{16} Cruker Castle. The corresponding distance between Old and New
Radnor evidently places this castle at Old Radnor, which was
anciently called Pen-y-craig, Pencraig, or Pen-crug, from its
situation on a rocky eminence. Cruker is a corruption, probably,
from Crug-caerau, the mount, or height, of the fortifications.
{17} Buelth or Builth, a large market town on the north-west edge
of the county of Brecon, on the southern banks of the Wye, over
which there is a long and handsome bridge of stone. It had formerly
a strong castle, the site and earthworks of which still remain, but
the building is destroyed.
{18} Llan-Avan, a small church at the foot of barren mountains
about five or six miles north-west of Buelth. The saint from whom
it takes its name, was one of the sons of Cedig ab Cunedda; whose
ancestor, Cunedda, king of the Britons, was the head of one of the
three holy families of Britain. He is said to have lived in the
beginning of the sixth century.
{19} Melenia, Warthrenion, Elevein, Elvenia, Melenyth, and Elvein,
places mentioned in this first chapter, and varying in their
orthography, were three different districts in Radnorshire:
Melenyth is a hundred in the northern part of the county, extending
into Montgomeryshire, in which is the church of Keri: Elvein
retains in modern days the name of Elvel, and is a hundred in the
southern part of the county, separated from Brecknockshire by the
Wye; and Warthrenion, in which was the castle built by prince Rhys
at Rhaiadyr-gwy, seems to have been situated between the other two.
Warthrenion may more properly be called Gwyrthrynion, it was
anciently one of the three comots of Arwystli, a cantref of
Merioneth. In the year 1174, Melyenith was in the possession of
Cadwallon ap Madawc, cousin german to prince Rhys; Elvel was held by
Eineon Clyd and Gwyrthrynion by Eineon ap Rhys, both sons-in-law to
that illustrious prince.
{20} The church of Saint Germanus is now known by the name of Saint
Harmans, and is situated three or four miles from Rhaiadyr, in
Radnorshire, on the right-hand of the road from thence to
Llanidloes; it is a small and simple structure, placed on a little
eminence, in a dreary plain surrounded by mountains.
{21} Several churches in Wales have been dedicated to Saint Curig,
who came into Wales in the seventh century.
{22} Glascum is a small village in a mountainous and retired
situation between Builth and Kington, in Herefordshire.
{23} Bangu. - This was a hand bell kept in all the Welsh churches,
which the clerk or sexton took to the house of the deceased on the
day of the funeral: when the procession began, a psalm was sung;
the bellman then sounded his bell in a solemn manner for some time,
till another psalm was concluded; and he again sounded it at
intervals, till the funeral arrived at the church.
