DAVIES, CADWALADR (1704 -?), bard, ballad-writer, and collector

of the ' Piser Sioned ' poems (Bangor MS. 3212 (564)); born at Llanycil, Meironnydd, son of David Thomas and Lowry Cadwaladr. He kept a school at Dwyryd near Corwen, and at Tre'rddôl (this in 1740). The ' Piser ' was gathered together in the years 1733-45, the main corpus being country songs and plygain carols, composed by homely bards of Penllyn and Edeirnion, the district of Cerrig-y-drudion, and the highlands of Hiraethog. Davies took great delight in astrology, in explaining vagaries of weather, and the interpretation of dreams, and the sacred significance of fast days; he did some doctor's work both on men and on animals. He was tenant to John Humphreys of Maerdy by Gwyddelwern from 1729 to 1739, but there is a record that he was asked to leave in 1743. Date of death uncertain.

Author

• Thomas Richards, (1878 - 1962)

Sources

• Information from Mr. Robert Owen
• internal evidence from Bangor Manuscript at University College North Wales Library, Bangor 3212
• for 'Ail Biser Sioned' see NLW MS 9047A

Additional Links

• Wikidata: Q20732678

Published date: 1959

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