Iorwerth Peate also known as Cyfeiliog, (27 February 1901 - 19 October 1982) was a Welsh

Welsh people

The Welsh people are an ethnic group and nation associated with Wales and the Welsh language.John Davies argues that the origin of the "Welsh nation" can be traced to the late 4th and early 5th centuries, following the Roman departure from Britain, although Brythonic Celtic languages seem to have...

 poet

Poet

A poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...

 and scholar, best known as the founder, along with Cyril Fox

Cyril Fox

Sir Cyril Fred Fox , born, Chippenham, Wiltshire, was an English archaeologist.Cyril Fox became keeper of archaeology at the National Museum of Wales...

, of St Fagans National History Museum

St Fagans National History Museum

St Fagans National History Museum , commonly referred to as St Fagans after the village where it is located, is an open-air museum in Cardiff chronicling the historical lifestyle, culture and architecture of the Welsh people...

. Born in Llanbrynmair

Llanbrynmair

Llanbrynmair is a village and community in Powys, Mid Wales on the A470 road between Caersws and Machynlleth. Llanbrynmair, in area, is the second largest in Powys. In 2005, it had a population of 958.-Description:...

, his interest in folk studies and anthropology was kindled when studying at Aberystwyth under professor Herbert John Fleure

Herbert John Fleure

Herbert John Fleure FRS , was a zoologist and geographer. He was secretary of the Geographical Association, editor of Geography, and President of the Cambrian Archaeological Association.-Early years:...

 and writer T. Gwynn Jones

Thomas Gwynn Jones

Thomas Gwynn Jones or T. Gwynn Jones was a leading Welsh poet, scholar, literary critic, novelist, translator, and journalist who did important work in Welsh literature, Welsh education, and the study of Welsh folk tales in the first half of the twentieth century...

.

Inspired by the open-air museums of Scandinavia, Peate had a vision of recreating this style of attraction, but for Welsh life and culture. His initial attempts were challenged by those outside and inside the academic world. The work on the museum commenced in 1946, thanks to the donation of land from the Earl of Plymouth

Earl of Plymouth

Earl of Plymouth is a title that has been created three times, twice in the Peerage of England and once in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. The first creation was in 1675 for Charles FitzCharles, illegitimate son of King Charles II by his mistress Catherine Pegge...

.

Peate published work on the study of folk life in both English

English language

English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...

 and Welsh

Welsh language

Welsh is a member of the Brythonic branch of the Celtic languages spoken natively in Wales, by some along the Welsh border in England, and in Y Wladfa...

. He was a pacifist and believed in a monoglot Welsh speaking Wales.

External links

• BBC online Dr. Iorwerth Peate