Elen Egryn (1807–1876) was a Welsh-language poet brought up in the little village Llanegryn, then in Merionethshire. She moved to Liverpool in 1840 but soon returned to Machynlleth not far from her home town. It was there in 1850 she created the collection ‘Telyn Egryn’ (Egryn’s Harp), becoming the first woman ever to publish a secular Welsh-language book. Although she did not receive the same degree of attention as contemporary male poets, the work is considered to be a milestone in the history of women’s literature in Wales. It presents a broad range of poetry covering bereavement, friendship, exile and depression, purposefully invoking an impression of the high moral standards enjoyed by Welsh women.
Books