Monument & memorial of William Williams in churchyard of St Mary's Church

Obelisk memorial in red Aberdeen granite. The memorial is of polished granite with incised decoration and some mouldings left unpolished. The obelisk has some incised neo-Grec anthemion ornament around the base and stands on a large pedestal with neo-Grec cross-gabled cap with incised leaf-scroll ornament over frieze with greek key ornament. The shaft is inscribed at the front with a copy of part of the original inscription to William Williams, with black inlay, and on the left side with a copy of part of the original inscription to his wife and inscriptions to his sons.

The main inscription reads (in capitals apart from the opening five words): 'Sacred to the Memory of the Rev William Williams[,] Pant-y-celyn in this parish[,] author of several works in prose and verse[.] He waits here the coming of the morning star, which shall usher in the glories of the first resurrection when at the sound of the archangel trumpet the sleeping dust shall be reanimated and death for ever shall be swallowed up in victory[.] Born 1717, died Jan. 11 1791, aged 74 years.'

Below that inscription is the last verse of the three-verse epitaph on Theomemphus’ grave, which concludes William Williams’ epic poem of the same name. According to one local tradition it was his son, the Rev. John Williams, who suggested the poem for his father's original memorial, reading: ‘Heb saeth, heb fraw, heb ofn[,] heb ofid ac heb boen[,] / Yn canu o flaen yr orsedd ogoniant Duw a'r Oen[,] / Yn nghanol myrdd myrddiynau yn canu oll heb drai[,] / Yr anthem ydyw cariad, a chariad i barhau.'

The left side has inscriptions to Mrs Mary Williams, his wife, died 1799, and his two sons, the Rev. William Williams died 1818 and the Rev. John Williams died 1828. A kerb of rough granite surrounds a square of concrete on which lies the original badly-eroded headstone with the same inscriptions.