Owen Gruffydd
Illustration — Contemporary caricature portrait of Welsh-language poet, antiquary and genealogist Owen Gruffydd (1643-1730). Reproduced from an early 18th century MS. In the literary journal Y Llenor (Book 2, 1895) Owen Gruffydd (1643-1730) was a Welsh poet partly noted for a lament on the decline of the Welsh language in the early 18th century. Not much is known about Owen Gruffydd's early life and career except that he was born in the parish of Llanystumdwy, Caernarfonshire.
Owen Gruffydd
unknown artist · "Y Llenor" (1895) · Public domain
- Born
- 1643 · Llanystumdwy.
- Died
- 1730
- Nationality
- Wales
- Occupation
- poet
- Languages
- English
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wikidata · Q13130555 · wikipedia · Owen Gruffydd
In this article
Poems
Poems
It is likely that he lived much of his life there and in the outlying parishes. Gruffydd was a weaver by profession. He was, however, known more for his poetic gifts. He also earned a name as a genealogist.
Gruffydd's poems, generally in the strict metres, were mostly composed in honor of the aristocracy living in the surrounding countryside, and it has been suggested that he may have been the last Welsh poet to travel in search of aristocratic patronage in the manner which had sustained Welsh poets for centuries. He also wrote some other types poems which were more popular verse. An example of these were the carols for Christmastide. Selected works of Gruffydd were published in Carolau a Dyriau Duwiol (1688), in Blodeu Gerdd Cymry (1759) and in Gwaith Owen Gruffydd (1904), edited by O. M. Edwards. A large collection of his works is archived in the British Museum and the National Library of Wales.
Later life
Later life
Gruffydd gradually lost his sight with old age and he dictated his verse to friends.
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Text attribution
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The biographical narrative on this page is based on the Wikipedia article Owen Gruffydd, revision 1355380174 (EN edition), by its contributors. VALÉORINE has edited that text and built its own documentary record around it. The reused material is available under CC BY-SA 4.0, and this page's reuse of it is offered under the same licence. Everything else on this page — the chronology, the holdings, the evidence, the plates and the connections — is VALÉORINE's own record. Sources and licences.
Notes from the source article
Cited by Wikipedia
Notes from the source article
These works are cited by the source article, in its own numbering. They are recorded as its citations, not as sources VALÉORINE has verified.
- 1.The Society. Y Cymmrodor: The Magazine of the Honourable Society of Cymmrodorion. 1–. 1888.
- 2.Megan S. Lloyd. "Speak it in Welsh": Wales and the Welsh Language in Shakespeare. Lexington Books. 37–. 2007. 978-0-7391-1760-6.
- 3.Milwyn Griffiths, Griffith. Owen Gruffydd.
- 4.Glyn Tegai Hughes, "Life and Thought" in Branwen Jarvis (ed.) (2000) A Guide to Welsh Literature c.1700-1800, Cardiff: University of Wales Press, p.4
References
Citations
References
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Secondary witnessreference work
Secondary witness
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 29 August 2026.
Elsewhere in Books
39,529 published records in this field, each with its sources named.
- Owain OwainAuthor
- Owen BarfieldAuthor
- Owen ChadwickAuthor
- Owen DavisAuthor
- Owen LeemingAuthor
- Owen Morgan EdwardsAuthor
- Owen WisterAuthor
- Owl FisherAuthor
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