Angharad James (poet)

Angharad James (16 July 1677 – 25 August 1749) was a Welsh farmer, harpist and poet.^[1]

Life

She was born in Gelliffrydau farm at Baladeulyn in the Nantlle Valley, Wales, on 16 July 1677. When still a young woman, she married William Prichard, a man far older than herself, who farmed Cwm Penamnen, a valley to the south of Dolwyddelan.^[2] She lived in Parlwr, or Tai Penamnen, a house which had earlier been a home to the Wynn family of Gwydir,^[3][4] for the remainder of her life. She continued to farm the valley after being widowed. As of 2009, the house was being uncovered by archaeologists.^[5]

Death

She was buried on 25 August 1749 and is buried within the church of St. Gwyddelan in Dolwyddelan.^[6]

Arts

She was a skilled harpist who commanded her workers to dance to her playing as they returned from the milking.^[2]

She is notable as an early Welsh female poet.^[7] Due in part to the transcription work of one of James's correspondents, the poet and copyist Margaret Davies,^[8] manuscripts of James's work have survived and are held at the National Library of Wales.^[1] They include an elegy to her son, who had died when 16, and another to her husband, in the form of an imaginary dialogue.