Afon Fathew

The Afon Fathew is a river in Gwynedd, north-west Wales. The river is downstream from the Dolgoch Falls which is a popular nature site, and is followed for much of its course by the Talyllyn Railway.

The basic name of the river in Welsh is Mathew, presumably in origin the personal name Matthew. Due to consonant mutation, Mathew becomes Fathew following the feminine noun afon . Likewise, the feminine noun pont gives rise to the name of the hamlet Pontfathew, now considered to be a part of the village of Bryn-crug. In English, the Welsh name Afon Fathew is commonly used, and River Mathew less so. The form River Fathew is also quite common, although it is difficult to justify on a linguistic basis as there is no consonant mutation in English.

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