Mechain
52°10′16″N 3°21′04″W / 52.171°N 3.351°W
Mechain was a medieval cantref in the Kingdom of Powys.[1] This cantref has also been referred to as Y Fyrnwy (Vyrnwy). Mechain may owe its name to the river Cain which flows through it on its way to join the river Fyrnwy; if 'Me' signifies meadows, Mechain means "Meadows of the Cain".[2] It corresponds to the later hundred of Llanfyllin.[3]
Mechain lay almost in the centre of the kingdom, bordering with the cantref of Caereinion to the south, the two commotes of the cantref of Mochnant to the north, and the commotes of Deuddwr and Ystrad Marchell in the cantref of Ystlyg to the east.[4]
It consisted of the commotes (cymydau) of Mechain Uwch Coed (Mechain above the wood) and Mechain Is Coed (Mechain below the wood) separated by the large wood or forest which stretched across the cantref around Bwlch-y-Cibau.[2] The caput of Mechain Uwch Coed was at Tomen yr Allt near Llanfyllin and that of Mechain Is Coed was at Tomen y Castell near Llanfechain.[2]
The inclusion of ym-Mechain in a placename means 'in Mechain', e.g. Llansantffraid-ym-Mechain and Llanarmon-ym-Mechain (an historic name for Llanfechain).
Gwerful Mechain, a female Welsh poet of the later Middle Ages renowned for her daring erotic verse, was a native of Mechain.
References
- ^ Davies, John; Jenkins, Nigel (2008). The Welsh Academy Encyclopaedia of Wales. Cardiff: University of Wales Press. p. 545. ISBN 978-0-7083-1953-6.
- ^ a b c Richards, Robert (1949). "Y domen Gastell". Montgomeryshire collections relating to Montgomeryshire and its borders. 51: 72. Retrieved 15 April 2015.
- ^ Carlisle, Nicholas (1811). A topographical dictionary of the Dominion of Wales (see Fach-Wen). London: Society of Antiquaries.
- ^ "Cantrefs". Celtic Christianity.
 | This article about a location in Wales is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |