Twm o'r Nant ('Tom from the Brook') was the pseudonym of a Welsh language dramatist and poet, Thomas Edwards (January 1739 – 3 April 1810), also known as Tom of the Dingle. He was famous for anterliwtau (interludes or short plays), which he performed mainly round his native Denbighshire.[1][2]
Edwards was born in Llannefydd, Denbighshire (now in Conwy County Borough). As a child, he moved with his parents to Y Nant Isaf (Welsh for 'Lower Brook'), near Nantglyn, from which he took his pseudonym. Edwards had little formal education: he attended one of Griffith Jones's circulating schools, where he learnt to read, and a school in Denbigh for two weeks to learn English.[1][3] However, he was eager to learn to write – he cadged writing paper and wrote with ink that he made from elderberries.[4]
In 1749 Edwards joined a company of touring actors, which typically performed on an improvised stage such as a cart. He wrote seven interludes before he was 20 years old, but all have been lost.[2][3]
In 1763 Edwards married Elizabeth Hughes, the wedding being conducted by the poet-priest Evan Evans (Ieuan Fardd). The couple settled in Denbigh, where Edwards worked hauling timber, performing in his interludes throughout North Wales and selling printed copies of them. After financial problems caused by the bankruptcy of an uncle, for whom he had stood surety, Edwards moved to South Wales, where he again worked in timber haulage and for a time kept an inn in Llandeilo. He returned to North Wales in 1786 to resume his performances, and became a stonemason. In 1808 he was working for William Madocks on the construction of the Porthmadog embankment.[1]
Social commentsedit
The interludes Edwards wrote feature social evils of his day. He often notes unpopular taxes, greedy landowners, swindling lawyers and immoral clergymen.[3] They form a link between the medieval and modern traditions of Welsh drama.[5] He also wrote and published ballads, of which about 200 remain, at least in parts.[3] His short autobiography appeared in the periodical Y Greal in 1805.[3]
Edwards took part in the annual eisteddfodau of the Gwyneddigion Society, the precursors of the National Eisteddfod. His failure to win the main prize at the Corwen Eisteddfod in 1789 may have been due to a dispute over an impromptu composition competition with Walter Davies (Gwallter Mechain), in which Edwards was supported by David Samwell (Captain Cook's surgeon). Samwell named Edwards The Cambrian Shakespeare and gave him a silver pen as a consolation prize for having been unfairly beaten. The silver pen remains in the collection of National Museum Wales.[3][6]
Edwards died on 3 April 1810. He was buried at St Marcella's Church, Denbigh, where there is a memorial to him.[1]
Legacyedit
Edwards's interludes were published after his death: a collection of six appeared with Isaac Foulkes in 1874.[7]
In 1974 the Welsh playwright Dedwydd Jones published Bard:A Play on the Life and Times of Twm o'r Nant. This was commissioned for the opening of the Sherman Theatre, Cardiff.[9][10]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Twm o'r Nant.
^ ab"Twm o'r Nant's former home, Denbigh". HistoryPoints. Retrieved 2 June 2015.
^ abcdefLake, A. Cynfael. "Edwards, Thomas [called Twm o'r Nant] (1738–1810), poet". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/62647. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
^ abBorrow, George. . Wild Wales: Its People, Language and Scenery. University of Adelaide. Archived from the original on 22 February 2008.
^Barnes, David (2005). The Companion Guide to Wales. Woodbridge, Suffolk: Companion Guides. p. 339. ISBN9781900639439.
^"1789 and the Gwyneddigion Eisteddfodau". National Museum Wales. Retrieved 3 June 2015.
^Edwards, Thomas (Twm o'r Nant) (1874). Gwaith Thomas Edwards-Twm o'r Nant, etc (in Welsh). Liverpool: Isaac Foulkes.
^Borrow, George. . Wild Wales: Its People, Language and Scenery. University of Adelaide. Archived from the original on 22 February 2008.
^Jones, Dedwydd (1974). Bard: a play on the life and times of Twm O'r Nant. Cambridge: Land of Cokaygne Ltd.
