Life

Wynne, from Llanvaur, Caernarvonshire, was the eldest son of Robert Wynne (a canon

Canon (priest)

A canon is a priest or minister who is a member of certain bodies of the Christian clergy subject to an ecclesiastical rule ....

 of Bangor Cathedral

Bangor Cathedral

Bangor Cathedral is an ancient place of Christian worship situated in Bangor, Gwynedd, north-west Wales. It is dedicated to its founder, Saint Deiniol....

 and rector

Rector

The word rector has a number of different meanings; it is widely used to refer to an academic, religious or political administrator...

 of Llanddeiniolen and Llaniestyn

Llaniestyn

Llaniestyn is a village and former civil parish in the Welsh county of Gwynedd. The parish was abolished in 1934, and divided between Tudweiliog and Botwnnog....

) and his wife Catherine Madryn, heiress of Llannerch Fawr). The youngest son of that marriage was William Wynne

William Wynne (historian)

-Life:Wynne was the youngest son of Robert Wynne and his wife Catherine Madryn, heiress of Llannerch Fawr. William Wynne's eldest brother was Robert Wynne. William Wynne was born before 12 November 1671 and educated at Jesus College, Oxford...

. Robert Wynne (the younger) was educated at Jesus College, Oxford

Jesus College, Oxford

Jesus College is one of the colleges of the University of Oxford in England. It is in the centre of the city, on a site between Turl Street, Ship Street, Cornmarket Street and Market Street...

, as his father and brother had been. He matriculated

Matriculation

Matriculation, in the broadest sense, means to be registered or added to a list, from the Latin matricula – little list. In Scottish heraldry, for instance, a matriculation is a registration of armorial bearings...

 on 9 March 1677 at the age of 16, and took his Bachelor of Arts

Bachelor of Arts

A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...

 degree in 1680. He became a Fellow of the college in 1681, and held this position until 1691. He obtained a Master of Arts degree in 1691, a Bachelor of Divinity

Bachelor of Divinity

In Western universities, a Bachelor of Divinity is usually an undergraduate academic degree awarded for a course taken in the study of divinity or related disciplines, such as theology or, rarely, religious studies....

 degree in 1691 and a Doctor of Divinity

Doctor of Divinity

Doctor of Divinity is an advanced academic degree in divinity. Historically, it identified one who had been licensed by a university to teach Christian theology or related religious subjects....

 degree in 1695.

After his ordination, he became vicar

Vicar

In the broadest sense, a vicar is a representative, deputy or substitute; anyone acting "in the person of" or agent for a superior . In this sense, the title is comparable to lieutenant...

 of Gresford

Gresford

Gresford is a village and a local government community, the lowest tier of local government, part of Wrexham County Borough in Wales.According to the 2001 Census, the population of the community, which also includes the village of Marford, was 5,334....

 in 1690. In the following year, he became rector of Llanfyllin, 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 of Llanuwchlyn, Merionethshire

Merionethshire

Merionethshire is one of thirteen historic counties of Wales, a vice county and a former administrative county.The administrative county of Merioneth, created under the Local Government Act 1888, was abolished under the Local Government Act 1972 on April 1, 1974...

, later becoming vicar of Gwyddelwern

Gwyddelwern

Gwyddelwern is a small village and community of 508 residents, situated approximately north of Corwen in Denbighshire in Wales. Historically the village was part of the Edeirnion district of Meirionnydd. Edeirnion was part of the Glyndwr district of Clwyd from 1974 to 1996, when the area became...

 (1702) and of Llandanwg

Llandanwg

Llandanwg is a village in the Ardudwy area of Gwynedd, Wales.The village of Llandanwg is situated to the west of the coastal road between Llanbedr and Harlech, close to the village of Llanfair. Originally it was a small collection of farms to the north of the river Artro, close to where it enters...

 (1711), both also in Merionethshire. In 1719, he was appointed to the sinecure

Sinecure

A sinecure means an office that requires or involves little or no responsibility, labour, or active service...

 position of rector of Llansanffraid-ym-Mechain, Montgomeryshire. From 1690 until his death in 1743, he was chancellor of the diocese of St Asaph

Diocese of St Asaph

The Diocese of Saint Asaph is a diocese in north-east Wales, named after Saint Asaph, its second bishop.-Geography:The Anglican Diocese of St Asaph in the north-east corner of Wales stretches from the borders of Chester in the east, to the Conwy valley in the west, to Bala in the south-west, and...

, in succession to his uncle, Hugh Wynne. He became a canon of St Asaph's Cathedral in 1691 and chancellor of the cathedral in 1693. During his life, he was a supporter of the Society for the Promotion of Christian Knowledge and of the charity-school movement.