author
P. B. (Peter Bailey) Williams
1763–1836
An 18th- and 19th-century Welsh clergyman, antiquarian, and guidebook writer, he moved easily between scholarship, local history, and the landscapes of north Wales. He is also remembered for a famous early ascent in Snowdonia, which later earned him a place in British climbing history.
1 Audiobook
The Tourist's Guide through the Country of Caernarvon containing a short sketch of its History, Antiquities, &c.
by P. B. (Peter Bailey) Williams
About the author
Born in Carmarthenshire in August 1763, he was educated at Carmarthen grammar school and at Oxford before being ordained in the Church of England. In 1792 he became rector of Llanberis, a post that closely tied his life and writing to the history, scenery, and traditions of Caernarfonshire.
His books reflect that wide curiosity. He wrote on local antiquities and Welsh subjects, and is especially associated with The Tourist's Guide through the County of Caernarvon, a work that blends practical travel writing with a strong sense of place. That mix of clerical learning and on-the-ground observation helped preserve details about the region for later readers.
He is also often linked with what has been described as the first recorded rock climb in Britain, connected with an ascent on Glyder Fawr in 1798. Whether approached as a churchman, a regional writer, or an early mountain enthusiast, he stands out as a lively witness to Welsh cultural and landscape history.