:Mechain

{{Short description|Welsh medieval cantref}}

{{other uses}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}

File:Cantrefi.Medieval.Wales.jpg

Mechain was a medieval cantref in the Kingdom of Powys.{{cite book |last=Davies |first=John |author2=Jenkins, Nigel |title=The Welsh Academy Encyclopaedia of Wales |year=2008 |publisher=University of Wales Press |location=Cardiff|page=545 |isbn=978-0-7083-1953-6}} This cantref has also been referred to as Y Fyrnwy (Vyrnwy).{{cite book|last1=Cathrall|first1=William|title=The History of North Wales Vol II|date=1828|location=Manchester|page=2}} Mechain may owe its name to the River Cain which flows through it on its way to join the River Vyrnwy; 'Me' or 'Mach' (cf. Machynlleth, Mathrafal, etc., and in modern Welsh, field is maes) may signify meadows or plain, in which case Mechain would mean "Meadows of the Cain".{{cite journal|last1=Richards|first1=Robert|title=Y domen Gastell|journal=Montgomeryshire Collections Relating to Montgomeryshire and Its Borders.|date=1949|volume=51|page=72|url=http://welshjournals.llgc.org.uk/browse/viewobject/llgc-id:1265339/article/000088724|access-date=15 April 2015}}{{cite book |title=A History of Wales from the Earliest Times to the Edwardian Conquest|last= Lloyd|first= John Edward|author-link= John Edward Lloyd|year= 1912|publisher= Longmans, Green, and Co.|page=247 |url= https://archive.org/stream/historyofwalesfr01lloyuoft#page/247/mode/2up|access-date=16 April 2015}} It corresponds to the later hundred of Llanfyllin.{{cite book|last1=Carlisle|first1=Nicholas|title=A topographical dictionary of the Dominion of Wales (see Fach-Wen)|date=1811|publisher=Society of Antiquaries|location=London|url=https://archive.org/details/walestopographic00carluoft}}

Mechain lay almost in the centre of the kingdom, bordering with the cantref of Caereinion to the south, the two commotes of the cantref of Mochnant to the north, and the commotes of Deuddwr and Ystrad Marchell in the cantref of Ystlyg to the east.{{cite web|title=Cantrefs|url=http://www.celticchristianity.infinitesoulutions.com/images/Cantrefs.jpg|publisher=Celtic Christianity}}

It consisted of the commotes (cymydau) of Mechain Uwch Coed (Mechain above the wood) and Mechain Is Coed (Mechain below the wood) separated by the large wood or forest which stretched across the cantref around Bwlch-y-cibau. The caput of Mechain Uwch Coed was at Tomen yr Allt ({{coord|52.7806|-3.2961|name=Tomen yr Allt Castle Mound|region:GB_type:landmark}}) near Llanfyllin and that of Mechain Is Coed was at Tomen y Castell ({{coord|52.7734|-3.2077|name=Domen Castell Mound & Bailey Castle|region:GB_type:landmark}}) near Llanfechain.

The inclusion of ym-Mechain in a placename means 'in Mechain', e.g. Llansantffraid-ym-Mechain and Llanarmon-ym-Mechain (an historic name for Llanfechain).

Gwerful Mechain, a female Welsh poet of the later Middle Ages renowned for her daring erotic verse, was a native of Mechain.