1797 in Wales explained

This article is about the particular significance of the year 1797 to Wales and its people.

Incumbents

• Lord Lieutenant of Anglesey – Henry Paget^{[1] [2] [3] [4]}
• Lord Lieutenant of Brecknockshire and Monmouthshire – Henry Somerset, 5th Duke of Beaufort^[5]
• Lord Lieutenant of Caernarvonshire – Thomas Bulkeley, 7th Viscount Bulkeley^[6]
• Lord Lieutenant of Cardiganshire – Wilmot Vaughan, 1st Earl of Lisburne^[2]
  • Lord Lieutenant of Carmarthenshire – John Vaughan Lord Lieutenant of Denbighshire – Sir Watkin Williams-Wynn, 5th Baronet (from 4 April)
  • Lord Lieutenant of Flintshire – Lloyd Kenyon, 1st Baron Kenyon Lord Lieutenant of Glamorgan – John Stuart, 1st Marquess of Bute^[7]
• Lord Lieutenant of Merionethshire - Sir Watkin Williams-Wynn, 5th Baronet^[8]
• Lord Lieutenant of Montgomeryshire – George Herbert, 2nd Earl of Powis^[2]
• Lord Lieutenant of Pembrokeshire – Richard Philipps, 1st Baron Milford^{[2] [9]}
• Lord Lieutenant of Radnorshire – Thomas Harley^{[10] [2]}
• Bishop of Bangor – John Warren^{[11] [12]}
• Bishop of Llandaff – Richard Watson^[13]
• Bishop of St Asaph – Lewis Bagot^{[14] [11]}
• Bishop of St Davids – William Stuart^[15]

Events

• 22 February - The last invasion of Britain begins: a joint French-American force of 1,400 troops, transported on four French warships, lands near Fishguard.^[16]
• 23 February - Last invasion of Britain: The invasion force clashes with a hastily assembled group of around 500 British reservists, militia and sailors, under the command of John Campbell, 1st Baron Cawdor.^[17]
• 24 February - Last invasion of Britain: Colonel William Tate is forced into an unconditional surrender. The French warships escape capture and return to France. The prisoners are marched through Fishguard on their way to temporary imprisonment at Haverfordwest.
• 9 March - Last invasion of Britain: HMS St Fiorenzo, under the command of Sir Harry Neale and Captain John Cooke's HMS Nymphe, capture La Resistance and La Constance in the Irish Sea.
• Richard Fothergill and the Rev. Matthew Monkhouse take over Tredegar ironworks and construct a new furnace.

Arts and literature

New books

English language

• Arthur Aikin - Journal of a Tour through North Wales and Part of Shropshire with Observations in Mineralogy and Other Branches of Natural History^[18]

Welsh language

• Edward Charles - Epistolau Cymraeg at y Cymry^[19]
• John Jones (Jac Glan-y-gors) - Toriad y Dydd
• Nathaniel Williams - Pregeth a Bregethwyd yn Llangloffan ar Neilltuad … Joseph James a James Davies

Births

• 11 January – Connop Thirlwall, Bishop of St David's (died 1875)^[20]
• 30 July – Harriet Windsor-Clive, 13th Baroness Windsor, philanthropist (died 1869)^[21]
• 21 August – John Iltyd Nicholl, MP and judge (died 1853)^[22]
• date unknown – John Blackwell (Alun), poet (died 1841)^[23]

Deaths

• 1 June – John Walters, lexicographer, 75
• 24 May – Paul Panton, lawyer and antiquary, 70^[24]
• 25 August – Joshua Thomas, minister, 78^[25]
• 26 October – John Parry, lawyer and politician, 73^[26]
• 6 November – John Lewis, MP for Radnor, 59^[27]

