Theophilus Evans (February 1693 – 11 September 1767) was a Welsh clergyman and historian.

Life

Evans' father was from

Pen-y-wenallt Pen-y-wenallt is a hamlet in Ceredigion (formerly Cardiganshire), Wales. Pen-y-wenallt lies halfway between Cenarth and Pont Ceri, bordering on Carmarthenshire, and is a constituent of the Parish of Llandygwydd.

and he was christened in the church in

Llandygwydd Llandygwydd is a small Human settlement, settlement in Ceredigion, west Wales, between Newcastle Emlyn and the town of Cardigan, Ceredigion, Cardigan. Amenities and history A small stream runs through the village. There also is a parish chur ...

Cardiganshire Ceredigion (), historically Cardiganshire (, ), is a county in the west of Wales. It borders Gwynedd across the Dyfi estuary to the north, Powys to the east, Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire to the south, and the Irish Sea to the west. Ab ...

in 1693. Evans served curacies in

Brecknockshire Brecknockshire ( or ), also known as the County of Brecknock, Breconshire, or the County of Brecon, was Historic counties of Wales, one of the thirteen counties of Wales that existed from 1536 until their abolishment in 1974. It was created in 1 ...

and incumbencies in both counties. He is best known for his work ''Drych y Prif Oesoedd'' (Mirror of the Early Centuries) (1716; revised ed. 1740) where with some literary talent but with an absence of critical method (mixing history with legend) he endeavours to justify the independent origins of British Christianity. Evans was supported by Sackville Gwynne, the squire of Glanbrân. In 1727, Evans became the private chaplain of Marmaduke Gwynne, Sackville's heir, but they eventually parted because of Gwynne's support for

Howell Harris Howell Harris (; 23 January 1714 – 21 July 1773) was a Calvinistic Methodists, Calvinistic Methodist evangelist. He was one of the main leaders of the Welsh Methodist revival in the 18th century, along with Daniel Rowland (preacher), Daniel Ro ...

and the Methodist cause.''Marmaduke Gwynne (1691–1769) A Methodist Squire''
, llgc.org.uk

Works

*''Drych y Prif Oesoedd'' (1716) *''A History of Modern Enthusiasm'' (1752)

Bibliography

*''Theophilus Evans: Drych y Prif Oesoedd'' (ed. Garfield H.Hughes, 1961)

Sources

1693 births 1767 deaths 18th-century Welsh Anglican priests 18th-century Welsh historians {{Wales-writer-stub