Encyclopaedia

Brief History of the Project

1728 – ‘the father of encyclopaedias’, Ephraim Chambers’ Cyclopaedia is published

1854–1879 – The 10 Volume, Y Gwyddoniadur Cymreig, Welsh Encyclopaedia is published. At 9000 pages it is the longest work ever published in Welsh.

During this same period Owen Jones (1806-89) edited the 2-volume Cymru: yn Hanesyddol, Parthedegol a Bywgraphyddol (Wales: Historical, Topographical and Biographical; 1871-5). This was a national encyclopaedia of the other kind, which - appearing from the late 19th century onwards - dealt exclusively with a particular nation or region. 

Such developments led eventually to the publication of encyclopaedias devoted to individual cities or towns, of which the sole Welsh example to date is W. Alister Williams’s The Encyclopaedia of Wrexham (2001).

1997 - Yr Academi Gymreig is successful in its lottery bid to publish the first Encyclopaedia of Wales.

1998 – An Encyclopaedia Management Commiittee is set up. Its members include Brynley F. Roberts, Ned Thomas, Philip Gwyn Jones, John Osmond, Ceri Delamore, Iestyn Hughes, Patrick Sullivan and Kevin Thomas.

April 1999 – John Davies, Menna Baines and Nigel Jenkins appointed as editors of the Encyclopaedia.

2005 – Peredur Lynch joins the project as the fourth editor

January 31st 2008 – The Welsh Academy Encyclopaedia of Wales is published

February 1st 2008 - The Welsh Academy Encyclopaedia of Wales is launched at the Senedd, Cardiff Bay