Cantref Mawr was a

cantref A cantref ( ; ; plural cantrefi or cantrefs; also rendered as ''cantred'') was a Wales in the Early Middle Ages, medieval Welsh land division, particularly important in the administration of Welsh law. Description Land in medieval Wales was divid ...

in southwest

Wales Wales ( ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by the Irish Sea to the north and west, England to the England–Wales border, east, the Bristol Channel to the south, and the Celtic ...

. It was of strategic importance in medieval Wales as the location of the main seat of the princes of

Deheubarth Deheubarth (; , thus 'the South') was a regional name for the Welsh kingdoms, realms of south Wales, particularly as opposed to kingdom of Gwynedd, Gwynedd (Latin: ''Venedotia''). It is now used as a shorthand for the various realms united under ...

at Dinefwr. ''Cantref Mawr'' means "The Great Cantref". Each cantref in medieval Wales was divided into , and a typical cantref would be made up of two or three . Cantref Mawr was made up of seven , which made it one of the largest cantrefs in Wales. Cantref Mawr was an upland area, bounded by the rivers

Tywi The River Towy (, ; also known as the River Tywi) is one of the longest rivers flowing entirely within Wales. Its total length is . It is noted for its sea trout and salmon fishing. Route The Towy rises within of the source of the River Teifi ...

Teifi The River Teifi ( ; , ), formerly anglicised as Tivy, forms the boundary for most of its length between the Welsh counties of Ceredigion and Carmarthenshire, and for the final of its total length of , the boundary between Ceredigion and Pembr ...

and Gwili. The area at this period was covered in dense scrub which caused difficulties for invading armies, so that the Cantref Mawr often provided a secure refuge for the princes of Deheubarth when facing an invasion.

References

Lloyd, J.E. (1911) ''The history of Wales from the earliest times to the Edwardian conquest'' (Longman, Green & Co.) Cantrefs {{Wales-hist-stub