Williams, ROWLAND, Liberal divine, was born at Halkyn in Flintshire, August 16, 1817, and had his education at Eton and King's College, Cambridge. He became fellow, and later tutor, of his college, and in 1850 was appointed vice-principal and professor of Hebrew at Lampeter College. In 1859 he was presented to the vicarage of Broad-Chalke near Salisbury, and hither he retired in 1862 after the storm caused by his contribution, 'Bunsen's
Biblical Researches,' to Essays and Reviews. He was tried by the Canterbury Court of Arches, and sentenced to suspension for one year, but the Privy-council reversed the judgment. He died January 18, 1870.
His chief books are Christianity and Hinduism (1856); Rational Godliness (1855); Broad-Chalke Sermon-Essays (1867); The Hebrew Prophets, translated afresh (2 vols. 1868-71); Psalms and Litanies (1872). See the Life by his widow (2 vols. 1874).