Cymmrodorion Society

The Cymmrodorion Society was central to the Welsh literary renaissance in the mid-18th century. This movement aimed to revive interest in the Welsh language and traditional Welsh bardic verse forms, such as the cywydd and awdl. Scholars like Lewis, Richard, and William Morris preserved ancient texts and encouraged poets to use strict meters.12

The society, formed by the Welsh community in London, fostered Welsh literary studies and supported the reestablishment of local eisteddfods (poetic assemblies). This revival produced a wide range of publications, including religious verse, hymns, ballads, and verse dramas based on Welsh mythology and history. While the movement subsided by the 19th century, a second revival occurred later, building on the scholarly foundation of the first.12