The Bridge of the Blessed Ford
Pontrhydfendigaid
Who blessed the ford and gave the village its name?
Page 4
Conclusion
This article has been primarily concerned with :
| (a) | Challenging the idea that the name Rhydfendigaid can be traced back to the time when the original ford through afon Teifi was blessed and used by the Cistercian monks of Ystrad Fflur. | |
| (b) | Offering an alternative explanation, based on S. M. Powell’s original suggestions, published in 1931. |
Much of the evidence presented in the present article is based on traditional beliefs, local place names and landmarks all of which are thought to have some historical significance. Admittedly, this kind of testimony lacks the authority of that drawn from written documents. However, in this instance it seems reasonable to conclude, with some degree of confidence, that :
| 1. | Neither the pilgrims to Strata Florida nor the resident Cistercian monks had any real cause to cross or bless the river Teifi at Rhydfendigaid. |
| 2. | The river crossing, which gave Rhydfendigaid its name was blessed because it was the last on a route to an old abbey founded on the banks of the Fflur before the year 1164. |
| 3 | Particularly significant perhaps, it was blessed on account of it being the very last opportunity for pilgrims to wash their feet in holy waters before arriving at the old abbey. |
Final Note
The historical credibility and merit of this contribution is left to the reader to decide.