Ellis Davies (1872-1962), the priest and antiquarian, was born on 22 September 1872 at Nannerch, Flintshire, the son of Ellis Davies, a gardener.

The family soon moved to Llaniestyn, Gywnedd. He was educated at Botwnnog Grammar School and in 1892 he gained an entrance exhibition to St. David's College, Lampeter, where he won prizes each year. After graduating in 1895 he was ordained and served as curate at Llansilin, Powys and then at Old Colwyn, Conwy and St. Giles, Oxford.

Whilst at Oxford he graduated B.A. (1907) from Worcester College and took his M.A. in 1911. He also acted as chaplain to Jesus College and Radcliffe Infirmary. In 1909 he was appointed vicar of Llanddoged, Conwy and rector of Whitford, Flintshire in 1913, where he remained until his retirement in 1951. In recognition of his long and dedicated service to the Church he held a Canonry at St. Asaph, 1937-46, and was Chancellor of the Diocese, 1944-47. Although he composed several hymn-tunes and chants he became more widely known in the field of archaeology.

In 1913 he became a member of the Cambrian Archaeological Association and the same year he won a prize at the National Eisteddfod at Abergavenny for a handbook on British and Roman remains in Denbighshire which was published after further research in 1929 as Prehistoric and Roman Remains of Denbighshire. He also won a prize at the National Eisteddfod at Corwen in 1919 for an essay on the place-names of Merionethshire. In 1956 the G.T. Clark Prize for research into Celtic history was awarded to him for his book Prehistoric and Roman Remains of Flintshire (1949). He was also author of Llyfr y Proffwyd Hosea (1920), Flintshire Place-Names (1959) and numerous articles in Yr Haul, Y Llan, Dictionary of Welsh Biography and various historical journals. He served as joint editor of Archaeologia Cambrensis for 15 years from 1925 and later as sole editor (1940-48). In 1929 he was elected F.S.A. and in 1959 the University of Wales conferred on him an honorary D.Litt.

He married Mary Louisa (died 27 May 1937), daughter of the Rev. David Davies, Llansilin. He died 3 April 1962 at Bryn Derwen, Caerwys, Flints and was survived by 3 sons and 3 daughters.

[Note: The above bio originally appeared on the National Library of Wales website. Unfortunately their website is constantly offline and so it is reproduced on The Old Fashioned Antiquarian for the convenience of internet users.]

Whilst googling today I came across an extraordinary collection of old photographs of prehistoric sites in UK, Ireland and France. They were taken by Alvin Langdon Coburn who lived from 1882 to 1966.

Alvin Langdon Coburn's Photos
Alvin Langdon Coburn Bio

Although the photos are poorly annotated I can recognise many of my favourite sites in North Wales.

It seems that Moel Ty Uchaf was moorland when the above was taken. Now it is improved farmland.

The Blaen y Cwm Inscribed Stone is now inside Llandrillo Church apparently. I will go and have a lookee see.

And where can the above photo be? Marked as Llandrillo but I can't place it. Maybe the lost Rhydyglafes [Rhyd y Glafais] Stone Circle and Cairn?

People sometimes ask me which are the best books on the Prehistory of North Wales? A short list of my recommendations follows.

For ancient sites in North Wales the absolutely essential books for everyone from newbies to archaeology professors are the two CADW books:

A Guide to Ancient and Historic Wales - Gwynedd by Frances Lynch
A Guide to Ancient and Historic Wales - Clwyd and Powys by Helen Burnham
CADW Guides

Other good stuff:

Excavations in the Brenig Valley edited by Frances Lynch
A Cambrian Archaeological Monograph again published by CADW. Although a technical report on the massive archaeological investigations at Brenig prior to the flooding of the valley in the mid seventies, this book is very readable and gives incredible insight into the monuments and their creators. In addition it contains general discussions of Mesolithic, Neolithic and Bronze Age North Wales and namechecks most of the significant sites of the region. Also the Brenig barrows and cairns are considered in the context of similar monuments throughout the UK.
CADW Archaeological Reports

The Archaeology of Clwyd edited by John Manley, Stephen Grenter and Fiona Gale
Published by Clwyd County Council in 1991 and packed with hard to find information on sites in Denbighshire and Flintshire.

My last recommendation is anything by Frances Lynch. The Godmother of North Wales Archaeology is a brilliant communicator.

So these are my favourites. Which are yours?