Pennod 4 Yr Arfordir

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-"What's in a name?"

-asked Shakespeare.

-"That which we call a rose by any

-other name would smell as sweet."

-Maybe so,

-but some names are special.

-We're on the trail

-of those remarkable stories...

-..at the root of the names

-on the Anglesey coast.

-We're exploring some of the names

-on Ynys Cybi (Holy Island).

-Though a neighbour of Anglesey...

-..Holy Island feels very different

-industrially and linguistically.

-All the different influences have

-left their mark on its coastline.

-The earliest reference to the area

-where Holyhead stands today...

-..is Llan Y Gwyddel

-(Church of the Irishman).

-There are remains of an Irish

-settlement on Holyhead Mountain.

-Another early name is Cor Cybi...

-.."cor" meaning

-the circle or seat of St Cybi.

-The English for Caergybi, Holyhead,

-is an archaic name...

-..alluding to the area's sanctity.

-Its equivalent in Cornwall is

-the direct translation of Penzance.

-There are many interesting names

-within Holyhead Breakwater...

-..such as Soldiers Point

-and Bolsach.

-One of the most interesting

-is Turkey Shore.

-It was derived from a smallholding

-called Tyddyn Starkey...

-..which was

-the property of Edward Starkey.

-There was an area of marshland

-on the farm called Cors Starkey.

-Over time, Cors Starkey became

-Cors Y Tyrci before Turkey Shore.

-Turkey Shore was the name of a very

-debauched area of the River Thames.

-People treated it with contempt,

-dubbing it as primitive as Turkey.

-It was completely uncouth...

-..and rife with fighting

-prostitution, and drinking.

-It was beyond any kind of law.

-Sailors knew the place well.

-Over time, it became a popular name

-for any primitive coastal area.

-There's one here in Holyhead

-and another in Caernarfon, Gwynedd.

-I'm suggesting nothing!

-Many of the area's names

-haven't been recorded.

-Gareth Williams is a local who's

-been fishing since the age of 14.

-One of the names he's given me

-is Porth Sindars...

-..where cinders from steamers

-were once emitted.

-Ynys Halen's redevelopment

-has replaced Porth Sindars...

-..but its name still exists.

-Another name he gave me

-was Porth Star...

-..a beach

-to the north of the breakwater.

-He had no idea why the old fishermen

-called it by that name...

-..but I discovered that a ship

-called Star of the Sea...

-..ran aground in that exact

-location on St David's Day 1873.

-It says here...

-.."The port anchor was let go,

-all sail clued in.

-"They then let go

-of the starboard anchor...

-.."but she grounded at the north end

-of Holyhead Breakwater...

-"..and became a total wreck.

-"The Coastguard saved the crew...

-"..who later alleged

-the master was often drunk.

-"He admitted he drank to relieve

-the pain of a dislocated shoulder."

-So that's why it's called that.

-So that's why it's called that.

-

-It must be.

-The anchors and chains I told you

-about is where we are now.

-This is where they are,

-underneath us.

-The anchors are beneath here?

-The anchors are beneath here?

-

-Yes. There's an anchor chain here.

-I'm not saying it's off that,

-but it's an old anchor chain.

-Could well be.

-On leaving Holyhead and passing

-North Stack and Holyhead Mountain...

-..we reach a place associated

-with an archaic name and legend.

-These are the ruins

-of Capel Lochwyd.

-The meaning of "golochwyd"

-is shelter.

-It's easy to see how this place

-served as a retreat.

-But before the chapel,

-there was a well in the area.

-An ancient well, possibly supplying

-water to the Celtic fort...

-..that stood

-on the mountain behind me.

-When Christianity arrived here...

-..Capel Golochwyd

-stood near the well.

-I say near, but, actually,

-it was hundreds of feet away...

-..down below.

-I feel as if the walls

-are caving in on me here.

-These cliffs are incredibly steep.

