Pîl (also rendered as Pill, Pil or Pyll) is a Welsh placename element. The name is defined as the tidal reach of a waterway, suitable as a harbour, and is common along the

Bristol Channel The Bristol Channel (, literal translation: "Severn Sea") is a major inlet in the island of Great Britain, separating South Wales (from Pembrokeshire to the Vale of Glamorgan) and South West England (from Devon to North Somerset). It extends ...

and

Severn Estuary The Severn Estuary () is the estuary of the River Severn, flowing into the Bristol Channel between South West England (from North Somerset, Bristol and South Gloucestershire) and South Wales (from Cardiff, Newport to Monmouthshire). Its very h ...

. The highly localised distribution suggests it may have been part of a common maritime culture on the waterways within the tidal reach of the Severn Sea. The name is today most commonly associated with the village of

Pyle Pyle () is a village and community (and electoral ward) in Bridgend county borough, Wales. This large village is served by the A48 road, and lies less than one mile from Junction 37 of the M4 motorway, and is therefore only a half-hour journ ...

in Glamorgan, and the small village of

Pill Pill or The Pill may refer to: Drugs * Pill (pharmacy), referring to anything small for a specific dose of medicine * "The Pill", a general nickname for the combined oral contraceptive pill Film and television * ''The Pill'' (film), a 2011 fil ...

in Somerset.

Usage

Welsh toponymy The place-names of Wales derive in most cases from the Welsh language, but have also been influenced by linguistic contact with the Romans, Anglo-Saxons, Vikings, Anglo-Normans and modern English. Toponymy in Wales reveals significant features of ...

and

hydronymy A hydronym (from , , "water" and , , "name") is a type of toponym that designates a proper name of a body of water. Hydronyms include the proper names of rivers and streams, lakes and ponds, swamps and marshes, seas and oceans. As a subset of top ...

the word is often mistaken for another word "Pŵll" ("Pool"). However, there is no proven link between the words and the two are often found within the same localities (

Caerleon Caerleon ( ; ) is a town and Community (Wales), community in Newport, Wales. Situated on the River Usk, it lies northeast of Newport city centre, and southeast of Cwmbran. Caerleon is of archaeological importance, being the site of a notable ...

has both a '' Pwll Mawr'' and a ''Pîl Mawr'' either side of the Roman port). It is thought that Pîl developed a secondary meaning of 'refuge', as the name also appears in more inland areas (such as

Pilleth Pilleth () is a small village south of Knighton, Powys, Knighton in Powys, Wales in the traditional county of Radnorshire. It is the site of the ancient Church (building), church and holy well of St. Mary’s which stands on Bryn Glas Hill overlook ...

Powys Powys ( , ) is a Principal areas of Wales, county and Preserved counties of Wales, preserved county in Wales. It borders Gwynedd, Denbighshire, and Wrexham County Borough, Wrexham to the north; the English Ceremonial counties of England, ceremo ...

Proliferation

Instances of the name are found as far north as

Pilling Pilling is a village and civil parish within the Borough of Wyre, Wyre borough of Lancashire, England. It is north-northeast of Poulton-le-Fylde, south-southwest of Lancaster, Lancashire, Lancaster and northwest of Preston, Lancashire, P ...

in Lancashire and as far south as South Pill and Pillmere in

Saltash Saltash () is a town and civil parish in south Cornwall, England. It had a population of 16,184 in 2011 census. Saltash faces the city of Plymouth over the River Tamar and is popularly known as "the Gateway to Cornwall". Saltash’s landmarks ...

