1820 in Wales
This article is about the particular significance of the year 1820 to Wales and its people.
Incumbents
- Lord Lieutenant of Anglesey – Henry Paget, 1st Marquess of Anglesey
- Lord Lieutenant of Brecknockshire and Monmouthshire – Henry Somerset, 6th Duke of Beaufort
- Lord Lieutenant of Caernarvonshire – Thomas Bulkeley, 7th Viscount Bulkeley
- Lord Lieutenant of Cardiganshire – William Edward Powell
- Lord Lieutenant of Carmarthenshire – George Rice, 3rd Baron Dynevor
- Lord Lieutenant of Denbighshire – Sir Watkin Williams-Wynn, 5th Baronet
- Lord Lieutenant of Flintshire – Robert Grosvenor, 1st Marquess of Westminster
- Lord Lieutenant of Glamorgan – John Crichton-Stuart, 2nd Marquess of Bute
- Lord Lieutenant of Merionethshire – Sir Watkin Williams-Wynn, 5th Baronet
- Lord Lieutenant of Montgomeryshire – Edward Clive, 1st Earl of Powis
- Lord Lieutenant of Pembrokeshire – Richard Philipps, 1st Baron Milford
- Lord Lieutenant of Radnorshire – George Rodney, 3rd Baron Rodney
- Bishop of Bangor – Henry Majendie
- Bishop of Llandaff – Herbert Marsh ; William Van Mildert
- Bishop of St Asaph – John Luxmoore
- Bishop of St Davids – Thomas Burgess
Events
- 29 January – The Prince of Wales becomes King George IV of the United Kingdom upon the death of his father, King George III.
- 14 April – At the completion of the United Kingdom general election:
- *Henry Paget, later Marquess of Anglesey, is elected as member for Anglesey.
- *Wyndham Lewis is elected for Cardiff.
- *Christopher Cole is re-elected for Glamorganshire.
- 24 June – The Honourable Society of Cymmrodorion is revived, having been in abeyance since 1787.
- date unknown
- *The first "colliery school" in the South Wales coalfield is established at Hirwaun.
- *Thomas Price (Carnhuanawc) founds a Welsh school at Gelli Felen.
- *Crawshay Bailey becomes a partner at Nant-y-glo ironworks with his brother, Joseph Bailey.
- *Tondu Ironworks is built by Sir Robert Price.
- *John Scandrett Harford meets Bishop Thomas Burgess and offers to donate the site of Lampeter Castle for the construction of St David's College.
Arts and literature
New books
- Felicia Hemans – The Sceptic
- John Jones (Tegid) – Traethawd ar Gadwedigaeth yr Iaith Gymraeg
- Robert Jones – Drych yr Amseroedd
- William Probert - ''Y Gododdin''
Music
- Edward Jones – ''Hen Ganiadau Cymru''
Births
- 13 May – Robert Owen, theologian
- 21 May – Sir Thomas Lloyd, 1st Baronet, politician and landowner
- 22 May – Sir Watkin Williams-Wynn, 6th Baronet, politician
- 20 June – Thomas Essile Davies, poet
- 5 September – Evan Jones (Ieuan Gwynedd), minister and journalist
Deaths
- 20 January – Eliezer Williams, clergyman and genealogist, 75
- 29 January – King George III of the United Kingdom, Prince of Wales 1751–1760, 81
- 6 May – Wilmot Vaughan, 2nd Earl of Lisburne, landowner, 64
- 16 June – Thomas Jones of Denbigh, Methodist preacher and writer, 64
- 27 June – William Lort Mansel, bishop and academic, 67
- 23 August – Edward Randles, harpist, 57
- 28 August – Henry Mills, musician, 63