Angharad James

For the footballer, see Angharad James (footballer).

Angharad James (1677–1749) was a farmer, a harpist, and a poet.[1]

Life

She was born in Gelliffrydau farm at Baladeulyn in the Nantlle Valley on 16 July 1677. When still a young woman, she married William Prichard, a man far older than herself, who farmed Cwm Penamnen, a valley to the south of Dolwyddelan.[2] She lived in Parlwr, or Tai Penamnen, a house which had earlier been a home to the Wynn family of Gwydir,[3][4] for the remainder of her life, continuing to farm the valley after being widowed. The house is currently being uncovered by archaeologists.[5]

She was buried on 25 August 1749 and is buried within the church of St. Gwyddelan in Dolwyddelan.[6]

Arts

She was a skilled harpist who commanded her workers to dance to her playing as they returned from the milking.[2]

She is notable as an early Welsh female poet.[7] Manuscripts of her work have survived and are held at the National Library of Wales.[1] They include an elegy to her son who had died when 16 and another to her husband in the form of an imaginary dialogue.

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Nia Mai Jenkins, '‘A’i Gyrfa Megis Gwerful’: Bywyd a Gwaith Angharad James', Llên Cymru Volume 24 (2001)
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Owen Thomas, D.D., Cofiant Y Parchedig John Jones, Talsarn (Wrexham 1874)
  3. ↑ Sir John Wynn. History of the Gwydir family and memoirs. Edited by J. Gwynfor Jones. Llandysul : Gwasg Gomer, 1990.
  4. ↑ Royal Commission on Ancient and Historical Monuments in Wales and Monmouthshire – an inventory of the ancient monuments in Caernarvonshire,Volume 1 – East (1956), pp. 82,83
  5. ↑ "Dolwyddelan.org website". Retrieved 18 October 2009.
  6. ↑ John Ellis Jones, 'Bedd Angharad James O Benamnen, Dolwyddelan', Transactions of the Caernarvonshire Historical Society, Volume 45 (1984)
  7. ↑ Ceridwen Lloyd-Morgan Women and their poetry in medieval Wales in Women and Literature in Britain 1150-1500 ed. Caroline Meale (1996)