, Cornwall. However, the name is most associated with the Severn Sea, from

Pembrokeshire Pembrokeshire ( ; ) is a Principal areas of Wales, county in the South West Wales, south-west of Wales. It is bordered by Carmarthenshire to the east, Ceredigion to the northeast, and otherwise by the sea. Haverfordwest is the largest town and ...

in the west to

Somerset Somerset ( , ), Archaism, archaically Somersetshire ( , , ) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South West England. It is bordered by the Bristol Channel, Gloucestershire, and Bristol to the north, Wiltshire to the east ...

and

Gloucestershire Gloucestershire ( , ; abbreviated Glos.) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South West England. It is bordered by Herefordshire to the north-west, Worcestershire to the north, Warwickshire to the north-east, Oxfordshire ...

in the east. Robert Macfarlane interpreted the word as denoting "a tidal creek or stream...capable of holding small barges", while Rick Turner noted the word was part of a common lexicon, shared across the

Gwent Gwent may refer to: Places *Kingdom of Gwent, a post-Roman Welsh kingdom or principality which existed in various forms between about the 5th and 11th centuries, although the name continued in use later *Gwent (preserved county), a preserved count ...

and Gloucestershire Levels.

History

The prevalence of this element indicates its significance in the development of medieval communities along the Severn. This is perhaps most evident on the

River Usk The River Usk (; ) rises on the northern slopes of the Black Mountain (''y Mynydd Du''), Wales, in the westernmost part of the Brecon Beacons National Park. Initially forming the boundary between Carmarthenshire and Powys, it flows north int ...

, where Pîls were located both at the old Roman port of

and at the new Norman castle further south. The city of Newport would develop around a number of Pîls, such as Gwynllyw's Pîl (said to have been the base of

piracy Piracy is an act of robbery or criminal violence by ship or boat-borne attackers upon another ship or a coastal area, typically with the goal of stealing cargo and valuable goods, or taking hostages. Those who conduct acts of piracy are call ...

Gwynllyw Gwynllyw Filwr or Gwynllyw Farfog (), known in English in a corrupted form as Woolos the Warrior or Woolos the Bearded (; 450 – 500 CE) was a Welsh king and religious figure. He was King of Gwynllŵg in South Wales and is the legendary found ...

, the future patron saint of Newport and

Newport Cathedral Newport Cathedral (), also known as St Gwynllyw's or St Woolos' Cathedral, is the cathedral of the Diocese of Monmouth within the Church in Wales, and the seat of the Bishop of Monmouth. Its official title is Newport Cathedral Church of St Woo ...

), Arthur's Pîl (or Town Pîl), the site of the 2002 archaeological discovery of the Newport ship (now the

Riverfront Arts Centre The Riverfront () is the principal and newest theatre and arts centre in the City of Newport. It is located on the west bank of the River Usk on the Bristol Packet Wharf in the city centre. Designed by architectural firm Austin-Smith:Lord, the c ...

) and Jack's Pîl. The word was defined in the ''

Archæologia Britannica ''Archæologia Britannica'' (from Latin: ''Antiquities of Britain''), the first volume of which was published in 1707, is a pioneering study of the Celtic languages written by Edward Lhuyd. Following an extensive tour of Great Britain and Irela ...

'', a 1707 work by the Welsh linguist

Edward Lhuyd Edward Lhuyd (1660– 30 June 1709), also known as Edward Lhwyd and by other spellings, was a Welsh scientist, geographer, historian and antiquary. He was the second Keeper of the University of Oxford's Ashmolean Museum, and published the firs ...

. Nineteenth century Welsh writers would often define the term in line with William Owen Pughe's 1803 definition as "a small inlet of the sea filled by the tide". Many of these writers would point out its contemporary status as a colloquial or oral term still in use throughout the south of Wales. Pughe also noted the rarity of the term in other parts of Wales, stating that ''Camlas'' was often used for similar places in north Wales.

List of place names with the element

Bristol

*Broad Pill,

Shirehampton Shirehampton is a district of Bristol in England, near Avonmouth, at the northwestern edge of the city. It originated as a separate village, retains a High Street with a parish church and shops, and is still thought of as a village by many of ...

*Elbury Pill, Avonmouth (No longer extant) *Morgans Pill *New Pill *Stup Pill Rhine *Wimpenny Pill

Carmarthenshire

*Main Pill *Railsgate Pill *Pil Dafen, a tidal stream in the National Wetlands Centre at

Llanelli ; ) is a market town and community (Wales), community in Carmarthenshire and the Preserved counties of Wales, preserved county of Dyfed, Wales. It is on the estuary of the River Loughor and is the largest town in the Principal areas of Wales, ...

