Gwallter Mechain

Who was Gwallter Mechain?

Walter Davies, commonly known by his bardic name Gwallter Mechain, was a Welsh poet, editor, translator, antiquary and Anglican clergyman.

Davies was born at Y Wern, near Tomen y Castell, Llanfechain, Montgomeryshire. He was educated at the village school and was to become a cooper, but with the help of the poet Owain Myfyr went to All Souls College, Oxford, graduating in 1795. He took Holy Orders and became a Church of England curate in the parish of Meifod, Montgomeryshire, moving in 1799 to Ysbyty Ifan, Denbighshire where he met and married his wife Mary. He went on to study at Trinity College, Cambridge, gaining his MA in 1803. He was awarded the living of Llanwyddelan and became vicar of Manafon in Montgomeryshire where he remained for 30 years and did most of his literary work.

In 1797 he had begun a survey of the agriculture and economy of North Wales, which was published in two volumes in 1810 and 1813. This was followed in 1815 by a report on South Wales in collaboration with Iolo Morganwg. He contributed to Samuel Lewis's Topographical Dictionary of Wales.

In 1837, he moved to the parish of Llanrhaeadr-ym-Mochnant, where he died in 1849 and lies buried in the parish churchyard.