Robert Ellis (Cynddelw)

Robert Elis (Cynddelw)

For a contemporary namesake, see Ellis, Robert (1808-1881), Calvinistic Methodist minister.

Robert Ellis (sometimes spelt 'Elis') (3 February 1812 – 19 August 1875) was known by the bardic name 'Cynddelw', after the 12th-century poet Cynddelw Brydydd Mawr. He was born at Tyn y Meini, Bryndreiniog, Pen-y-Bont-Fawr in the historic county of Montgomeryshire in Mid Wales, where he initially worked as a farm labourer. He subsequently became a highly-respected Welsh language poet, editor, biographer, lexicographer and eisteddfod adjudicator.

Ministry

Ellis was a Baptist minister: from 1836 to 1840 at Llanelian-yn-Rhos and Llanddulas, Denbighshire; from 1838 to 1840 Glyn Ceiriog in the Ceiriog Valley. From 1847 to 1862 he served at Carmel Chapel,Tredegar, South Wales. Jones (1969) documented that, while in Tredegar, Ellis supported two notable local historians. First, in his capacity as one of the adjudicators at the local 1862 eisteddfod, Ellis praised the entry of 'Hanes Tredegar' ('History of Tredegar') by David Morris (Eiddil Gwent). Second, Ellis helped Evan Powell, who entered his 'History of Tredegar' into the local 1884 eisteddfod, to blossom 'into a lover of books'.

Ellis served from 1862 until his death in 1875 at Caernarfon in North Wales.

Publications

Ellis had his poem Yr Adgyfodiad published in 1849, in the Welsh-language newspaper Seren Gomer. Many other poems, biographies, an autobiography, and a dictionary followed. His dictionary, Geiriadur Cynddelw, which was published by H. Humphreys in Caernarfon in 1868, was one of the first dictionaries to be published only in Welsh (rather than English and Welsh).

Further reading

• Welsh Biography Online