Vavasor Powell

Vavasor (or Vavasour) Powell (1617 – 27 October 1670) was a Welsh Nonconformist Puritan preacher, evangelist, church leader and writer.

He was born in Knucklas, Radnorshire and may have been educated at Jesus College, Oxford (although the Oxford DNB notes there is no written record of this). He returned to Wales as a schoolmaster (1638-9) during which time he was converted to the Puritan understanding of the Gospel of Jesus Christ under the preaching of the Puritan Walter Cradock and through the writings of Richard Sibbs (1577-1635) and William Perkins (1558-1602). In about 1639 he became an itinerant preacher and for preaching in various parts of Wales he was twice arrested. In 1640, however, he was not punished and during the Civil War he preached in and around London.

In 1640 Powell was the first minister of Pendref Chapel, Llanfyllin, which is said to be the oldest Welsh independent church in Powys.

On 26 December 1641 he was teaching the word of God in Llanyrne Parish Church in Ross when he was forcibly removed by Hugh Lloyd and twelve armed men and imprisoned.In 1646, when Parliament's victory was certain, Powell returned to Wales having received a "certificate of character" from the Westminster Assembly, although he had refused to be ordained by the Presbyterians. With a salary granted to him by parliament he resumed his itinerant preaching in Wales.

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