Welsh Journals

the kind is known. There is a place over against the harbour called Penrallt Ceibwr. That is all I could learn. The name Ty Llwyd is now shared by three houses close to each other, two of which are dilapidated. My theory is, that the old Ty Llwyd has disappeared, and that the present cottages have shared the name as a convenient arrangement, or as a com- pliment to an older and a famous Ty Llwyd." Thus far Mr. Griffith. Now, with regard to the well at Moylgrove, Fenton says (p. 537) :­-"the alum well at Treriffydd from which the late ingenious but eccentric physician, Dr. Owen, had in project a plan of extracting alum; but, if practicable, it was never carried into execution. Whether impregnated with that or not, I can- not say but, as a chalybeate, after undergoing a most perfect analysis, it has been pronounced inferior to none, for that property, but the Tunbridge water. I never saw such an appearance of crocus, its inseparable characteristic. The spring is enclosed with stone and mortar, and, about 6 yards below, its stream is diffused into a more capacious basin excavated for the convenience of bathing in it." From this, one judges that the well has nothing to do with alum, save in the mind of the ingenious but eccentric physician, Dr. Owen." Apparently, the original name of the fountain has, under the influence of the in- genious Dr. Owen, and under that of the rationalising tendency of the folk, wavered from Ffynnon Alwm to Ffynnon Halen. e; John Pentrevor" finds it to-day a kind of midway between these, viz., Efynnon Alem. It is important to know what the name was before the ingenious Dr. Owen came on the spot. Can anyone supply this information from an old document, or some very old resident in the place ? There can be little doubt that Ffynnon Alem is a holy well, the word Alem being in all probability a form of a man's name. Lewis, in his Topographical Dictionary of Wales (London, 1833), says, under Moylgrove": — Within the limits of this parish is a well, the water of which is considered efficacious in several diseases." Unfortunately, he does not indicate whether lie is referring to Ffynnon Alem or not. But, considering that the well is enclosed with stone, like Ffynnon Gappan in Llanllawer churchyard, I think it very likely that Ffynnon Alem is that referred to. The folk etymo- logy seems to point to the old name having been Alem, or Alan, or Alun. The path and cave in the side of Pwll y wrach, mentioned by Pentrevor," are explainable from Fenton, who says (p. 538) :­- "On one side of which, almost in reach of the tide, an attempt