Lewys Dwnn was a Welsh

Welsh people

The Welsh people are an ethnic group and nation associated with Wales and the Welsh language.John Davies argues that the origin of the "Welsh nation" can be traced to the late 4th and early 5th centuries, following the Roman departure from Britain, although Brythonic Celtic languages seem to have...

 poet

Poet

A poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...

 and Welsh genealogist. Also known as Lewys ap Rhys ab Owain. Lewys Dwnn originated from Bettws Cedewain

Bettws Cedewain

Bettws Cedewain , also known as Bettws Cedewen, is a small village and community in Powys, Wales. It lies in a sheltered valley on the banks of the Bechan Brook, some 3 miles north of Newtown....

 in Montgomeryshire

Montgomeryshire

Montgomeryshire, also known as Maldwyn is one of thirteen historic counties and a former administrative county of Wales. Montgomeryshire is still used as a vice-county for wildlife recording...

 and claimed descent from a David Dwnn of Kidwelly

Kidwelly

Kidwelly is a town in Carmarthenshire, west Wales, approximately north-west of the main town of Llanelli.It lies on the River Gwendraeth Fach above Carmarthen Bay. The town is twinned with French village St Jacut de la Mer.-History:...

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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

British Museum

The British Museum is a museum of human history and culture in London. Its collections, which number more than seven million objects, are amongst the largest and most comprehensive in the world and originate from all continents, illustrating and documenting the story of human culture from its...

 and the National Library of Wales

National Library of Wales

The National Library of Wales , Aberystwyth, is the national legal deposit library of Wales; one of the Welsh Government sponsored bodies.Welsh is its main medium of communication...

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Welsh official

In 1585 Lewys Dwnn achieved the official title of deputy to Robert Cooke

Robert Cooke (officer of arms)

Robert Cooke was an English Officer of Arms in the reign of Elizabeth I. In the College of Arms, he rose to the rank of Clarenceux King of Arms, serving in that capacity from 1567 until his death in 1593. He served as marshal for the state funeral of Sir Philip Sidney in 1587...

, 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

Medieval Welsh literature is the literature written in the Welsh language during the Middle Ages. This includes material from the fifth century, when Welsh was in the process of becoming distinct from the British language, to the works of the 16th century....

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External links

• http://yba.llgc.org.uk/en/s-DWNN-LEW-1550.html?query=Lewys+Dwnn&field=contentNational Library of Wales Dictionary of Welsh Biography
  Dictionary of Welsh Biography
  The Dictionary of Welsh Biography is a dictionary of biographies of Welsh men and women who have made a unique contribution to Welsh life over seventeen centuries...
  
  on Lewys Dwnn]