Celebrating the 300th birthday of "Wales' greatest thinker"

Born in Llangeinor in 1723, Richard Price has been described as “Wales’ greatest thinker”.

His lasting contributions ranged across a number of disciplines, including moral philosophy, mathematics and theology. His contribution as a public intellectual made a huge impact, not least in international politics.

23 February 2023 marks the 300th anniversary of Price’s birth, and a series of public events are being held to celebrate the life and work of the influential thinker.

A Richard Price 300 birthday event in Llangeinor is being held on February 23, and will include an exhibition launch, talks, extracts from the play, and poetry readings.

On 28 February, a public lecture 'Revolutionary Friendships: Richard Price, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, and the Cause of Independence' will be given by Dr Patrick Spero, who will be visiting from Philadephia, where he is the Librarian and Director of the American Philosophical Society’s Library and Museum.

Dr Huw Williams, based at the university's School of English, Communication and Philosophy, said: “According to the eulogies and obituaries written at the time of his death in 1791, Richard Price’s name would be remembered alongside figures such as Benjamin Franklin, John Locke, George Washington and Thomas Paine. He was one of those figures who forged the modern world.

“But three hundred years on from his birth in the village of Llangeinor, near Bridgend in south Wales, he has been lost from our popular memory.

“His contributions in the fields of politics, philosophy and science have long been underappreciated. It’s therefore heartening to see a number of events being held to celebrate his life -  in his home village of Llangeinor, and the Pierhead in Cardiff Bay, as well as educational activities and a play reflecting on Price’s life and times and his contemporary relevance. More than ever, it seems, his values and his life’s work speaks to us across the centuries.”

Visit our events pages to find out more about the upcoming events.