1779 in Wales

This article is about the particular significance of the year 1779 to Wales and its people.

Incumbents

 * Lord Lieutenant of Anglesey - Sir Nicholas Bayly, 2nd Baronet
 * Lord Lieutenant of Brecknockshire and Monmouthshire – Charles Morgan of Dderw
 * Lord Lieutenant of Caernarvonshire - Thomas Wynn
 * Lord Lieutenant of Cardiganshire – Wilmot Vaughan, 1st Earl of Lisburne
 * Lord Lieutenant of Carmarthenshire – George Rice (until 3 August) Thomas Johnes (from 7 September)
 * Lord Lieutenant of Denbighshire - Richard Myddelton
 * Lord Lieutenant of Flintshire - Sir Roger Mostyn, 5th Baronet
 * Lord Lieutenant of Glamorgan – John Stuart, Lord Mountstuart
 * Lord Lieutenant of Merionethshire - Sir Watkin Williams-Wynn, 4th Baronet
 * Lord Lieutenant of Montgomeryshire – George Herbert, 2nd Earl of Powis
 * Lord Lieutenant of Pembrokeshire – Sir Hugh Owen, 5th Baronet
 * Lord Lieutenant of Radnorshire – Edward Harley, 4th Earl of Oxford and Earl Mortimer


 * Bishop of Bangor – John Moore
 * Bishop of Llandaff – Shute Barrington
 * Bishop of St Asaph – Jonathan Shipley
 * Bishop of St Davids – James Yorke (until 2 August); John Warren (from 19 September)

Events

 * February - Ship's surgeon David Samwell witnesses the death of Captain James Cook in Hawaii.
 * June - Valentine Morris, governor of St Vincent, negotiates unfavourable surrender terms with the French.
 * unknown dates
 * New bridges are built over the River Wye at Builth Wells and River Towy at Llandeilo.
 * Haverfordwest prison is built on the site of the former castle.
 * Baptist Assembly at Glynceiriog.
 * Robert Jones, Calvinistic Methodist exhorter, preaches in London.

New books

 * David William - Joy in the Tents of Zion (English edition)

Music

 * Richard Morris creates a list of "Henwau Mesurau Cerdd Dafod a Thant a arferir yn gyffredinol gan y Prydyddion a'r Telynorion yng Nghymru".

Births

 * 14 March - William Ormsby-Gore, politician (died 1860)
 * 24 August - Charles Norris, artist (died 1858)

Deaths

 * June/July - Hugh Williams, Anglican clergyman and writer
 * 3 August - George Rice, Lord Lieutenant and MP for Carmarthenshire, 55
 * 9 August - Morgan Rhys, hymn-writer, 63
 * 11 December - "Madam" Bridget Bevan, philanthropist, 81
 * December - Richard Morris, collector of folk songs, 76
 * date unknown - Edward Jones, composer, 49/50