David James Bowen (1925 – 3 August 2017) was a

Welsh Welsh may refer to: Related to Wales * Welsh, referring or related to Wales * Welsh language, a Brittonic Celtic language spoken in Wales * Welsh people People * Welsh (surname) * Sometimes used as a synonym for the ancient Britons (Celtic peop ...

scholar and expert on the work of Welsh poets of the nobility. He was born in Pembrokeshire, and attended grammar school in

Fishguard Fishguard ( cy, Abergwaun, meaning "Mouth of the River Gwaun") is a coastal town in Pembrokeshire, Wales, with a population of 3,419 in 2011; the community of Fishguard and Goodwick had a population of 5,407. Modern Fishguard consists of two p ...

, where he was influenced by

David John Williams David John Williams (26 June 1885 – 4 January 1970) was one of the foremost Welsh-language writers of the twentieth century and a prominent Welsh nationalist. Life Williams was born at Pen-rhiw, a farmhouse near Llansawel, Carmarthenshire ...

, one of his teachers. He attended the

University of Wales, Aberystwyth , mottoeng = A world without knowledge is no world at all , established = 1872 (as ''The University College of Wales'') , former_names = University of Wales, Aberystwyth , type = Public , endowment = ...

, where he became a member of the Welsh Department, and was chair in 1980. He has contributed many learned articles on late medieval Welsh poetry, including the work of

Dafydd ap Gwilym Dafydd ap Gwilym ( 1315/1320 – 1350/1370) is regarded as one of the leading Welsh poets and amongst the great poets of Europe in the Middle Ages. Life R. Geraint Gruffydd suggests 1315- 1350 as the poet's dates; others place him a little ...

, although his main interest was the life and work of poet

Gruffudd Hiraethog Gruffudd Hiraethog (died 1564) was a 16th century Welsh language poet, born in Llangollen, north-east Wales. Gruffudd was one of the foremost poets of the sixteenth century to use the cywydd metre. He was a prolific author and gifted scholar. Tho ...

(d. 1564). Bowen published a study of Hiraethog's life and work in 1990. It is typical of his work, where he often deals with historical and social backgrounds. Bowen died on 3 August 2017, at Bronglais Hospital, Aberystwyth, aged 92.Dafydd (Yr Athro) Bowen
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Selected Biographies

* Bowen, D. J. (1956), ''Barddoniaeth yr Uchelwyr'', Gwasg Prifysgol Cymru * Bowen, D. J. (1958), ''Gruffudd Hiraethog a'i Oes'', Gwasg Prifysgol Cymru * Bowen, D. J. (ed.) (1990), ''Gwaith Gruffudd Hiraethog'', Gwasg Prifysgol Cymru

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bowen, David James 1925 births 2017 deaths People from Pembrokeshire Welsh scholars and academics