EVANS, DAVID CLEDLYN (1858 - 1940), schoolmaster, geologist, antiquary

Born in Llanwenog, Cardiganshire, in 1858. At the age of 11 he was apprenticed to a stonemason but about five years later he prepared himself for the teaching profession. In 1876 he commenced teaching at Gwernogle, Carmarthenshire, eventually becoming headmaster of St. Clears Council School (1889-1923) after short periods at Cwrtnewydd, Llwynrhydowen, Llandysul, Trefilan and Llanddowror. He taught both vocal and instrumental music, was a violinist, organist and choirmaster, adjudicated at eisteddfodau and was a gifted antiquarian and geologist. His notable paper on ' The Ordovician rocks of western Carmarthenshire ' which he read before the Geological Society was published in The Quarterly Jnl. of the Geological Soc., 1906. It included a coloured map of the area, several section-diagrams and a two-page list of fossils discovered in the Bala-limestone of Robeston Wathen and Sholeshook. He later examined the geology of the area from Brechfa to Glog and Llanybydder to Llangrannog, and discovered that the stones at Stonehenge were identical with those found on the Prescelly hills. On his map of the area he was able to delineate the boundary between Ordovician and Silurian rocks and although he did not complete his own account of this work, he allowed this important line of transition to be copied on to the geological survey map. He was elected Fellow of the Geographical Society and awarded an M.Sc. degree by the University of Wales in recognition of his work.

His wife died c. 1924; they had five children. He died 11 June 1940 and was buried in Bethlehem cemetery, St Clears.

Author

• Dr Mary Auronwy James

Sources

• Transactions of the Carmarthenshire Antiquarian Society and Field Club, 1941, 11-20
• The Carmarthen Journal and South Wales Weekly Advertiser , 21 June 1940, 8

Additional Links

• Wikidata: Q20821099

Published date: 2001

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