TRANSLATOR'S
FOREWORD
This book
is a translation from the Welsh essay "Hanes ac Ystyr Enwau Lleoedd
ac Amaethdai yn Nyffryn Afan" written in 1889 by Madog Fychan (Daniel
Evans). I embarked on the translation at the suggestion of Mr. John Lyons
who had read my 1985 translation of Aeron Afan, published under the title
"In The Valley Long Ago". Mr. Lyons, originally from Maesteg,
wrote to me from his home in Bontfaen (Cowbridge) suggesting that I might
like to do the translation that is now presented here. In his Welsh language
letter (quoted here in an English version) he wrote:
"There is a book written by Madog Fychan (D. Evans of Cwmafan) entitled
'The History and Meaning of the Names of Places and Farmhouses in the
Afan Valley'. It was a joint winning entry in the prose essay competition
in the Cwmafan Eisteddfod of 1889. This book is very scarce and I have
never seen a copy offered for sale anywhere. Perhaps I can send you a
photocopy".
The book is indeed scarce. The National Library of Wales informed me that
they could not find a record of any copy in their possession. Perhaps
a few copies could be tracked down but in practical terms the essay seems
virtually unobtainable and, to do this translation, I did in the end rely
on the great kindness of John Lyons in making a photocopy for me. Diolch
o galon iddo.
Pressure of work and distraction by many other activities imposed a twenty
year gap between my earlier translation and this. But the two essays fit
well together and it may be a small contribution to local history to make
Madog Fychan's work available after a long spell in oblivion.
These days I return to the Afan Valley only briefly, perhaps once a year.
A good deal of information has been supplied to me by my cousin, Dr. Keith
James, who, before his retirement, had a medical practice in Cwmafan where
he also resided for more than thirty years. Our grandfather, Thomas James
of 10 Beverley Street, Port Talbot, my mother's father, worked for decades
in the Mansel Tinworks in Aberafan mentioned several times in the text.
All the footnotes have been added by me.
Graham
Hughes, New York 2004
ORDER
Place
Names of the Afan Valley
Published
by
Gwasg Corlannau / Corlannau Press
Cost:
FREE
from:
cwmgarw@optonline.net
hyfryd@msn.com
Links of interest:
baglan.org.uk
atlas
of area
talkaboutculture.com
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