Griffith, George (1601-09-30 - 1666-11-28)

George Griffith, son of Robert Griffith and his wife Ann, was born at Llanfaethlu on 30 September 1601. He was educated at Westminster School before matriculating from Christ Church, Oxford in 1623. He graduated B.A. in 1623 and proceeded M.A. at Pembroke College in 1624. In 1629 he became chaplain to the newly consecrated bishop of St Asaph, John Owen. He was made rector of Newtown in 1631, archdeacon of St Asaph and rector of Llandrinio in 1632 (during which year he also proceeded B.D.), and rector of Llanfechain and licensed preacher in 1633. In 1644 he exchanged Llanfechain for Llanymynech and proceeded D.D. He retained this living at Llanymynech and yielded the others with the Act for the Propagation of the Gospel in Wales (1650) that restricted clergy to holding one living. Griffith was one of the first bishops to be installed at the Restoration: he was consecrated in October 1660 on the day he swore the oath of supremacy and allegiance. He kept his living of Llanymynech and also obtained Llandrinio, the archdeaconry of St Asaph, and the rector of Llanrhaeadr-ym-Mochnant, on the basis that the bishopric did not provide sufficient income. Griffith was involved in the House of Lords from 1661-1665 and advocated that sermons should be delivered in Welsh; he likely did much of the work producing a Welsh translation of the Book of Common Prayer. Griffith fell ill in 1666 and died on 28 November (or possibly December) 1666. He was predeceased by his wife Jane, with whom he had one son and five daughters.