, Tav vawre 1676 DP, Tave Vaureflud 1578 Saxton, Taphe 1536-9 Leland, Tafevaure 1512 DP. tafmaur 1129 EA 11, 627 (LL). Afon (supra) + TaflTâf, r.n., infra, + mawr W, adj., 'big' (GM) > fawr after n.f., this last el. distinguishing it from its smaller co-tributary Taf Fechan. The name Taf has been well- documented already and in EANC 178 and EL 39 it is suggested that it derives from tam- having a meaning 'dark', in this case implying 'dark water', and is found in many Brit r.ns. such as Tame, Teme, Thames et al. 1.3 BLAEN-TAF (lost), so named 1830 OS, is Blaentaff 1881 & 41 Cens, Blaen-tdf 1817 gs, Blaentave 1615 DP. BlaenW, n.m., 'end, point, tip, apex, summit; source or upper reaches of a river or stream' (GPC) + Taf (Fawr), r.n., v. 1.2. This farm, formerly at SN 993160, was submerged when Cantref Reservoir was completed in 1892. The first el. at first appears misleading as the site is about three miles from the source of the river, but when looked upon as the last farm on its upper reaches it is appropriate. 1.4 CANTREF RESERVOIR (OSM) has W forms Cronfa Cantref, a literal translation in current use, and Cronfa Ddwr Nant-ddu 1960 AB 16, now obselete, and is Cantreff Reservoir 1886 gs, dating from the early