-Ffynnon Lochwyd was situated at the

-bottom of this treacherous ravine...

-..though there is

-no sign of it these days.

-Every St Cybi's Day, young men

-would run from the town's church...

-..to here, a distance

-of more than two miles...

-..and scramble all the way down

-this steep ravine...

-..to the well and the sea below.

-When they reached the well,

-they took a drink of its water...

-..and reached into the bottom

-for two handfuls of gravel...

-..before running back to Holyhead.

-It was quite a feat.

-I'll give it a go.

-It's incredibly steep

-and slippery under foot.

-You can't grip anything because

-your hands are full of gravel.

-It's difficult to breathe because

-your mouth is full of water.

-But they would race

-back to Holyhead from here.

-They believed

-that the first to arrive...

-..still clutching

-two handfuls of gravel...

-..and retaining

-the mouthful of water...

-..was certain to marry

-within the month.

-There's another meaning

-to the word "golochwyd".

-It also means

-a prayer or a thank you.

-I'm sure they were grateful to be

-back in Holyhead in one piece.

-They deserved a wife

-after all that effort!

-Y Gogarth (The Great Orme).

-Its Welsh name is easy to explain.

-It means a steep cliff.

-It's easy to see

-its appeal for climbers.

-They have left imaginative names

-on the cliff face.

-Y Gogarth is too perilous

-for an amateur like myself...

-..so I've come to Holyhead Mountain

-with two experienced climbers.

-Tom Tomos and Eifion Roberts.

-Tom was raised

-in the heart of Snowdonia...

-..and has been climbing

-for almost 50 years.

-He's climbed all around the world...

-..but knows this terrain

-like the back of his hand.

-I can't get at it.

-When a climber climbs

-the cliff face for the first time...

-..following his/her own path...

-..it's customary for the climber

-to coin a name for the climb.

-There are hundreds of them...

-..around Y Gogarth

-and Mynydd Twr (Holyhead Mountain).

-Some have strange names like

-The Enchanted Broccoli Garden...

-..and The Mask Of The Red Death.

-This climb has been named Tension.

-I can see why too!

-Well done.

-Thank you, sir.

-You did great, mate.

-You climbed that well.

-I've conquered Tension.

-Did you enjoy it?

-Did you enjoy it?

-

-Yes, I did...

-..apart from when the wind

-catches you on a corner.

-What thrill do climbers get

-from naming climbs?

-If you're fortunate enough to be

-the first to climb a cliff face...

-..you get the pleasure of naming it.

-The name is then recorded

-in the guidebooks...

-..and for posterity.

-I was flicking through this...

-..and there are hundreds of them,

-but only a few Welsh names.

-Yes, unfortunately, but Joe Brown

-has named a handful of them.

-Wen is one, Perygl,

-and Dde is another.

-But a very small number of them

-are Welsh names.

-I know you have

-a favourite among them.

-Wil Mawr Gets The Vulcan Lip Lock.

-I have no idea

-what that's supposed to mean.

-Who was Wil Mawr (Big Wil)

-and what happened to his lip?

-Names derived

-from industry or a way of life...

-..is a relatively recent concept.

-Yes, before that,

-few came to climb these parts...

-..apart from egg snatchers...

-..and those attempting to rescue

-a sheep or something.

-Before people started to climb here,

-it was unheard of.

-But we're talking about

-cliffs here...

-..rather than mountains.

-Is the same true

-of mountain climbing?

-Yes, indeed. The style of climbing

-hasn't changed.

-The thrill is still the same.

-It's more of a thrill, if anything,

-because you're above the sea.

-It gives you more of a fight.

-But generally, it's the same.

-What about the names

-of mountain climbs?

-There are more Welsh names

-given to climbs in the mountains...

-..but they are still

-few and far between.

-Thank you for Tension. We'll go for

-Gladiator and Black Spot next time.

-If I created my own climb,

-I could name it then.

-Tom Tomos Does The Vulcan!

