John Pryce (1828 – 15 August 1903) 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 ...

clergyman and writer on church history, who became Dean of

Bangor Cathedral Bangor Cathedral ( cy, Eglwys Gadeiriol Bangor) is a cathedral in Bangor, Gwynedd, Wales. It is dedicated to its founder, Saint Deiniol. The site of the present building of Bangor Cathedral has been in use as a place of Christian worship since ...

Life

Pryce was the second son of Hugh Price (all three sons chose to spell the surname "Pryce"), of Doldyhewydd,

Merionethshire , HQ= Dolgellau , Government= Merionethshire County Council (1889-1974) , Origin= , Status= , Start= 1284 , End= , Code= MER , CodeName= ...

. He was educated at

Dolgellau Dolgellau () is a town and community in Gwynedd, north-west Wales, lying on the River Wnion, a tributary of the River Mawddach. It was the traditional county town of the historic county of Merionethshire ( cy, Meirionnydd, Sir Feirionnydd) un ...

grammar school before

matriculating Matriculation is the formal process of entering a university, or of becoming eligible to enter by fulfilling certain academic requirements such as a matriculation examination. Australia In Australia, the term "matriculation" is seldom used now. ...

Jesus College, Oxford Jesus College (in full: Jesus College in the University of Oxford of Queen Elizabeth's Foundation) is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. It is in the centre of the city, on a site between Turl Street, Ship St ...

in 1847. He obtained his B.A. degree in 1851, was ordained deacon in 1851, and priest in 1852. After his ordination, he was

curate A curate () is a person who is invested with the ''care'' or ''cure'' (''cura'') ''of souls'' of a parish. In this sense, "curate" means a parish priest; but in English-speaking countries the term ''curate'' is commonly used to describe clergy w ...

of Dolgellau and master of the grammar school from 1851 to 1856 – his elder brother Hugh and his younger brother Shadrach held both these positions at various times. John Pryce was then perpetual curate of Glanogwen (1856 to 1864),

vicar A vicar (; Latin: ''vicarius'') is a representative, deputy or substitute; anyone acting "in the person of" or agent for a superior (compare "vicarious" in the sense of "at second hand"). Linguistically, ''vicar'' is cognate with the English pref ...

Bangor, Gwynedd Bangor (; ) is a cathedral city and community A community is a social unit (a group of living things) with commonality such as place, norms, religion, values, customs, or identity. Communities may share a sense of place situated ...

(1864 to 1880) and rector of

Trefdraeth Trefdraeth is a hamlet in Anglesey, Wales, within the community of Bodorgan about southwest of the county town of Llangefni. Trefdraeth's Church in Wales parish church of St Beuno dates from the 13th century. Glantraeth Football Club play ...

Anglesey Anglesey (; cy, (Ynys) Môn ) is an island off the north-west coast of Wales. It forms a principal area known as the Isle of Anglesey, that includes Holy Island across the narrow Cymyran Strait and some islets and skerries. Anglesey island ...

(1880 to 1902). He was appointed a canon of

in 1884 and

archdeacon An archdeacon is a senior clergy position in the Church of the East, Chaldean Catholic Church, Syriac Orthodox Church, Anglican Communion, St Thomas Christians, Eastern Orthodox churches and some other Christian denominations, above that o ...

in 1887, before being appointed Dean of Bangor Cathedral in February 1902, succeeding Evan Lewis. (His brother Shadrach Pryce was Dean of the cathedral of the neighbouring diocese, St Asaph from 1899 to 1910.) He died on 15 August 1903.

Works

John Pryce's publications included works on church history such as ''History of the Early Church'' (1869), ''The Ancient British Church'' (1878) and ''Notes on the History of the Early Church'' (1891). History professor Joanne Peason wrote that his essay on the ancient British Church "won the competition for the best essay submitted to the National Eisteddfod of 1876 on the subject of the Ancient British Church, in which he refuted all the legends concerning the introduction of Christianity to Britain." such as those written by

Iolo Morganwg Edward Williams, better known by his bardic name Iolo Morganwg (; 10 March 1747 – 18 December 1826), was a Welsh antiquarian, poet and collector.Jones, Mary (2004)"Edward Williams/Iolo Morganwg/Iolo Morgannwg" From ''Jones' Celtic Encyclopedi ...

Family

Pryce was married to the youngest daughter of Canon Rowland Williams.

References

1828 births 1903 deaths People educated at College Merion-Dwyfor Alumni of Jesus College, Oxford 19th-century Welsh Anglican priests Deans of Bangor Welsh non-fiction writers 19th-century Welsh historians {{Wales-writer-stub