Henry Rowlands (1551–1616) was a Welsh
bishop of Bangor
The Bishop of Bangor is the Ordinary (officer), ordinary of the Diocese of Bangor of the Church in Wales. The Episcopal see, see is based in the city of Bangor where the bishop's seat (''cathedra'') is at Bangor Cathedral, Cathedral Church of Sa ...
.
Life
He was born in the parish of
Meyllteyrn or
Botwnnog
Botwnnog is a village and community in Gwynedd in Wales, located on the Llŷn Peninsula west-northwest of Abersoch. It is in the historic county of Caernarfonshire. It had a population of 955 in 2001, increasing to 996 at the 2011 Census. The ...
,
Carnarvonshire
Caernarfonshire (; , ), previously spelled Caernarvonshire or Carnarvonshire, was one of the thirteen counties of Wales that existed from 1536 until their abolishment in 1974. It was located in the north-west of Wales.
Geography
The county ...
, son of Rolant ap Robert of Meyllteyrn and of Elizabeth, daughter of Griffith ap Robert Vaughan. After being educated at
Penllech school, he studied at Oxford, and graduated B.A. from
New College on 17 February 1574. He then migrated to
St. Mary Hall, and graduated M.A. 27 June 1577, B.D. 27 March 1591, D.D. 28 June 1605. He took holy orders on 14 September 1572, and was
Rector of
Meyllteyrn from 1572 to 1581, and of
Launton, from 1581 to 1600.
From 4 August 1584 to August 1594 he was prebendary of Penmynydd,
Bangor Cathedral
Bangor Cathedral () is the cathedral church of Bangor, Gwynedd, Bangor, Gwynedd, Wales. It is dedicated to its founder, Deiniol, Saint Deiniol.
The site of the present building of Bangor Cathedral has been in use as a place of Christian worship ...
, from 3 September 1588 rector of Aberdaron, becoming in the same year
archdeacon of Anglesey, and on 29 August 1593
dean of Bangor. On 16 September 1598 he was elected bishop of Bangor, and installed on 19 January 1599. He subsequently became rector of
Trefdraeth,
Anglesey
Anglesey ( ; ) is an island off the north-west coast of Wales. It forms the bulk of the Principal areas of Wales, county known as the Isle of Anglesey, which also includes Holy Island, Anglesey, Holy Island () and some islets and Skerry, sker ...
, in 1601, vicar of
Llanrhaiadr-in-Kimmerch 1602, a member of
Gray's Inn
The Honourable Society of Gray's Inn, commonly known as Gray's Inn, is one of the four Inns of Court (professional associations for barristers and judges) in London. To be called to the bar in order to practise as a barrister in England and Wale ...
1606, and rector of
Llanrhaiadr, Denbigh, 1612.
He died on 6 July 1616, and was buried in the cathedral in the choir, before the high altar. He was careful of the revenues of his cathedral, and gave to it four bells, to replace those sold by his predecessor. He also in 1609 gave lands to
Jesus College, Oxford
Jesus College (in full: Jesus College in the University of Oxford of Queen Elizabeth's Foundation) is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. It is in the centre of the city, on a site between Turl Street, Ship ...
, for the maintenance of two scholars or fellows, and in his will he left lands for the erection of a school at Meyllteyrn. Rowlands married, at Langton, Frances Hutchins or Pope of Oxford, widow of one Cotesford. He also established the Almshouses on the south side of the Cathedral, which were supported by three farms in the village of
Llansadwrn, Anglesey
Llansadwrn (; ) is a small village in the community of Cwm Cadnant in south-east Anglesey, in north-west Wales. It lies between Menai Bridge, Pentraeth and Beaumaris. It is named after the church, founded in the 6th century by Saint Saturni ...
.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rowlands, Henry
1551 births
1616 deaths
Bishops of Bangor
Founders of Welsh schools and colleges
16th-century Welsh Anglican bishops
17th-century Welsh Anglican bishops
Archdeacons of Anglesey
People from Botwnnog