Notes and References

1. Book: Edward Breese. Kalendars of Gwynedd; or, Chronological lists of lords-lieutenant [&c.] ... for the counties of Anglesey, Caernarvon, and Merioneth. 1873. 24.
2. Book: J.C. Sainty . John Sainty (civil servant) . List of Lieutenants of Counties of England and Wales 1660-1974 . Swift Printers (Sales) Ltd . London . 1979.
3. Book: Nicholas, Thomas . Annals and antiquities of the counties and county families of Wales . Genealogical Pub. Co . Baltimore . 1991 . 9780806313146 . 695.
4. Book: Cylchgrawn Hanes Cymru. University of Wales Press. 1992. 169.
5. Book: Edwin Poole. The Illustrated History and Biography of Brecknockshire from the Earliest Times to the Present Day: Containing the General History, Antiquities, Sepulchral Monuments and Inscriptions. Edwin Poole. 1886. 378.
6. Book: Edward Breese. Kalendars of Gwynedd; or, Chronological lists of lords-lieutenant [&c.] ... for the counties of Anglesey, Caernarvon, and Merioneth. 1873. 26.
7. Book: Nicholas, Thomas . Annals and antiquities of the counties and county families of Wales . Genealogical Pub. Co . Baltimore . 1991 . 9780806313146 . 612.
8. Book: Edward Breese. Kalendars of Gwynedd; or, Chronological lists of lords-lieutenant [&c.] ... for the counties of Anglesey, Caernarvon, and Merioneth. 1873. 29.
9. s-PHIL-PIC-1491. Philipps family, of Picton. Bertie George Charles. 1959. 19 October 2021.
10. Book: Jonathan Williams. The History of Radnorshire. R. Mason. 1859. 115.
11. Book: Thomas Duffus Hardy. Fasti Ecclesiae Anglicanae: Or A Calendar of the Principal Ecclesiastical Dignitaries in England and Wales.... University Press. 1854. 305.
12. Book: The Monthly Review Or Literary Journal Enlarged. Porter. 1780. 95.
13. Book: John Henry James. A History and Survey of the Cathedral Church of SS. Peter, Paul, Dubritius, Teilo, and Oudoceus, Llandaff. Western Mail. 1898. 16.
14. Book: The Apostolical Succession in the Church of England. James Parkes and Company. 1866. 15.
15. Book: Guides and Handbooks. Royal Historical Society (Great Britain). 1939. 163.
16. Book: Gwyndaf, Robin . Welsh folk tales . National Museum of Wales . Cardiff . 1989 . 9780720003260 . 80.
17. J. E. Thomas (2007). Britain's Last Invasion: Fishguard 1797. Tempus. p. 138
18. Book: John Bowyer NICHOLS. Sir Richard Colt HOARE. Catalogue of the Hoare Library at Stourhead. 1840. private use. 484.
19. Book: W. L. Davies. Cylchgrawn Llyfrgell Genedlaethol Cymru. 1982. Council of the National Library of Wales. 322.
20. Book: The Edinburgh Review, Or Critical Journal: ... To Be Continued Quarterly. 1876. Archibald Constable. 283.
21. "Death Of The Baroness Windsor", The Cardiff and Merthyr Guardian, 13 November 1869, p.5
22. Book: “The” Illustrated London News. 1853. Elm House. 134.
23. s-BLAC-JOH-1797. Blackwell, John (Alun; 1797-1840), cleric and poet. Thomas Parry. 1959. 8 November 2021.
24. s-PANT-PAU-1727. Panton, Paul (1727-1797), barrister-at-law and antiquary. Evan David Jones. 11 January 2020.
25. Book: Thomas Mardy Rees. Notable Welshmen (1700-1900): ... with Brief Notes, in Chronological Order, and Authorities. Also a Complete Alphabetical Index. 1908. Herald Office. 107.
26. Web site: PARRY, John (1724–97), of Wernfawr, Caern.. History of Parliament Online. 4 April 2015.
27. Web site: LEWIS, John (1738-97), of Harpton Court, nr. Radnor . History of Parliament Online. 11 January 2020.