William Rowlands was a church musician, choir director, and teacher.
His best-known composition is “Blaenwern.” Rowlands named the melody after Blaenwern Farm in Pembrokeshire (Wales), where he had once recovered from a serious illness. In English-speaking countries, this melody is often used to accompany hymns such as “Love Divine, All Loves Excelling” and “What a Friend We Have in Jesus.”