Arthur Wade-Evans
Encyclopedia
Arthur Wade Wade-Evans (31 August 1875 – 4 January 1964) was a Welsh
clergyman and historian.
, Pembrokeshire
in south Wales on 31 August 1875 and did not include his mother's maiden name in his surname until 1899, when he was 24 years old. His father, Titus Evans, was a master mariner. Evans was educated at Haverfordwest
grammar school. In 1893, he matriculated
at Jesus College, Oxford
, graduating in 1896. He was ordained deacon in St Paul's Cathedral
in 1898 and then served as curate
in various parishes, including Ealing
, Cardiff
, and English
and Welsh Bicknor
. In 1909, he was appointed vicar
of France Lynch, where he remained until 1926. He campaigned for the disestablishment of the Church in Wales
. He was, from 1926 to 1932, vicar of Potterspury
with Furtho
and Yardley Gobion
(1926–32), before his final appointment as rector
of Wrabness
from 1932 to 1957. He then retired to Frinton-on-Sea
, Essex
. He died on 4 January 1964.
He was a historian of early Britain, the Celtic church and Welsh law
, although some of his theories were unorthodox. He translated and studied many early historical sources, with his publications including Nennius
's "History of the Britons" (1938) Coll Prydain (1950) and The Emergence of England and Wales (1956, 1959). Church history publications included journal articles on the lives of the saints and on church plate, Parochiale Wallicanum (1911), an analysis and translation of the Latin text of the Life of St David (1923), and Welsh Christian Origins (1934). He also edited Vitae Sanctorum Britanniae et Genealogiae an invaluable edition of Welsh saints lives, mostly from the British Library Manuscript Vespasian A XIV He was also a contributor to many journals and newspapers. In 1909, he published Welsh Medieval Law, a translation of Llyfr Cyfnerth; he later wrote an article on Welsh law for the Encyclopædia Britannica.
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
clergyman and historian.
Biography
Evans was born in FishguardFishguard
Fishguard is a coastal town in Pembrokeshire, south-west Wales, with a population of 3,300 . The community of Fishguard and Goodwick had a population of 5043 at the 2001 census....
, Pembrokeshire
Pembrokeshire
Pembrokeshire is a county in the south west of Wales. It borders Carmarthenshire to the east and Ceredigion to the north east. The county town is Haverfordwest where Pembrokeshire County Council is headquartered....
in south Wales on 31 August 1875 and did not include his mother's maiden name in his surname until 1899, when he was 24 years old. His father, Titus Evans, was a master mariner. Evans was educated at Haverfordwest
Haverfordwest
Haverfordwest is the county town of Pembrokeshire, Wales and serves as the County's principal commercial and administrative centre. Haverfordwest is the most populous urban area in Pembrokeshire, with a population of 13,367 in 2001; though its community boundaries make it the second most populous...
grammar school. In 1893, he matriculated
Matriculation
Matriculation, in the broadest sense, means to be registered or added to a list, from the Latin matricula – little list. In Scottish heraldry, for instance, a matriculation is a registration of armorial bearings...
at Jesus College, Oxford
Jesus College, Oxford
Jesus College is one of the colleges of the University of Oxford in England. It is in the centre of the city, on a site between Turl Street, Ship Street, Cornmarket Street and Market Street...
, graduating in 1896. He was ordained deacon in St Paul's Cathedral
St Paul's Cathedral
St Paul's Cathedral, London, is a Church of England cathedral and seat of the Bishop of London. Its dedication to Paul the Apostle dates back to the original church on this site, founded in AD 604. St Paul's sits at the top of Ludgate Hill, the highest point in the City of London, and is the mother...
in 1898 and then served as curate
Curate
A curate is a person who is invested with the care or cure of souls of a parish. In this sense "curate" correctly means a parish priest but in English-speaking countries a curate is an assistant to the parish priest...
in various parishes, including Ealing
Ealing
Ealing is a suburban area of west London, England and the administrative centre of the London Borough of Ealing. It is located west of Charing Cross and around from the City of London. It is one of the major metropolitan centres identified in the London Plan. It was historically a rural village...
