BEYNON, THOMAS (1744 - 1835), archdeacon of Cardigan and patron of eisteddfodau and Welsh literature

Born at Greenmeadow, Llansadwrn, Carmarthenshire, christened 26 August 1745, son of Griffith Beynon and Rachel (Thomas) his wife. He received a grammar school education, but did not proceed to any university.

He was presented to the Bishop of Hereford by the Bishop of St. David's. On 21 August 1768 he was ordained deacon at Abergwili and became curate of Cathedin, Brecknock, 1768-70, (he was ordained priest at Hereford while he was curate at Cathedin), parish priest of Llanfihangel Cilfargen, Llanfihangel Aberbythych, and Llandyfeisant (all near Llandilo), 1770-1833, rector of Llanedi, 1782-6, and of Penboyr, 1784-1833, rural dean of Emlyn, prebendary of Clyro in Christ College, Brecon, 1796-1833, and archdeacon of Cardigan from 1814 to 1833.

He set aside a considerable portion of his stipend towards the building of churches in the places under his care, and the newly-founded S. David's College, Lampeter, was generously supported by him. He supported the circulating schools of Bridget Bevan and testified to the ability of Morgan Rhys the hymn-writer as a schoolmaster in his parishes in 1771-2 by applying for an extension of his services for 1772-3.

He was a patron of the Cymreigyddion Society of Carmarthen for many years and was an influential member of the Carmarthen eisteddfod committee in 1819. He delighted in the Welsh language and literature, and many bards and writers dedicated books to him, more especially Daniel Evans (Daniel Ddu o Geredigion). There are strong reasons for believing that the Vaughan family of Golden Grove were his patrons.

He lived at Llandilo from 1770, died there 1 October 1835 [in his 89th year], and was buried there on 8 October

Author

• Chancellor John Williams James

Sources

• Episcopal registers of S. Davids, 1761-1835
• T. R. Roberts, Eminent Welshmen: a short biographical dictionary of Welshmen... from the earliest times to the present (1908)
• Y Gwyliedydd, 1833, 352
• Edward Jones, Rhestr gyda nodiadau byrion, o Enwogion Cymreig o 1700 i 1900 (1908)
• H. Blackwell, NLW MSS 9252A: A Dictionary of Welsh Biography
• T. Morgan, Enwogion Cymreig 1700-1900 (1907), p.23
• R. G. Thomas, 'The Complete reading list of a Carmarthenshire student, 1763-7', The National Library of Wales Journal, ix, 354-64, for a list of books he read between 1763 and 1767

Additional Links

• Wikidata: Q20734420

Published date: 1959

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