Griffith Jones

Who was Griffith Jones?

Griffith Jones was a minister of the Church of England famous for his work in organising circulating schools in Wales. His name is usually associated with that of Llanddowror, Carmarthenshire.

Jones was born in 1683 or 1684 at Penboyr, Carmarthenshire, and christened on May 1, 1684. He was educated at Carmarthen Grammar School. He was ordained in 1708 and appointed rector of Llanddowror in 1716. He remained there for the rest of his life.

Jones was an enthusiastic member of the Society for the Promotion of Christian Knowledge, and in 1731 he started circulating schools in Carmarthenshire in order to teach people to read. The schools were held in one location for about three months before moving to another place. The language of instruction in these schools was the language of the people, Welsh. The idea was met with enthusiasm and by his death, in 1761, it is estimated that over 200,000 people had learnt to read in schools organised by Jones throughout Wales.

Jones taught people to read that they might know those things that were necessary for their salvation – the curriculum at his schools consisted only in the study of the Bible and the Catechism of the Church of England.