Brown Willy
| Brown Willy | |
|---|---|
| Bronn Wennili | |
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| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 420 m (1,380 ft) |
| Prominence | 314 m (1,030 ft) |
| Parent peak | High Willhays |
| Listing | Marilyn, County Top |
| Coordinates | 50°35′20″N 4°36′08″W / 50.588832°N 4.602179°WCoordinates: 50°35′20″N 4°36′08″W / 50.588832°N 4.602179°W |
| Geography | |
 Brown Willy
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| Location | Bodmin Moor, Cornwall, England, UK |
| OS grid | SX158799 |
| Topo map | OS Landranger 201 |
Brown Willy (from Cornish Bronn Wennili, meaning 'hill of swallows') is a hill in Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. The summit, at 1,378 feet (420 m) above sea level, is the highest point of Bodmin Moor and of Cornwall as a whole. It is situated about 2.5 miles (4.0 km) north-west of Bolventor and 4 miles (6.4 km) south-east of Camelford. The hill has a variable appearance that depends on the vantage point from which it is seen. It bears the conical appearance of a sugarloaf from the north but widens into a long multi-peaked crest from closer range.
The first part of the hill's name is a common Brythonic element meaning "breast, pap; hill-side, slope, breast (of hill)", which is frequent in Welsh placenames. It is sometimes suggested that the name came from the Cornish bronn ughella meaning "highest hill", as it is the highest point of Bodmin Moor and of Cornwall, but the toponymist Craig Weatherhill disagrees. The name has evolved through a variety of historical spellings as follows: Brunwenely c.1200, 1239; Brown Wenely 1239; Brenwenelyn 1276; Bronwenely, Brunwely 1280; Brounwenely 1350, 1362; Broun Welyn 1386; Brounwenyly 1401; Brownwenelegh 1450, 1470; Brounwellye, Bronwelly 1576; Brown-wellye 1584; Brounwellie 1639; Menar Brownuello 1754.
It has frequently been noted on lists of unusual place names. In 2012 a campaign was launched to have the hill's name restored to the original Bronn Wennili on the grounds that it would be "slightly more attractive to residents and tourists than Brown Willy". Cornish residents objected to the idea. One commented: "It's been Brown Willy for as far back as living memory goes and I suspect, as others have pointed out, that it will always be called that, whatever name we may formally give it."The Daily Telegraph ran an editorial supporting the existing name and called for campaigners to keep their "hands off Brown Willy".
The summit of Brown Willy is 1,378 feet (420 m) above sea level, the highest point on Bodmin Moor and in the county of Cornwall. The geography of the surrounding terrain is typical of Bodmin Moor – tors surrounded by desolate moorland. Streams and marshes are common surrounding the summit, and the River Fowey rises nearby. There are naturally occurring piles of granite boulders around the summit, and one, known as the Cheesewring is composed of 5 separate rocks which get progressively higher towards the top.
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