Ceredigion

*Pil Lodge

Cornwall

*Bodmin Pill, River Fowey *Caffamill Pill, River Fowey *Cliff Pill, River Fowey * Frenchman's Pill, Helford River *Manely Pill, River Lerryn *Mendy Pill, River Lerryn * Mixtow Pill, River Fowey *Pill Cove, Helford Passage * Pill Creek, River Fal *Pill Farm, Lostwithiel, River Fowey * Pont Pill, River Fowey * South Pill, Saltash * Terras Pill Bridge, also known as Terras Bridge, Sandplace. *Wooda Pill, River Lerryn *Woodgate Pill, River Fowey

Devon

* Pilton

Glamorgan

Blackpill, Swansea Blackpill (or Black Pill) is a suburban area of Swansea, Wales, beside Swansea Bay, about southwest of the city centre. Description Blackpill falls into the Mayals ward. The area is centred on a seafront building on Mumbles Road, which o ...

*Burry Pill * Cogan Pill, Penarth (no longer extant) *Court Sart Pill, Neath *Giant's Grave Pill, Neath *Great Pill *Jones' Pill, a Pil "on the shore of Portmanmoor", East Moors, Cardiff (no longer extant). *Melincryddan Pill, Neath *Pil-du-Reen, a waterway in Trowbridge,

Cardiff Cardiff (; ) is the capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of Wales. Cardiff had a population of in and forms a Principal areas of Wales, principal area officially known as the City and County of Ca ...

*Pilgot-Fawr, on the river Ely, in the Penarth Road area of Grangetown (near the point where Stadium Close meets Penarth Road today, no longer extant). *Pil y Cynffig *Pill, the name of a farm in Rumney, near the Severn shore. *Pen y Pil, a school and area above the Pil-du-Reen *Pennard Pill, a watercourse at Three Cliffs Bay *Pwll-Mawr, an area of Rumney, Cardiff. It is first recorded as "the Great Pill" In a charter of 1218, and is named for a Pill at the mouth of the Rhymney estuary. *

*Red Jacket Pill, now a Lake on the

Neath and Tennant Canal The Neath and Tennant Canals are two independent but linked canals in South Wales that are usually regarded as a single canal. The Neath Canal was opened from Glynneath to Melincryddan, to the south of Neath, in 1795 and extended to Giant's Gr ...

Gloucestershire

* Berkeley Pill *Brims Pill, Newnham *Bullo Pill, Newnham *Cake Pill *Chestle Pill *Conigre Pill * Hill Pill *

Pilning Pilning is a village in South Gloucestershire, England, close to Redwick and Severn Beach. Pilning is close to the M4, M49 and A403 roads, and has the South Wales Main Line railway running through it, with a minor station. The civil parish ...

*The Pill, a Waterway running through the village of

and the Pilning Wetlands *Waldings Pill

Gwent

*Arthur's Pill or Town Pill, Newport (no longer extant) *Caldicot Pill (south of a road named The Pill, Portskewett) *Chapel Pill *Collister Pill Reen *Crindau Pill *Elver Pill * Goldcliff Pill *Jack's Pill, Newport *Julians Pill, the inlet at the Newport Uskmouth Sailing Club *Liswerry Pill Reen *Maes-glas Pill *Magor Pill (also a street and farm between Magor Pill and the town of Magor) * Mathern Pill *Mireland Pill Reen * Pillgwenlly, Newport (The Pil itself is no longer extant). *Pillmawr, West of Caerleon, also the name of a village. *Pillbach, between Pillmawr and the port at Caerleon, on the northern bank of the Usk. *Park Pill, west of Pillmawr. *Peterstone Pill * St. Pierre Pill *Small Pill, Peterstone Wentlooge *Spytty Pill, Newport *Towyn Pill Reen *Tynypil, Peterstone Wentlooge *Undy Pill *West Pill Reen

Pembrokeshire

*Castle Pill, near

Milford Haven Milford Haven ( ) is a town and community (Wales), community in Pembrokeshire, Wales. It is on the north side of the Milford Haven Waterway, an estuary forming a natural harbour that has been used as a port since the Middle Ages. The town was ...

