William Williams (Crwys) Explained

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]

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

• 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)

Notes and References

1. s2-WILL-WIL-1875. Williams, William ('Crwys'; 1875–1968), poet, preacher, archdruid. William Rhys Nicholas. 2001. 5 May 2022.
2. Book: Russell Davies. Sex, Sects and Society: 'Pain and Pleasure': A Social History of Wales and the Welsh, 1870-1945. University of Wales Press. 2018. 9781786832146. 399.
3. Book: Peter Lord. Imaging the nation. University of Wales Press. 2000. 9780708315873. 343.
4. Book: Welsh Verse: Fourteen Centuries of Poetry. Seren. 1992. 9781854110817. 267.
5. Book: The Penguin book of Welsh verse. Penguin. 1967. 237.