, Cardiff
Cardiff
Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for...
, and English
English Bicknor
English Bicknor is a village and civil parish in the Forest of Dean district of west Gloucestershire, England. According to the United Kingdom Census 2001 the population is 406. The village is close to the county border with Herefordshire, opposite which is the village of Welsh Bicknor...
and Welsh Bicknor
Welsh Bicknor
Welsh Bicknor is an area of Herefordshire, England. Despite its name, it is not currently in Wales, but was historically a detached parish of the county of Monmouthshire....
. In 1909, he was appointed vicar
Vicar
In the broadest sense, a vicar is a representative, deputy or substitute; anyone acting "in the person of" or agent for a superior . In this sense, the title is comparable to lieutenant...
of France Lynch, where he remained until 1926. He campaigned for the disestablishment of the Church in Wales
Church in Wales
The Church in Wales is the Anglican church in Wales, composed of six dioceses.As with the primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church, the Archbishop of Wales serves concurrently as one of the six diocesan bishops. The current archbishop is Barry Morgan, the Bishop of Llandaff.In contrast to the...
. He was, from 1926 to 1932, vicar of Potterspury
Potterspury
Potterspury is a village and civil parish in the district of South Northamptonshire. The nearest main town is Milton Keynes, the centre of which is about 7 miles south-east...
with Furtho
Furtho
Furtho was a medieval village in south Northamptonshire. It became deserted after the land enclosures took place.-Location:Furtho lies between the villages of Potterspury and Cosgrove about north west of Stony Stratford and south east of Towcester along the A5 road, the nearest towns...
and Yardley Gobion
Yardley Gobion
Yardley Gobion is a village in the south of the English county of Northamptonshire off a by-pass of the A508 Northampton to Milton Keynes road.-Facilities:The Grand Union Canal runs nearby east of the village....
(1926–32), before his final appointment as rector
Rector
The word rector has a number of different meanings; it is widely used to refer to an academic, religious or political administrator...
of Wrabness
Wrabness
Wrabness is a small village, near Manningtree, Essex. The village is located six miles west of Harwich. It is served by the Wrabness railway station. Wrabness had a population of approximately 400. Clive Owen owns a house in Wrabness....
from 1932 to 1957. He then retired to Frinton-on-Sea
Frinton-on-Sea
Frinton-on-Sea is a small seaside town in the Tendring District of Essex, England. It is part of the Parish of Frinton and Walton.-History:...
, Essex
Essex
Essex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...
. He died on 4 January 1964.
He was a historian of early Britain, the Celtic church and Welsh law
Welsh law
Welsh law was the system of law practised in Wales before the 16th century. According to tradition it was first codified by Hywel Dda during the period between 942 and 950 when he was king of most of Wales; as such it is usually called Cyfraith Hywel, the Law of Hywel, in Welsh...
, although some of his theories were unorthodox. He translated and studied many early historical sources, with his publications including Nennius
Nennius
Nennius was a Welsh monk of the 9th century.He has traditionally been attributed with the authorship of the Historia Brittonum, based on the prologue affixed to that work, This attribution is widely considered a secondary tradition....
's "History of the Britons" (1938) Coll Prydain (1950) and The Emergence of England and Wales (1956, 1959). Church history publications included journal articles on the lives of the saints and on church plate, Parochiale Wallicanum (1911), an analysis and translation of the Latin text of the Life of St David (1923), and Welsh Christian Origins (1934). He also edited Vitae Sanctorum Britanniae et Genealogiae an invaluable edition of Welsh saints lives, mostly from the British Library Manuscript Vespasian A XIV He was also a contributor to many journals and newspapers. In 1909, he published Welsh Medieval Law, a translation of Llyfr Cyfnerth; he later wrote an article on Welsh law for the Encyclopædia Britannica.