[Spellyans] (no subject)

[Craig Weatherhill]

Well, here's something of interest.  Porth can be spelled por' or por'h 
under the SWF and, indeed, in local speech and place-names it often 
appears as Por- (including Par).  BUT there is no evidence whatsoever 
that the -th of Porth was ever voiced (i.e. Pordh), except for a single 
instance of Mousehole being shown as Pordhenes 1301.  None of the myriad 
other Porth- names show a -dh anywhere in history.  So, why did this happen?

Returning to Carfury, I'd welcome other thoughts than my own on this as 
to what the second element might be.  Here's a list of the recorded 
spellings:

Carnfuru, Carfuru 1327; Carfury 1380; Carffury 1457; Carfurie 1575; 
Carvery, Carfury 1607.

The first element is certainly carn, rather than car, "fort, round" - 
there is neither record nor hint of any earthwork in the immediate 
neighbourhood, but there is a rock outcrop, now well quarried out, 
leaving an extremely attractive pool.  But what (other than furow, is 
the second element.

Another question - more than one stream in Cornwall has the ancient name 
of Musyn.  I haven't a clue what this means.  Has anyone any thoughts on 
this?

Craig