Madam,

I’ve been following the story about the Welsh name of Barmouth. Here’s my two penny-worth!

There’s a book (in Welsh) called Atlas Meirionnydd (1971), created by local scholars and published by Gwasg y Sir in Bala just before Merioneth ceased to officially exist with the local government reorganisation of 1974.

This scholarly volume has an interesting section on place names and a very telling piece about Bermo (Abermo).

The river we know today as the Mawddach was known as the Mawdd or the Maw - because the 'dd' was often lost on names where it appeared at the end of the word.

Abermawdd easily becomes Abermaw when the 'dd' is lost. You can also see how Abermawdd becomes Barmouth in an anglicised from of Abermawdd.

Hugh Roberts says the name ought to be Abermawddach. However, the name of the river has only been Mawddach for a few centuries - even as late as 1841 there’s a record of a ship being launched in Penmaen Pool into the River Maw.

Abermawdd/Abermaw are, then, most authentic (never Abermawddach) - but Abermaw also easily becomes Bermo in spoken language.

Yours etc,

John Sam Jones, former mayor of Barmouth, now living in Germany.

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