History of Cydweli / Kidwelly
Promoting Wales in the USA
Hi Susan,You can tell your daughter that it is a funny name. No insult!"Kidwelly" is the English spelling of the Welsh "Cydweli". The origins of which are a little murky. It was first mentioned in a 9th century manuscript.The Normans invaded Britain in 1066 led by William the Conqueror and subsequently they built many castles along the coast of Wales. One in Cydweli. A mixture of settlers from Flemish weavers to English sailors. In the due course of time the Welsh took over and it became a very "Welsh" place, with Welsh as the main language even to this day.Many Norman and English names remain. Mansel is originally a Norman name.Hope this helps.Roger
