Welsh place name errors on Ordnance Survey maps criticised

Beddgelert Community Council will discuss the issue at a meeting on 27 June

Inaccuracies and errors relating to Welsh names on online maps have left one historian "incensed".

Nia Powell has called for responsibility for mapping Wales to be placed with the Welsh government, rather the Ordnance Survey (OS), a UK government agency.

Beddgelert Community Council has written to the OS and will discuss the issue at a meeting this month.

The OS said it received place names from local authorities.

Referring to the OS's 2021 digital map data of Beddgelert, Ms Powell said there were spelling errors and names had been Anglicised.

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"These new 'authoritative' maps have an especially English feel to them," said historian Nia Powell

"Without doubt, these errors show that responsibility for the maps of Wales should be transferred to the Welsh government," she said.

"These mistakes and changes can affect day-to-day life - from using a sat-nav to problems with land ownership and registration, as authorities often insist that OS names are correct.

"What's scary is that there are so many errors in the small area that I know of," said Ms Powell before listing inaccuracies such as:

• Gelli-Lago instead of Gelli Iago

• Llewyn Celyn instead of Llwyn Celyn

• Berth-Lwyd instead of Berth-lwyd

• Cefn Geryant instead of Cefn Gerynt

• Mais-Ysguboriau instead of Maes Ysguboriau

• Macs Pebyll instead of Maes Pebyll Hafod y Llan

These new Ordnance Survey maps contain spelling mistakes or place names people may not recognise according to Ms Powell

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Among the English language names, she noted Dolfriog Hall rather than Plas Dolfriog, Dolfriog Woods rather than Coed Dolfriog and Eagles Rock for a feature in Nantgwynant, whilst pointing out that two farms in Dolbenmaen have been called Sheep wash.

She said conventional maps on paper were "remarkably accurate".

But in a letter to the OS, Ms Powell argued that spelling Oxford as 'Ox-ford' or Penzance as 'Pen-Zance' would not be acceptable for English place names.

In response, the OS said: "We use the current names we receive from local authorities across the UK.

"The owner of every property must contact the local authority if there is a spelling error and then some mistakes can be changed at the request of a specified local authority officer."

It added: "We do not convert a name into Welsh at the request of individuals.

"In terms of the spelling accuracy of a Welsh name, the Ordnance Survey is reliant on the office of the Welsh language commissioner."

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