Lewys Dwnn (c. 1550–1616) 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 ...

poet A poet is a person who studies and creates poetry. Poets may describe themselves as such or be described as such by others. A poet may simply be the creator ( thinker, songwriter, writer, or author) who creates (composes) poems ( oral or wri ...

and Welsh

genealogist Genealogy () is the study of families, family history, and the tracing of their lineages. Genealogists use oral interviews, historical records, genetic analysis, and other records to obtain information about a family and to demonstrate kins ...

. Also known as Lewys ap Rhys ab Owain. Lewys Dwnn originated from

Bettws Cedewain Bettws Cedewain ( cy, Betws Cedewain), also known as Bettws Cedewen, is a small village and community in Montgomeryshire, Powys, Wales. It lies in a sheltered valley on the banks of the River Bechan, some north of Newtown, on the B4389 road. T ...

Montgomeryshire , HQ= Montgomery , Government= Montgomeryshire County Council (1889–1974)Montgomeryshire District Council (1974–1996) , Origin= , Status= , Start= , End= ...

and claimed descent from a David Dwnn of

Kidwelly Kidwelly ( cy, Cydweli) is a town and community in Carmarthenshire, southwest Wales, approximately northwest of the most populous town in the county, Llanelli. In the 2001 census the community of Kidwelly returned a population of 3,289, inc ...

Welsh genealogist

Lewys Dwnn composed many Welsh pedigrees and genealogical manuscripts which survive to this day and offer a valuable insight into the lineage of medieval bards and poets, some probably known to him and some of the generation preceding his. These are now found in both the

British Museum The British Museum is a public museum dedicated to human history, art and culture located in the Bloomsbury area of London. Its permanent collection of eight million works is among the largest and most comprehensive in existence. It docum ...

and the National Library of Wales.

Welsh official

In 1585 Lewys Dwnn achieved the official title of deputy to Robert Cooke, a Clarenceux King-of-Arms to Elizabeth I.

Proflic poet

Lewys Dwnn was also a particularly proflic poet, with many surviving works of

Medieval Welsh literature Medieval Welsh literature is the literature written in the Welsh language during the Middle Ages. This includes material starting from the 5th century AD, when Welsh was in the process of becoming distinct from Common Brittonic, and continuing to ...

Literature

*Lewys Dwnn ''Heraldic Visitations of Wales and Part of the Marches.'' Edited by Sir Samuel Rush Merrick, Welsh MSS Society, Llandovery 1846, reprinted Bridge Books, Wrexham 2005

External links

"Lewys Dwnn"
– Dictionary of Welsh Biography, National Library of Wales Welsh poets Year of birth uncertain 1616 deaths {{Wales-writer-stub