-Or maybe even Lip Lock!

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-I'm taking a tour

-of Ynys Cybi (Holy Island)...

-..on the trail

-of some of the area's names.

-A prominent feature

-of the landscape...

-..is Ynys Lawd,

-or South Stack in English.

-A lighthouse

-has stood here since 1809...

-..overlooking

-this treacherous part of sea.

-Features are given English or Norse

-names when observed from the sea...

-..and Welsh names from land.

-From the sea, it's clear to see

-that South Stack is indeed a stack.

-The name is derived

-from the Norse, stakkr.

-From the land,

-you can see this narrow sound.

-The meaning of Llawd is turbulent

-in English...

-..and it's a perfect description

-of the sea...

-..as it squeezes between the rocks.

-People come from afar to take

-advantage of the natural resources.

-Its geology is exceptional.

-From steep cliffs and numerous

-islands to never-ending caves.

-Sailing and kayaking

-are popular pursuits here.

-New names are emerging for places

-you can only see from the sea.

-This is Bangor Cathedral Cave,

-which extends deep into the rock.

-There's also Parliament House Cave,

-West Window...

-..and Giant Saucepan nearby.

-But despite my efforts, I haven't

-found a Welsh name for any of them.

-Midway around Holy Island

-and we reach Trearddur Bay.

-It's a popular destination

-for tourists and local people alike.

-It's the perfect place for sailing.

-Towyn Y Capel or Towyn Capel

-was the old name for the village.

-But once the railway to Holyhead

-was completed to attract visitors...

-..the place

-was referred to as Trearddur Bay.

-The name

-is not the only thing to change.

-The level of the sea

-has significantly changed.

-From afar, you could swear

-these were rocks beneath my feet.

-But on closer inspection, it's

-easy to see that it's organic peat.

-These tree trunks

-are evidence of an ancient forest.

-The shape of the dunes

-has changed too.

-This drawing from 1709...

-..clearly shows how Towyn Y Capel

-(Church Dune) got its name.

-The chapel's ruins

-have long disappeared...

-..but the ruins of a burial site

-have been found here.

-I'm meeting Iwan Parry from

-the Gwynedd Archaeological Trust.

-From the pictures I've seen, there

-was once a chapel atop this dune.

-The chapel has obviously vanished,

-but the dune is shorter too.

-What's happened?

-What's happened?

-

-It's down to natural erosion...

-..from the elements.

-As the dunes started to erode...

-..a cemetery with more than

-100 graves was unearthed.

-In this spot?

-In this spot?

-

-In this very spot.

-The cemetery

-dates from the seventh century...

-..up until the 12th century.

-From what I understand, people

-were buried on different levels.

-That's right.

-As the dunes today have eroded...

-..sand would frequently

-be washed in and out.

-The first layer of graves

-were covered beneath the sand...

-..and then another layer of graves

-was built on top of them.

-So, as the dune rose, there was

-more depth for digging graves.

-Yes, graves were dug

-on top of each other.

-Some of the bones

-have been uncovered.

-What do we know about these people?

-What do we know about these people?

-

-They were young people and children.

-Also they were older people,

-the oldest of whom was around 65-70.

-That's a fair age.

-That's a fair age.

-

-Yes, they were healthy too...

-..by all accounts.

-Can you tell that from their teeth?

-Can you tell that from their teeth?

-

-Yes, and condition of their bones.

-We can tell from

-what we've seen of their bones.

-These teeth look perfect.

-Not unlike

-a person's teeth nowadays.

-These are the teeth

-of a 25-year-old woman.

-These remains date back to when?

-From around 850AD...

-..so the ninth century.

-So these weren't buried

-on the bottom layer?

-No, not the bottom layer.

-What we have from the bottom layer

-are the bones of an infant...

-..or a baby...

-..who was buried in a small casket.

-Great care was taken to bury it.

-His own small casket?

-What's interesting...

