Arechwydd definition
Arechwydd. (p. xxi, 8, 127, 136) means ‘by fresh water’, it may denote Urien’s territory around York, which neighboured the River Ouse’s ancient marshlands. Despite ‘Echwydd’ meaning ‘fresh water’, there are those who still take it as the Solway Firth, where the water is salty. There is evidence to date the Mabinogion story of Branwen to the early twelfth century, not ‘the eleventh’ (p. xxxii). Some scholars yet hold the older view that the ‘Fortress of Gwair’ (pp. 109, 122) is an unidentified stronghold on the River Wear, Co. Durham, but the allusion of the Early Welsh (g)wair, meaning ‘bend’, may be to the huge bend of Duncansby Head in Scotland’s far north. The ‘Spring Song’ must allude (pp. 133, 216) to the English victory of Brunanburh in 937, which was not fought in Cheshire (as claimed). It instead took place ten kilometres west of Durham, as indicated in The Battle of Brunanburh (Campbell 1938: 61 n. 2).