Former home of poet T Gwynn Jones, Caernarfon

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Link to Welsh translationFormer home of poet T Gwynn Jones, Caernarfon

In the early 20th century, this house in Stryd Dinorwig was home to Thomas Gwynn Jones, one of Wales’ most prolific and diverse writers.

He was born in 1871 at Gwyndy Uchaf in Betws-yn-Rhos, near Abergele. He had a basic education and some training in Latin, Greek and mathematics, but was largely self-taught. He worked on the staff of Y Faner and Y Cymro before moving to Caernarfon yn 1898 to be assistant editor to Daniel Rees at Yr Herald Cymraeg and the Carnavon and Denbigh Herald.

He married Margaret Jane Davies in 1899. They had three children. He lived at this house from then until 1905, when he went to Egypt to improve his health. After two years in Denbigh, he returned to newspaper work in Caernarfon in 1908. From 1909 until his death in 1949, he lived in the Aberystwyth area, where initially he was a cataloguer for the National Library of Wales. He became a lecturer in Welsh at the town’s university in 1913 and professor of Welsh literature in 1919.

On his retirement in 1937, he received honorary doctorates from the universities of Wales and Ireland, as well as the CBE honour.

T Gwynn Jones won the National Eisteddfod chair twice for works composed in Caernarfon: in 1902 for his ode Ymadawiad Arthur (“Arthur’s Departure”), which was revolutionary in its time; and in 1909 with his ode Gwlad y Bryniau (“Land of the Hills”). His other epic poems include Madog, Anatiomaros and Cynddilig. He wrote many short poems too.

Besides his volumes of poetry, he also published remembrances, dramas, novels, scholarly works and many translations. In 1981 a book (Llyfryddiaeth Thomas Gwynn Jones by D Hywel E Roberts) listed 3,322 works by T Gwynn Jones!

With thanks to Geraint Jones and Caernarfon Civic Society. Sources include the Dictionary of Welsh Biography (National Library of Wales), and ‘Cofiant T. Gwynn Jones’ by David Jenkins, 1973.

Postcode: LL55 2RG    View Location Map

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