Dungleddy (hundred)

Coordinates: 51°52′05″N 4°43′01″W / 51.868°N 4.717°W / 51.868; -4.717

Ancient Dyfed showing Deugleddyf Cantref and its "commotes"

Pembrokeshire showing Dungleddy Hundred

The Hundred of Dungleddy was a hundred in the centre of Pembrokeshire, Wales, and was almost identical to the pre-Norman cantref of Deugleddyf^[1]. It derives its Welsh name from its position between the two branches of the River Cleddau (Cleddyf): the English form is a corruption of the Welsh. The area of the cantref was around 185 km²: it was the smallest of the seven cantrefi of Dyfed.

The cantref was allegedly divided into two commotes. The Red Book of Hergest calls these "Castell Hu" (= modern Cas-wis or Wiston) and "Llan y Hadein" (=Llanhuadain or Llawhaden). These both appear to be post-Norman lordships and are not genuine native subdivisions^[2]. The western part of the hundred was English-speaking from the time of the Norman conquest, and formed part of Little England beyond Wales: the eastern part was part of the Lordship of the Bishop of St David's, and George Owen described it as bilingual^[3]. The three northeastern parishes (Llys y Fran, New Moat and Bletherston) were solidly Welsh-speaking during the 20th century.

As their names imply, the civil headquarters of the commotes were at Wiston and Llawhaden, and the latter the cantref's ecclesiastical centre, perhaps the seat of a bishop during the Age of the Saints^[4]

The hundred was formed by the Act of Union of 1536: a small part was transferred to the hundred of Dewisland, and various fragments of church land (Llandissilio, Llanfallteg, Llangan, Crinow, Henllan, Grondre and western Llawhaden) were acquired from Cantref Gwarthaf.

Notes

1. ^ Charles, B. G., The Placenames of Pembrokeshire, National Library of Wales, Aberystwyth, 1992, ISBN 0-907158-58-7, p 395
2. ^ Charles ibid, p 395
3. ^ Owen, George, The Description of Pembrokeshire, Dillwyn Miles (Ed), Gomer Press, Llandysul, 1994, ISBN 185902-120-4
4. ^ Williams, A. H., An Introduction to the History of Wales: Volume I: Prehistoric Times to 1063, UoWP, 1941, p 120