William Williams (Crwys)

William Williams (4 January 1875 – 13 January 1968), better known by his bardic name of "Crwys", meaning "Cross", was a Welsh poet in the Welsh language. He served as Archdruid of the National Eisteddfod of Wales from 1939 to 1947.[1]

William Crwys Williams

Like all other Archdruids, Crwys had himself won several major prizes at the National Eisteddfod. He was a three-time winner of the crown: at Colwyn Bay in 1910, at Carmarthen in 1911, and at Corwen in 1919. A cast bronze bust in honour of the poet is on display at Carmarthen Castle.

Crwys's work tended to idealise life in rural Wales.[2] His winning poem at the 1911 eisteddfod praised the "common people of Wales".[3] English translations of his work appear in several anthologies.[4][5]

Works

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  • Ednyfed Fychan (1910). Inspired by the life of Ednyfed Fychan.
  • Dysgub y Dail
  • Melin Trefin
  • Cerddi Crwys (1920)
  • Cerddi Newydd Crwys (1924)
  • A brief history of Rehoboth Congregational Church, Bryn-mawr, from 1643 to 1927 (1927)
  • Trydydd Cerddi Crwys (1935)
  • Mynd a dod (1941)
  • Cerddi Crwys, y pedwerydd llyfr (1944)
  • Pedair Pennod (1950)

References

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  1. ^ William Rhys Nicholas (2001). "Williams, William ('Crwys'; 1875–1968), poet, preacher, archdruid". Dictionary of Welsh Biography. National Library of Wales. Retrieved 5 May 2022.
  2. ^ Russell Davies (2018). Sex, Sects and Society: 'Pain and Pleasure': A Social History of Wales and the Welsh, 1870-1945. University of Wales Press. p. 399. ISBN 9781786832146.
  3. ^ Peter Lord (2000). Imaging the nation. University of Wales Press. p. 343. ISBN 9780708315873.
  4. ^ Welsh Verse: Fourteen Centuries of Poetry. Seren. 1992. p. 267. ISBN 9781854110817.
  5. ^ The Penguin book of Welsh verse. Penguin. 1967. p. 237.
Preceded by Archdruid of the National Eisteddfod of Wales
1939–1947
Succeeded by