An Eisteddfodic Awdl and a Proto-Nofel: Cawrdaf In this episode we discuss William Ellis Jones (1795-1848).
A native of Abererch in Eifionydd, he took the name of the saint to whom the local church is dedicated – Cawrdaf – as his bardic name. He worked as a printer and an illustrator, but we of course concentrate on his literary activities. He composed a number of awdlau for eisteddfodic competitions, including ‘Hiraeth Cymro am ei Wlad’ (‘A Welshman’s Longing for his Country’). Although he didn’t win with it in the 1820 Wrexham Eisteddfod, it became an extremely popular awdl in the nineteenth century.
We take a look at this excellent example of an eisteddfodic awdl. Cawrdaf deserves a place in the history of Welsh creative prose as well; we talk about the book he published in 1830 Y Bardd neu’r Meudwy Cymreig (‘The Poet or ‘the Welsh Hermit’), and ask if it’s possibe that this is the first Welsh novel?!