Note 3 — Chapter VIII · Welsh Cave Legends

This story of Iolo’s closes with a moral, which I omit in order to make room for what he says in a note to the effect, that there are two hills in Glamorganshire called Craig-y-Dinas—nowadays the more usual pronunciation in South Wales is Craig y Đinas—one in the parish of Ỻantrissant and the other in Ystrad Dyfodwg. There was also a hill so called, Iolo says, in the Vale of Towy, not far from Carmarthen. He adds that in Glamorgan the tale is related of the Carmarthenshire hill, while in Carmarthenshire the hill is said to be in Glamorgan. According to Iolo’s son, Taliesin Williams3 or Taliesin ab Iolo, the Craig y Đinas with which the Cave of Arthur (or Owen Lawgoch) is associated is the one on the borders of Glamorgan and Brecknockshire. That is also the opinion of my friend Mr. Reynolds, who describes this craig and dinas as a very bold rocky eminence at the top of the Neath Valley, near Pont Neđ Fechan. He adds that in this tale as related to his mother ‘in her very young days’ by a very old woman, known as Mari Shencin y Clochyđ ‘Jenkin the Sexton’s Mary,’ the place of Arthur was taken by Owen Lawgoch, ‘Owen of the Red Hand,’ of whom more anon.