Thomas Nowell's career is described in the D.N.B. He went up to Oriel in 1746, aged 16 according to Foster, Alumni Oxon.; he graduated in 1749 (D.D. 1764), was elected Fellow of Oriel in 1753 and held various offices there, became principal of S. Mary Hall in 1764, and professor of modern history in 1771; he was public orator, 1760-76. He d. 23 Sept. 1801 — he was then said to be 73, which does not tally with the entry of his matriculation. He was a strong Tory, and as such earned the warm approval of Samuel Johnson. He was also strongly anti-Methodist, and was involved in debate with Sir Rowland Hill when the University expelled six Methodist undergraduates. Hill's attack, Pietas Oxoniensis (1768) was translated into Welsh by John Thomas of Llanfihangel-Aber-bythych in 1769 under the title Duwioldeb Rhydychain — see the account of the matter in D. E. Jenkins, Thomas Charles, i, 64-6.