, which gives its name to Pill Road. *Cosheston Pill,

Pembroke Dock Pembroke Dock () is a town and a community in Pembrokeshire, South West Wales, northwest of Pembroke on the banks of the River Cleddau. Originally Paterchurch, a small fishing village, Pembroke Dock town expanded rapidly following the constr ...

*Edward's Pill *Ford Pill *Garon Pill,

Lawrenny Lawrenny is a village and parish in the community and electoral ward of Martletwy in the county of Pembrokeshire, Wales. It is on a peninsula of the River Cleddau estuary upriver from Milford Haven where it branches off towards the Cresswell and ...

*Goldborough Pill *Hubberston Pill, the waterway separating

and

Hakin Hakin is a coastal village in Pembrokeshire, Wales. It belongs to the parish of Hubberston in the historical hundred of Roose. It is located directly to the west of the larger town of Milford Haven, and is a district of the community of Milfor ...

, from which Pill Priory is named. *Jacob's Pill *Kingswood Pill *Layers Pill *Llangwm Ferry Pill * Llangwm Pill, *Millin Pill *Minwear Pill (opposite Slebech Hall on the Eastern Cleddau) *Monkton Pill, Pembroke *Pennar Mouth Pill, Pembroke * Pill Fort *

Pill Priory Pill Priory is a Tironian house founded near Milford Haven, Pembrokeshire, South West Wales in the late 12th century. Pill Priory was founded as a daughter house of St Dogmaels Abbey (raised to Abbey status in 1120), near Cardigan, itself a pr ...

*Pill Susan *Quoits Water Pill, Pembroke *Radford Pill *Sprinkle Pill *Westfield Pill,

Neyland Neyland is a town and community in Pembrokeshire, Wales, lying on the River Cleddau and the upstream end of the Milford Haven estuary. The Cleddau Bridge carrying the A477 links Pembroke Dock with Neyland. In 2011 it had a population of 3,46 ...

. *West Llanion Pill,

Somerset

*Chapel Pill (no longer extant) * Combwich Pill *

Huntspill Huntspill is a village and former civil parish on the Huntspill Level in Somerset, England. It lies on the A38 road, south of Highbridge. The village is the principal settlement in the civil parish of West Huntspill. In 2019 it had an estimat ...

*Huntspill River * Kilve Pill *Kingston Pill *

Pill, Somerset Pill is a village in North Somerset, England, situated on the southern bank of the Avon, about north-west of Bristol city centre. The village is the largest settlement in the civil parish of Pill and Easton-in-Gordano (until 2011 named Easto ...

*Pill Bridge, Ilchester *Pill Copse, a wood in

Blue Anchor Blue Anchor is a seaside village, in the parish of Old Cleeve, close to Carhampton in Somerset, England. The village takes its name from a 17th-century inn; the bay, Blue Anchor Bay, was previously known as Cleeve Bay. The bay and inn were th ...

named for the Pill River *Pill River, Chapel Cleeve *

Pilton, Somerset Pilton is a village and civil parishes in England, civil parish in Somerset, England, situated on the A361 road in the Mendip District, Mendip district, 3 miles (5 km) south-west of Shepton Mallet and 6 miles (10 km) east of G ...

*Pims Pill Reach *Portishead Pill (no longer extant) *

Pylle Pylle is a village and civil parish south west of Shepton Mallet, and from Wells, in the county of Somerset, England. It has a population of 160. The parish includes the hamlet of Street on the Fosse. The village is very close to the site ...

*Stroud Pill *

Uphill Uphill is a village and former civil parish, now in the parish of Weston-super-Mare, in the North Somerset district, in the ceremonial county of Somerset, England, at the southern edge of the town, on the Bristol Channel coast. History Bone and ...

References

{{reflist Place name element etymologies Welsh toponymy Welsh words and phrases