Rowland Williams was a Welsh Anglican

Church of England

The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...

 clergyman and writer.

Life

Williams, from Mallwyd

Mallwyd

Mallwyd is a small village at the most southern end of the county of Gwynedd in North Wales in the valley of the River Dyfi. It lies on the A470 approximately half-way between Dolgellau and Machynlleth, and forms the junction of the A458 towards Welshpool. The nearest village is Dinas Mawddwy, two...

, 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...

, Wales, was christened on 27 March 1779. After being taught at a school in the local church and by the 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 Betws-yn-Rhos, he attended Ruthin School

Ruthin School

Ruthin School is one of the oldest public schools in the United Kingdom. Located on the outskirts of Ruthin, the county town of Denbighshire in North Wales, the school is over seven hundred years old and has been co-educational since 1990.- Beginnings :...

 and then (from 1798 to 1802) 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...

, obtaining a 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 1802 and a Master of Arts degree in 1805. After his ordination in 1802 by John Randolph

John Randolph (bishop)

John Randolph was a British scholar, teacher, and cleric who rose to become Bishop of London.-Early life and academic career:...

, the Bishop of Oxford

Bishop of Oxford

The Bishop of Oxford is the diocesan bishop of the Church of England Diocese of Oxford in the Province of Canterbury; his seat is at Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford...

, he was an usher at Friars School, Bangor

Friars School, Bangor

Ysgol Friars is a comprehensive school in Bangor, Gwynedd, and one of the oldest schools in Wales.-1557 Establishment:The school was founded by Geoffrey Glyn, Doctor of Laws, who had been brought up in Anglesey and had followed a career in law in London....

 and also curate of Llandygai. He then held other parish appointments in north Wales from 1807 onwards in succession: vicar of Cilcain

Cilcain

Cilcain is a small community, near Mold in Flintshire, north-east Wales. The village has an industrial history and includes the Millennium Woods, a post office, a public house, a parish church and a village hall....

, vicar of Halkyn

Halkyn

Halkyn is a village in Flintshire, north-east Wales and situated between Pentre Halkyn, Northop and Rhosesmor. At the 2001 Census the population of the community was 2,876.- History :...

, vicar of Meifod

Meifod

Meifod is a small village 7 miles north-west of Welshpool in Powys, mid Wales, on the A495 road and located in the valley of the River Vyrnwy. The River Banwy has a confluence with the Vyrnwy approximately two miles to the west of the village....

, and (from 1836 until his death) vicar of Ysceifiog

Ysceifiog

Ysceifiog, also written Ysgeifiog, is a small village, community and parish in Flintshire. It lies on a back road just north of the A541 highway between Nannerch and Caerwys...

, Flintshire

Flintshire

Flintshire is a county in north-east Wales. It borders Denbighshire, Wrexham and the English county of Cheshire. It is named after the historic county of Flintshire, which had notably different borders...

.

He was an enthusiast for Welsh literature, was regarded as an authority on the Welsh language, and was involved in literature for the Welsh Anglican church, such as the revision of the Welsh Book of Common Prayer

Book of Common Prayer

The Book of Common Prayer is the short title of a number of related prayer books used in the Anglican Communion, as well as by the Continuing Anglican, "Anglican realignment" and other Anglican churches. The original book, published in 1549 , in the reign of Edward VI, was a product of the English...

. He contributed to various church magazines and published sermons. Williams was married with three sons (including the theologian Rowland Williams) and five daughters. He died on 28 December 1854. St Asaph Cathedral

St Asaph Cathedral

St Asaph Cathedral is the Anglican cathedral in St Asaph, Denbighshire, north Wales. It is sometimes claimed to be the smallest Anglican cathedral in Britain.- History :...

contains a memorial window for him at the west end of the building.