The Rev. Peter Roberts, in his “Cambrian Popular Antiquities,” says that Crug Mawr, or Pentychryd Mawr, is a lofty hill in Cardiganshire, situated in the Vale of Aeron, mentioned in Giraldus, where he says, “there is an open grave, which fits the length of any man lying in it, short or long.” Hence arose the ancient tradition, that a powerful giant, kept his post on this hill, and was endowed with the genius of the Aeron Vale. He had a lofty palace erected on the hill, and used occasionally to invite the neighbouring giants to a trial of strength on the top of it. At one of these meetings coits were proposed and introduced, and, after great efforts, the inhabitant of the spot won the day, by throwing his coit clear into the Irish shore, which ever after gave him the superiority over all other giants in Ceredigion, or the land of Ceredig.
Gwynionydd in the First Volume of the “Brython,” 1859, mentions two places known as “Crug Mawr,” one near Cardigan, and the other in the Vale of Aeron.
Near the road leading from Newcastle Emlyn to Lampeter, is “Crug Balog,” where a warrior or giant of the name of Balog was buried.
CANTREF Y GWAELOD; OR THE LOST LOWLAND.
“Ochenaid Gwyddno Garanhir,
Pan droes y don dros ei dir.”
(The sigh of Gwyddno Garanhir,
When the waives swept over his land.)
There is a well-known tradition in Cardiganshire, and indeed all over Wales, that what is known to-day as Cardigan Bay was once dry land. The country was known as Cantref y Gwaelod, or The Lowland Hundred. It had sixteen cities, and in the beginning of the sixth century the district was governed by a king named Gwyddno Garanhir. As the land was below sea-level, dykes had been built to check the encroachments of the sea. One day, however, Saethennyn Feddw, that is, Saethennyn the Drunkard, son of the King of South Wales, opened the sluices, and the sea flowed in, but the people fled to the uplands.