Welcome

Gathering the Jewels features over 30,000 images of objects, books, letters, aerial photographs and other items from museums, archives and libraries throughout Wales.

Search the map

Thumbnail image of Wales,

New to Gathering the Jewels is G.I.S. A geographical search facility that will enable searching by location and place name.

Topics

Home » Religion and Belief » Nonconformist denominations » Williams, William (Pantycelyn) (1717-91)

Displaying results 1 to 3 out of 3

Page 1

  • This is a fragment of a work by the Rev. William Williams, Pantycelyn (1717-1791). It is in the author's writing and does not seem to have been published. 'Williams Pantycelyn' was born in Cefn-coed, near Llandovery in the parish of Llanfair-ar-y-bryn, Carmarthenshire. He was educated at Llwyn-llwyd Academy with a view to becoming a doctor. However, after hearing Howell Harris (1714-1773) preaching at Talgarth, Williams was immediately converted. He joined the Established Church and was ordained deacon in 1740. He later devoted all his energies to the Methodist movement and became one of its leading figures in Wales. Following his marriage in 1748 he went to live at his mother's old home, Pantycelyn, in his native parish. Williams is regarded as one of the most important and popular hymn-writers in Wales. He wrote over 800 hymns, many of which are still sung today. He was also a poet and writer of prose. He died in 1791 and was buried at the church of Llanfair-ar-y-bryn, Llandovery.
Religious poetry by the Rev. Williams Williams, Pantycelyn, page 1 of 56
  • Photographed by Geoff Charles. 'Williams Pantycelyn' was born in Cefn-coed, near Llandovery in the parish of Llanfair-ar-y-bryn, Carmarthenshire. He was educated at Llwyn-llwyd Academy with a view to becoming a doctor. However, after hearing Howell Harris (1714-1773) preaching at Talgarth, Williams was immediately converted. He joined the Established Church and was ordained deacon in 1740. He later devoted all his energies to the Methodist movement and became one of its leading figures in Wales. Following his marriage in 1748 he went to live at his mother's old home, Pantycelyn, in his native parish. Williams is regarded as one of the most important and popular hymn-writers in Wales. He wrote over 800 hymns, many of which are still sung today. He was also a poet and writer of prose. He died in 1791 and was buried at the church of Llanfair-ar-y-bryn, near Llandovery.
Pantycelyn, the home of the hymn-writer William Williams, 1 June 1953
  • Photographed by John Thomas, c. 1885. Howel Harris (1714-73) of Trefeca, Breconshire, was one of the leaders of the Methodist Revival in 18th-century Wales. He worked as a schoolteacher at Llan-gors before experiencing a profound religious conversion when listening to a sermon delivered by the vicar of Talgarth in 1735. He began preaching locally, and in 1737 he came into contact with Daniel Rowland (?1711-90), a curate from Llangeitho, Cardiganshire, whose preaching had inspired many conversions in the area. The meeting between the two men would mark the beginning of the Methodist Revival in Wales. During the decade which followed, Harris travelled extensively across Wales, sometimes preaching several times a day, establishing societies or 'seiadau' as he went along. William Williams (Pantycelyn, 1716-91), the renowned hymn-writer, was one of the many hundreds of Welsh people who were converted after hearing Harris preach. Harris also worked in England where he came in contact with George Whitfield and the Wesley brothers. In 1750 a split occurred between Harris and his fellow Methodists, and from then on Welsh Methodism was divided into two sects: the followers of Harris, and the followers of Daniel Rowland. Harris retired to Trefeca in 1752 with his followers, where he established a printing press. He was later reconciled with Rowland and John Wesley. The Countess of Huntingdon later established a seminary at Trefeca to train young evangelists and was aided in the work by Harris. Harris was a prolific writer and left behind a large collection of personal papers, letters and diaries which are now kept in the National Library of Wales.
A photograph of part of Howel Harris' diary for Sunday 3 January, and Monday 4 January 1747