The place-names of the Book of Llandaf

  • Jonathan Baron Coe

Student thesis: Doctoral ThesisDoctor of Philosophy

Abstract

This thesis brings together all the place-names contained in the Book of Llandaf (also known as Liber Landavensis), and discusses them, together with certain associated problems. The manuscript concerned is a cartulary of the early twelfth century, compiled at the cathedral church of Llandaf in an effort to demonstrate the legitimacy of the diocese's territorial claims. Much of the material copied into the Book is significantly older than the Book itself, some probably dating back to the seventh century, and the Book also contains documents bound into it after the twelfth century. Most of the place-names are Welsh, but a significant proportion is English or French. For each place-name there is a list of attestations (generally drawn only from within the Book, but occasionally referring to other primary or secondary sources), a suggested location for the place, discussion of the place-name's documentary context
and the evidence for its location, and a discussion of the elements contained in the place-name. An alphabetical list of the elements found in the place-names is also supplied. An important adjunct to the thesis is a discussion of the boundary clauses which are attached to most of the charters copied into the Book. These bounds are written in Old Welsh or Latin, or in a mixture of the two languages, and have largely been overlooked by linguists due to the controversy surrounding the dating of the documents copied into the Book. A methodology is presented, involving the examination of proportions of certain datable features of language and style, whereby approximate dates can be supplied for these bounds. Editions and translations of each of the bounds, and a glossary of their vocabulary, are supplied as appendices to the thesis
Date of Award2001
Original languageEnglish
Awarding Institution
  • Aberystwyth University
SupervisorPatrick Sims-Williams (Supervisor)

Keywords

  • traethawd
  • Cymraeg

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