'Pigs Village' Welsh name change expected to go ahead

A rural Welsh village is expected to officially change its name to Pentre Moch - literally translated as Pigs Village.

The Flintshire community could adopt the historical Welsh name this week following a council vote.

The village is currently called Northop Hall, and the council's recommended name change has caused deep division, which some claiming the village will become a laughing stock.

The Welsh name has existed for 400 years and would be used alongside the English name of Northop Hall.

It refers to a 13th Century farm which used to sit near the original Northop Hall manor.

Experts have recommended Pentre Moch would be historically accurate.

Some residents previously told BBC News that reintroducing the Welsh name would make the village a "laughing stock", but others said the translation did not bother them and was an opportunity for better use of the Welsh language, which they said "isn't heard enough".

Jeff Sampson, who has lived in Northop Hall, Flintshire, for 46 years, said reintroducing the Welsh name was "ludicrous", adding: "I personally am not happy about it. I really don't think it's necessary."

He said if it was a direct translation he may feel differently, but he did not feel the reintroduction was needed.

"To be honest, I think it's going to make the village a laughing stock, Pigs Village.

"There has been a lot of influx of people in the village and they want a Welsh equivalent - well just go somewhere where it's already installed."

But the chairman of Northop Hall community council, John Gollege, said some had asked him for the Welsh name to be adopted for the village.

"We're trying to display and encourage the Welsh heritage of the village," he said.

"It is not a name change. The name will remain Northop Hall," said Gollege.

"Other towns and villages like Mochdre, Swindon and Swinton all have references to pigs in their names."

Mochdre, in Conwy, translates to Pig Town and Swindon, Wiltshire, is said to mean "swine" or "pig hill", while Swinton in Greater Manchester is believed to have derived from Anglo-Saxon words meaning swine or pig enclosure.

Fellow resident, Gaynor Hughes, has lived in the village for 50 years and said it was a shame it had not been used previously.

"I just feel that's what it has always been known as, people who have lived here a long time are very aware of it," she said.

Scott Bagley, has lived there 25 years, he says the community should take on the Welsh language because you do not hear it enough.

"It's a lovely language, they should have Northop and the Welsh variation, it's a lovely place."

A public consultation was carried out in which almost a fifth of villagers responded - and following the rejection of alternatives including Neuadd Llaneurgain - Northop Hall Community Council has officially requested the village be known as Pentre Moch.

"The results have been subject to a very rigorous review process," said council clerk Sharon Swift.

"This has included extensive checking of resident details to the electoral roll and also the elimination of multiple voting in person and via e-mail."

She said the consultation with local residents demonstrated "clear village support for the name change".

In a report by the Welsh Language Commissioner, it said there had been "several attempts" to find an alternative, but none have "gained currency in the same way as the original and historical name of Pentre Moch".

It added that the name was "descriptive not derogatory" and many other settlements in Wales make reference to moch.

"They reflect their key status in the agricultural economy of the Middle Ages," the report added.

The committee will make its recommendations on Thursday.