Caledfryn
Engraving from Ceinion Llenyddiaeth Gymreig (1876)
Engraving from Ceinion Llenyddiaeth Gymreig (1876)
BornWilliam Williams
(1801-02-06)6 February 1801
Bryn y Ffynnon, Denbigh, Denbighshire, Wales
Died23 March 1869(1869-03-23) (aged 68)
Groes-wen, Glamorgan
OccupationMinister, poet, writer, editor
NationalityWelsh
Years active1820s - 1860s

William Williams (pen name "Caledfryn" or "Gwilym Caledfryn") (6 February 1801 – 23 March 1869) was a Welsh Congregational minister, poet and literary critic born at Bryn y Ffynnon, Denbigh. He was one of the leading figures in the Welsh Eisteddfod movement and did much to raise the standards of Welsh literature of his time.

Biography

He was from a family of weavers at Bryn y Ffynnon. He studied at Rotherham College before becoming ordained as a minister with the Independents in 1829. He was a prominent member of the Anti-Corn Law League, the Peace Society and the Society for the Liberation of Religion which sought to separate the church from the state.[1]

He tried to standardize Welsh as a literary language and wrote a number of articles and criticisms on Welsh poetry, becoming popular in the first half of the 19th century. In 1851 he published Grammadeg Cymreig, an important book of Welsh grammar.[1]

From 1831 to 1868 he served as an editor for numerous Welsh periodicals.[2] He published Cyfarwyddiadur i Ddarllen ac Ysgrifennu Cymraeg ("A Guide to reading and writing Welsh" in 1821; Grawn Awen, a volume of verse in 1826; and Drych Barddonol neu Draethawd ar Farddoniaeth (an essay on Poetry) in 1839.[1]

He spent the last days of his life in South Wales as minister at Groeswen Independent Chapel, near Cardiff in Glamorgan.

Literary work

Poetry

  • Grawn Awen (1826)
  • Caniadau Caledfryn (1856)

References

  1. 1 2 3 "The National Library of Wales :: Dictionary of Welsh Biography". yba.llgc.org.uk. Retrieved 2015-09-26.
  2. ↑ Stephens, Meic (2004). "Williams, William [pseud. Caledfryn]". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/29559. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
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