author
P. B. (Peter Bailey) Williams
1763–1836
A Welsh clergyman with a lively curiosity about landscape, history, and local tradition, he wrote guidebooks and antiquarian works that helped preserve the character of north Wales. He is also sometimes linked with one of the earliest recorded rock climbs in Britain.
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 August 1763, Peter Bailey Williams was a Welsh Anglican priest, writer, and amateur antiquarian. He was the son of the influential Welsh Methodist writer Peter Williams, and he went on to build a reputation of his own through clerical work and a strong interest in the history and culture of Wales.
He is especially associated with Caernarvonshire, where he wrote about the region’s history, antiquities, and scenery for travelers and local readers alike. His books reflect the curiosity of a careful observer: part guide, part historical record, and part celebration of place.
Williams died on November 22, 1836. Alongside his church career and writing, he is sometimes credited with leading the first recorded rock climb in the United Kingdom, a detail that adds an unexpected adventurous note to an otherwise scholarly life.