Ynysforgan

Ynysforgan is a village in Swansea, Wales, between Morriston and Ynystawe, just off junction 45 of the M4 motorway The origins of its name are not known but ynys is Welsh for a river-meadow (i.e., an "island" – the main meaning of ynys – in otherwise marshier ground beside a river) and Forgan is a mutation of the name Morgan; a reasonable translation of the name would therefore be Morgan's Meadow. The River Tawe flows past Ynysforgan so it is not unreasonable to speculate that it is the river in question. Several other nearby locations also use the term Ynys in their names including Ynystawe (the neighbouring village to Ynysforgan), Ynystanglws Farm (near Ynystawe), and Ynysmeudwy (near Pontardawe). However, as historically insignificant as Ynysforgan may seem it holds a hidden gem unknown to most locals and has its name embedded in the annals of Welsh time. In the latter part of the Middle Ages (circa 1330 - 1403) Ynysforgan was the home of Hopcyn ap Tomas ab Einion. This clearly indicates the name Ynysforgan extends back further than the 15th century and given the 'modernisation' of language it's conceivable its name is derived from old Welsh. Historians have speculated that ab Einion was responsible for a manuscript titled the Red Book of Hergest which is one of the most important medieval Welsh language manuscripts. Furthermore, in 1403 ab Einion was summoned to Carmarthen by none other than Owain Glyndŵr, the last true Prince of Wales to shed light on his fate by bringing his knowledge and expertise to bare by interpreting old bardic prophecies. Before 1963 Ynysforgan essentially comprised the main Swansea to Brecon road (now Clydach Road) with houses on either side. The 1911 census shows the address as 'Clydack Road'. The 'newer' houses behind Clydach Road were built in late 1960 starting with Garth View, followed by Elizabeth Close, Ian's Walk and Orpheus Road. The builders name was Emrys Davies of Neath who was a sole trader employing skilled tradesmen. It…