Cledwyn Hughes (author)

John Cledwyn Hughes (1920–1978), who wrote under the name Cledwyn Hughes, was an Anglo-Welsh writer of novels, children's books, and literary-topographical books about Wales. He was also a prolific short-story writer who was published in a wide range of popular and literary magazines including The New Yorker, Argosy and Woman and Home.

Not to be confused with the politician Cledwyn Hughes, Baron Cledwyn of Penrhos (1916–2001).

The Oxford Companion to the Literature of Wales[1] cites The Civil Strangers[2] (Phoenix House, 1950) as his most distinguished work and notes the fineness of his topographical writing, and of his writing for children.

Hughes was born at Llansantffraid-ym-Mechain in Montgomeryshire,[3] and died at Arthog, Merionethshire, where he and his wife Alyna lived from 1947.[4] An archive of his papers is held at the National Library of Wales.[3]

Major works

Novels
  • The Different Drummer and The Inn Closes for Christmas: two novels[5] (Pilot Press, 1947)
  • Wennon[6] (Pilot Press, 1948)
  • The Civil Strangers[2] (Phoenix House, 1950)
  • After the Holiday[7] (Phoenix House, 1950)
  • The House in the Cornfield[8] (Werner Laurie, 1957)

Topographical writing
  • A Wanderer in North Wales[9] (Phoenix House, 1949)
  • The Northern Marches[10] (Robert Hale, 1953)
  • Poaching down the Dee[11] (Robert Hale, 1953)
  • Royal Wales (Phoenix House, 1957)
  • West with the Tinkers[12] (Odham Press, 1951)
  • Portrait of Snowdonia[13] (Robert Hale, 1967)
  • The Batsford Colour Book of Wales (Batsford, 1975)

Children's books
  • Gold and "The Moonspray" (Heinemann, 1953)
  • The King Who Lived on Jelly (Routledge and Kegan Paul, 1961)

Other books
  • Leonard Cheshire V. C. (Phoenix House, 1961)
  • Ponies for Children (Routledge and Kegan Paul, 1962)
  • Making an Orchard (Land Books, 1961)

International and translated editions
  • He Dared not Look Behind[14] (A A Wyn, 1949) – Title under which 'The Inn Closes for Christmas was published' in USA and Canada
  • La Jambe de Cain[14] (Gallimard, 1963) – French edition of the above.

Critical response and legacy

Hughes's writing had an international reach and received attention in a wide range of literary and popular publications. His writing is described in contemporary reviews as poetic, showing whimsy and melancholia, or at times a darker sentiment.[15][16] The Spectator (7 February 1947) welcomed the first longer works by Hughes ('The Inn Closes for Christmas' and 'The Different Drummer') describing them as 'Two vivid short novels by a brilliant young Welshman whose short stories have already established his reputation.[17]

References
  1. Stephens, Meic; Academi Gymreig (1986). The Oxford companion to the literature of Wales. Internet Archive. Oxford [Oxfordshire] ; New York : Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-211586-7.
  2. Hughes, Cledwyn (1949). The Civil Strangers. Phoenix House.
  3. "Hughes, Cledwyn, 1920-1978". National Library of Wales. Retrieved 26 October 2021.
  4. Connor, Bernard (2011). Mawddach Crescent, Arthog, North Wales. Place of publication not identified. p. 57. ISBN 9781447854142.
  5. "Formats and Editions of The Different Drummer and The Inn Closes for Christmas. [Two novels.]. [WorldCat.org]". www.worldcat.org. Retrieved 8 February 2021.
  6. Hughes, Cledwyn (1948). Wennon. [A novel. London. OCLC 314608409.
  7. Hughes, Cledwyn (1950). After the Holiday. Phoenix House.
  8. Hughes, Cledwyn (1957). The house in the cornfield. OCLC 837053104.
  9. Mwyn, Rhys (23 April 2014). "Thoughts of Chairman Mwyn: Inspirational Welsh Books". Thoughts of Chairman Mwyn. Retrieved 8 February 2021.
  10. Hughes, Cledwyn (1953). The Northern Marches. Hale. ISBN 978-7-80066-945-3.
  11. Hughes, Cledwyn (July 2010). Poaching Down the Dee. LULU Press. ISBN 978-1-4455-1500-7.
  12. Hughes, Cledwyn (1954). West with the Tinkers: A Journey Through Wales with Vagrants. Odhams Press. ISBN 978-7-250-00461-3.
  13. Hughes, Cledwyn (1967). Portrait of Snowdonia. Hale. ISBN 978-7-110-00734-1.
  14. "Formats and Editions of He dared not look behind. [WorldCat.org]". www.worldcat.org. Retrieved 8 February 2021.
  15. World Review. E. Hulton. 1970.
  16. The Welsh Review. Penmark Press. 1947.
  17. The Spectator. F.C. Westley. 1947.
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