Llwyd, Richard

(1752-1835)

   "The Bard of Snowdon" was born in Beaumaris, Anglesey, where his father, a small coast trader, died when Richard was young. He spent only nine months at the free school at Beaumaris, then at the age of twelve entered the domestic service of a local gentleman. He used all his spare time to educate himself and by 1780 he was steward and secretary to a Mr. Griffith of Caerhun, near Conway, the local magistrate. He finally acquired sufficient income to retire to Beaumaris. He died at Chester and was buried at St. John's Church. His notes show that he was well versed in heraldry, genealogy, and Welsh archaeology. Some of his publications: Beaumaris Bay, 1800 (with many historical and genealogical notes). Gayton Wake, or Mary Dod, and Her List of Merits, 1804. Poems, Tales, Odes, Sonnets, Translations from the British, 1804. Some of his poems: "Einion Lonydd," "Elegy on Evan the Thatcher," "Llwyd to the Bard of the Wreekin," "Owen of Llangoed," "The Address of the Bard of Snowdon to His Countrymen," "The Castle of Harlech," "The Vision of Taliesin," "To the Gwyneddigion Society."

   Sources: Dictionary of National Biography. Electronic Edition, 1.1. Portrait of William Jones, National Museum Wales, Art Collections On-line (http://www.nmgw.ac.uk/www.php/art/online/?action=show_item&item=1158). The Columbia Granger's Index to Poetry. 11th ed (http://www.columbiagrangers.org). The Poetical Works of Richard Lllwyd. Whittaker and Co., 1837.