-..is that the bag

-is labelled Towyn Y Capel...

-..instead of Trearddur Bay.

-The site is known to us

-as Towyn Y Capel.

-An archaic name...

-..with a wealth of history.

-Of the 750 names

-on the coast of Anglesey...

-..that have been

-officially documented...

-..a little over 600

-are exclusively Welsh.

-Maen Piscar in Trearddur Bay

-combines the Welsh, maen (rock)...

-..and Norse word, fiskarr,

-which means fisherman.

-Fisherman's Rock.

-There's a famous story...

-..associated with Maen Piscar.

-It's believed a small ship crashed

-into the rock in thick fog...

-..on 17 September 1819.

-When the ship sunk...

-..no-one on board knew

-in which direction to swim ashore.

-The master's dog, Tyger,

-led them all to shore...

-..and dragged them out,

-one by one...

-..before dying of over-exhaustion.

-Ever since then, this headstone

-has stood on the peninsula...

-..to honour

-the little dog's courage.

-But local residents

-tell me that's a load of rubbish.

-Tyger was apparently

-the favourite hunting dog...

-..of Holland Griffiths

-of Llanfaethlu.

-He ran over the cliff to his death

-whilst hunting deer one time.

-I don't know what to believe!

-We end our tour of Holy Island...

-..back in the direction

-of Bae Beddmanarch...

-..to the village of Pontrhydybont.

-An ancient ford

-separated Anglesey and Holy Island.

-Although a bridge was built

-in the 16th century...

-..people continued to use the ford.

-When another bridge was built

-sometime later...

-..the name Pontrhydybont (Bridge Of

-The Ford Bridge) was coined.

-This is Ynys Leurad,

-known locally as Y Leurad...

-..which is fitting in Welsh

-since changes in the landscape...

-..mean it's no longer an island.

-Some of you who have read the novel,

-Madam Wen...

-..will have heard the name before.

-Author WD Owen was a local resident.

-He wrote a chapter entitled,

-Ar Y Llaerad.

-Years ago, there was

-an old Welsh word called llaer...

-..which is a term describing

-the tide when it's right out.

-Bedwyr Lewis Jones suggests...

-..you can combine llaer and rhyd...

-..to form the word, lleuryd...

-..which means a ford

-you can cross at low tide.

-Stepping stones

-were the original form of a ford.

-People used them as foundations

-on which to build a causeway...

-..a stony pathway over wet land.

-Many place names in Wales

-contain this root...

-..such as Sarnau in Carmarthenshire

-and Cefnddwysarn near Bala.

-Before building

-the Stanley Embankment in 1825...

-..it was here that people crossed

-from one island to the other.

-We're here in Trwyn Cwta

-on Anglesey....

-..and Holy Island is here.

-This drawing

-by Gwilym Trefor Jones...

-..highlights the eight main fords...

-..in the 18th century.

-The old maps name two of them.

-Leurad Uchaf Ford

-and this, Leurad Y Felin...

-..which takes you from Trwyn Cwta

-passed Carreg Ddeubig...

-..before veering right passed Ynys

-Benlas and ending up in Y Felinheli.

-This causeway

-looks exceptionally wide...

-..but these rocks have disintegrated

-and been displaced over time.

-This causeway

-would've been narrower...

-..but wide enough for a cart to

-travel to Holy Island and back...

-..though few

-would've owned a cart in those days.

-A weight-bearing wooden wheel

-would've been difficult to build...

-..and beyond most people's budget.

-They would make do with dragging

-a sled across the causeway.

-By travelling around Holy Island,

-we've come across ancient names.

-New, recent names have been

-created from leisure pursuits...

-..which would've been

-foreign to those...

-..who built the fords and causeways.

-Looking ahead to the future...

-..it's certain that names

-will continue to evolve...

-..due to the numerous influences.

-Where does that leave

-the old Welsh names?

-Only time will tell.

-S4C Subtitles by Adnod Cyf.

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