The song first appeared in 1785 in English in Liberty Hall which was a comic opera in two acts, written and produced by Charles Dibdin.
[1][2] It was first performed at the Theatre Royal in Drury Lane in London on 8 February 1785, and also contained other popular songs entitled Jock Ratlin, and The Highmettled Racer.
[2] In Liberty Hall, the song was sung in Act II, scene V, by the comic Welsh character, Ap Hugh.
[8] The belief was that he had written it for one of his students, a talented singer of the time, Eliza Phillips, or Morfydd Glyntaf[9][10] as she was known[11] and it had been sung at an Eisteddfod in Abergavenny in 1838, but this was later discounted.
Ieuan Ddu's book of Welsh airs, titled "The Cambrian Minstrel", does not contain The Bells of Aberdovey.
A new, and very vocal claimant to the composition of the song arose in the 1850s, when the Merthyr soprano, Miss E[lizabeth] L[ucy] Williams (1828-1902), billed as 'The Welsh Nightingale' featured it largely in her one-woman show, on both sides of the Atlantic, letting it be understood that it was her own work (rather than a personal arrangement) to such an effect that her claims were very often believed.
The most frequently used Welsh and English lyrics (which are not exact translations) are based on those in the National Song Book:[20] Os wyt ti yn bur i mi Fel rwyf fi yn bur i ti Mal un, dau, tri, pedwar, pump, chwech Meddai clychau Aberdyfi.
Os wyt ti'n fy ngharu i Fel rwyf i'n dy garu di Mal un, dau, tri, pedwar, pump, chwech Meddai clychau Aberdyfi.
Pan ddôf adref dros y môr Cariad gura wrth dy ddôr Mal un, dau, tri, pedwar, pump, chwech Meddai clychau Aberdyfi.
Paid â'i wneud yn galon wan Pan ddaw o dan dy faner Os bydd gennyt air i'w ddweud Bydd gwneud yn well o'r hanner Os wyt ti'n fy ngharu i Fel rwyf fi'n dy garu di Mal un, dau, tri, pedwar, pump, chwech Meddai clychau Aberdyfi.
If it be true these things are so, As truly she's my lovey, And os wit I yng carie I Rwy fi dwyn dy garie di As—Ein dai tree pedwar pimp chweck—go The bells of Aberdovey.
If it be true these things are so, As truly she's my lovey, And os wit I yng carie I Rwy fi dwyn dy garie di As—Ein dai tree pedwar pimp chweck—go The bells of Aberdovey.
Alternative versions:[5] Hear the silv'ry chime which hails Those who come to fairest vales, Greeting all to Aberdovey, One, two, three, four how they ring!
I first heard them years ago When, careless and light-hearted, I thought not of coming woe, Nor of bright days departed; Now those hours are past and gone, When the strife of life is done, Peace is found in heaven alone, Say the bells of Aberdovey.