# Mechain

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Welsh medieval cantref

For other uses, see [Mechain (disambiguation)](/source/Mechain_(disambiguation)).

Cantrefi of Medieval Wales

**Mechain** was a medieval [cantref](/source/Cantref) in the [Kingdom of Powys](/source/Kingdom_of_Powys).[1] This cantref has also been referred to as Y Fyrnwy (*Vyrnwy*).[2] Mechain may owe its name to the [River Cain](/source/River_Cain) which flows through it on its way to join the [River Vyrnwy](/source/River_Vyrnwy); 'Me' or 'Mach' (cf. Machynlleth, Mathrafal, etc., and in modern Welsh, field is *maes*) may signify meadows or plain, in which case Mechain would mean "Meadows of the Cain".[3][4] It corresponds to the later [hundred](/source/Hundred_(county_division)) of [Llanfyllin](/source/Llanfyllin).[5]

Mechain lay almost in the centre of the kingdom, bordering with the cantref of [Caereinion](/source/Caereinion) to the south, the two commotes of the cantref of [Mochnant](/source/Mochnant) to the north, and the commotes of [Deuddwr](/source/Deuddwr) and [Ystrad Marchell](/source/Ystrad_Marchell) in the cantref of [Ystlyg](/source/Ystlyg) to the east.[6]

It consisted of the [commotes](/source/Commote) (*cymydau*) of Mechain Uwch Coed (*Mechain above the wood*) and Mechain Is Coed (*Mechain below the wood*) separated by the large wood or forest which stretched across the cantref around [Bwlch-y-cibau](/source/Bwlch-y-cibau).[3] The [caput](/source/Caput) of Mechain Uwch Coed was at [Tomen yr Allt](/source/Tomen_yr_Allt) ([52°46′50″N 3°17′46″W / 52.7806°N 3.2961°W / 52.7806; -3.2961 (Tomen yr Allt Castle Mound)](https://geohack.toolforge.org/geohack.php?pagename=Mechain&params=52.7806_N_3.2961_W_region:GB_type:landmark&title=Tomen+yr+Allt+Castle+Mound)) near [Llanfyllin](/source/Llanfyllin) and that of Mechain Is Coed was at Tomen y Castell ([52°46′24″N 3°12′28″W / 52.7734°N 3.2077°W / 52.7734; -3.2077 (Domen Castell Mound & Bailey Castle)](https://geohack.toolforge.org/geohack.php?pagename=Mechain&params=52.7734_N_3.2077_W_region:GB_type:landmark&title=Domen+Castell+Mound+%26+Bailey+Castle)) near [Llanfechain](/source/Llanfechain).[3]

The inclusion of *ym-Mechain* in a placename means 'in Mechain', e.g. [Llansantffraid-ym-Mechain](/source/Llansantffraid-ym-Mechain) and Llanarmon-ym-Mechain (an historic name for Llanfechain).

[Gwerful Mechain](/source/Gwerful_Mechain), a female [Welsh poet](/source/Welsh-language_literature) of the later Middle Ages renowned for her daring erotic verse, was a native of Mechain.

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** Davies, John; Jenkins, Nigel (2008). *The Welsh Academy Encyclopaedia of Wales*. Cardiff: University of Wales Press. p. 545. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0-7083-1953-6](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-7083-1953-6).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Cathrall_2-0)** Cathrall, William (1828). *The History of North Wales Vol II*. Manchester. p. 2.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Richards_-_LLGC_-_NLW_archive_3-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Richards_-_LLGC_-_NLW_archive_3-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-Richards_-_LLGC_-_NLW_archive_3-2) Richards, Robert (1949). ["Y domen Gastell"](http://welshjournals.llgc.org.uk/browse/viewobject/llgc-id:1265339/article/000088724). *Montgomeryshire Collections Relating to Montgomeryshire and Its Borders*. **51**: 72. Retrieved 15 April 2015.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Lloyd_247_4-0)** [Lloyd, John Edward](/source/John_Edward_Lloyd) (1912). [*A History of Wales from the Earliest Times to the Edwardian Conquest*](https://archive.org/stream/historyofwalesfr01lloyuoft#page/247/mode/2up). Longmans, Green, and Co. p. 247. Retrieved 16 April 2015.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Fach-Wen_5-0)** Carlisle, Nicholas (1811). [*A topographical dictionary of the Dominion of Wales (see Fach-Wen)*](https://archive.org/details/walestopographic00carluoft). London: Society of Antiquaries.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Celtic_Christianity_6-0)** ["Cantrefs"](http://www.celticchristianity.infinitesoulutions.com/images/Cantrefs.jpg). Celtic Christianity.

[52°46′N 3°14′W / 52.76°N 3.23°W / 52.76; -3.23](https://geohack.toolforge.org/geohack.php?pagename=Mechain&params=52.76_N_3.23_W_region:GB_scale:50000)

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Mechain](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mechain) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mechain?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.