^Jones, Dedwydd. "Bard" (PDF). Dedwydd Jones. Retrieved 16 June 2015.
nant, from, brook, pseudonym, welsh, language, dramatist, poet, thomas, edwards, january, 1739, april, 1810, also, known, dingle, famous, anterliwtau, interludes, short, plays, which, performed, mainly, round, native, denbighshire, bornthomas, edwardsjanuary, . Twm o r Nant Tom from the Brook was the pseudonym of a Welsh language dramatist and poet Thomas Edwards January 1739 3 April 1810 also known as Tom of the Dingle He was famous for anterliwtau interludes or short plays which he performed mainly round his native Denbighshire 1 2 Twm o r NantBornThomas EdwardsJanuary 1739Llannefydd Denbighshire WalesDiedApril 3 1810 1810 04 03 aged 71 Resting placeSt Marcella s Church DenbighNickname The Cambrian Shakespeare Contents 1 Earlier life 2 Social comments 3 Legacy 4 References 5 External linksEarlier life editEdwards was born in Llannefydd Denbighshire now in Conwy County Borough As a child he moved with his parents to Y Nant Isaf Welsh for Lower Brook near Nantglyn from which he took his pseudonym Edwards had little formal education he attended one of Griffith Jones s circulating schools where he learnt to read and a school in Denbigh for two weeks to learn English 1 3 However he was eager to learn to write he cadged writing paper and wrote with ink that he made from elderberries 4 In 1749 Edwards joined a company of touring actors which typically performed on an improvised stage such as a cart He wrote seven interludes before he was 20 years old but all have been lost 2 3 In 1763 Edwards married Elizabeth Hughes the wedding being conducted by the poet priest Evan Evans Ieuan Fardd The couple settled in Denbigh where Edwards worked hauling timber performing in his interludes throughout North Wales and selling printed copies of them After financial problems caused by the bankruptcy of an uncle for whom he had stood surety Edwards moved to South Wales where he again worked in timber haulage and for a time kept an inn in Llandeilo He returned to North Wales in 1786 to resume his performances and became a stonemason In 1808 he was working for William Madocks on the construction of the Porthmadog embankment 1 Social comments editThe interludes Edwards wrote feature social evils of his day He often notes unpopular taxes greedy landowners swindling lawyers and immoral clergymen 3 They form a link between the medieval and modern traditions of Welsh drama 5 He also wrote and published ballads of which about 200 remain at least in parts 3 His short autobiography appeared in the periodical Y Greal in 1805 3 Edwards took part in the annual eisteddfodau of the Gwyneddigion Society the precursors of the National Eisteddfod His failure to win the main prize at the Corwen Eisteddfod in 1789 may have been due to a dispute over an impromptu composition competition with Walter Davies Gwallter Mechain in which Edwards was supported by David Samwell Captain Cook s surgeon Samwell named Edwards The Cambrian Shakespeare and gave him a silver pen as a consolation prize for having been unfairly beaten The silver pen remains in the collection of National Museum Wales 3 6 Edwards died on 3 April 1810 He was buried at St Marcella s Church Denbigh where there is a memorial to him 1 Legacy editEdwards s interludes were published after his death a collection of six appeared with Isaac Foulkes in 1874 7 George Borrow devotes two chapters to Edwards in his 1862 travel book Wild Wales Its People Language and Scenery He includes a translation of part of an interlude by Edwards entitled Riches and Poverty 4 8 In 1974 the Welsh playwright Dedwydd Jones published Bard A Play on the Life and Times of Twm o r Nant This was commissioned for the opening of the Sherman Theatre Cardiff 9 10 nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Twm o r Nant References edit a b c d Parry Sir Thomas EDWARDS THOMAS Twm o r Nant 1739 1810 Dictionary of Welsh Biography National Library of Wales a b Twm o r Nant s former home Denbigh HistoryPoints Retrieved 2 June 2015 a b c d e f Lake A Cynfael Edwards Thomas called Twm o r Nant 1738 1810 poet Oxford Dictionary of National Biography online ed Oxford University Press doi 10 1093 ref odnb 62647 Subscription or UK public library membership required a b Borrow George Chapter 59 History of Twm O r Nant Wild Wales Its People Language and Scenery University of Adelaide Archived from the original on 22 February 2008 Barnes David 2005 The Companion Guide to Wales Woodbridge Suffolk Companion Guides p 339 ISBN 9781900639439 1789 and the Gwyneddigion Eisteddfodau National Museum Wales Retrieved 3 June 2015 Edwards Thomas Twm o r Nant 1874 Gwaith Thomas Edwards Twm o r Nant etc in Welsh Liverpool Isaac Foulkes Borrow George Chapter 60 Mystery Plays Wild Wales Its People Language and Scenery University of Adelaide Archived from the original on 22 February 2008 Jones Dedwydd 1974 Bard a play on the life and times of Twm O r Nant Cambridge Land of Cokaygne Ltd Jones Dedwydd Bard PDF Dedwydd Jones Retrieved 16 June 2015 External links editWorks by Thomas Edwards at Project Gutenberg Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Twm o 27r Nant amp oldid 1211789011, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
