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David Jones was a prolific letter writer, and his correspondents were multifarious. He was part of a circle of young Catholic intellectuals, and was connected with artistic and literary circles, as well as a more aristocratic circle. He would often write many drafts of a letter before completing it, especially when writing to the press or to a scholar or critic. The correspondence deals with matters relating to religion, art, literature, history, Wales and more personal matters. -- The group comprises letters to David Jones from friends, acquaintances, publishers and art galleries; drafts letters from David Jones to friends, draft letters to the editors of newspapers; and copies of letters published in Dai Greatcoat : a self-portrait of David Jones in his letters, edited by René Hague.

Fifty-three letters and cards, 1948-1974, from the artist and writer David Jones to Saunders Lewis, discussing his creative work, the Welsh language, aspects of Welsh and Classical antiquity and literature, the Roman Catholic faith and culture in general. Drawing on f. 51 and inscriptions on ff. 10-13, 29 verso, 36 verso, 44 verso. Also included are three letters, 1937, from David Jones to Margaret Lewis, written during her husband's imprisonment (ff. 91-3 verso) and a copy of a speech by David Jones, delivered in absentia when he was awarded the honorary degree of DLitt by the University of Wales in 1960 (ff. 21-7).

Five letters, 1949-51, from David Jones to Mildred Mary Ede, mother of Jim Ede, founder of Kettle's Yard, Cambridge. The letters refer mainly to the painting 'Vexilla Regis' purchased by Mrs Ede and now at Kettle's Yard. Also included is a letter, 1951, from David Baxandall of the Manchester City Art Gallery, concerning a proposed exhibition.

Letters to Rachel Bromwich from David Jones, artist and writer (3) 1961-1965, together with a copy of Agenda, vol. 4, no. 1 (April-May 1965), containing David Jones's poem The Hunt, with notes and corrections in the author's hand, and from Colin Wilcockson, Cambridge (2) 1974, one enclosing a copy of a letter, 1974, from David Jones (ff. 39-46).

Correspondence and other papers, 1965, concerning the production of a limited edition of The Fatigue by David Jones to mark the author's seventieth birthday, together with galley and page proofs, heavily corrected by the author, and a few related papers, 1975. The correspondence includes ten letters from David Jones to the printers, Will and Sebastian Carter, Rampant Lions Press, Cambridge (NLW MS 21925E, ff. 25-7, 29-34, 43).

Seven letters and a postcard, 1953, from David Jones, artist and writer, to Elwyn Evans, principally concerning the arrangements for broadcasting 'Wales and the Crown', a radio talk by David Jones (see David Jones, Epoch and Artist, ed. Harman Grisewood (London, 1959), pp. 39-48); with some related papers, 1953-1962.

Ten letters, 1953-1964, from David Jones, artist and writer, to the painter and engraver Richard Shirley Smith and his artist wife Juliet Wood, mostly written, 1960-1961, while the latter were abroad studying in Italy. The letters, containing comments on David Jones's work and that of the recipients, were published in a limited edition, David Jones, Ten Letters ..., ed. by Derek Shiel (London: Agenda Editions, 1996); copy no. 1/150 was acquired with the letters and is filed with them.

Nine letters and a postcard, 1925-40, 1954-72, from David Jones, artist and writer, to Philip Hagreen. The first letter, which includes two drawings in ink, was published in Hague, René (ed.): Dai Greatcoat ... (London, 1980).

Letters from David Jones (1895-1974), artist and writer, to Maurice Percival (11 and a postcard), 1950-1972, and Mrs R. H. Cobb (3), 1953, some embellished with inscriptions (ff. 1-23); together with autograph prose draft and notes (ff. 24-27).

Five letters, 1942-1943, from the artist and writer David Jones to the art historian and critic Robin Ironside, relating to the preparation of Ironside's illustrated booklet David Jones (Harmondsworth, 1949).
Jones discusses painting from nature and the selection of paintings for the volume. A sketch of a balcony view is on f. 4.

Correspondence, 1937, 1959-1974, of Louis Bonnerot, Professor of English Literature at the Sorbonne, Paris, comprising twenty-two letters, 1960-1974, from the poet and artist David Jones, Harrow, mostly concerning Bonnerot's translations of Jones's poems into French (ff. 1-47), together with four draft and copy letters from Bonnerot to Jones, 1959-1974 (ff. 49-54), a letter, 24 August 1974, from Jones to Luce Bonnerot, following her husband Louis's death (f. 48), and a typescript letter, 25 December [1937], to Bonnerot from C[ecil] Day Lewis (f. 55).
Jones answers Bonnerot's questions about specific turns-of-phrase used in his poems as well as giving detailed corrections to printers' errors in editions of his work; he also discusses reviews and lectures by Bonnerot, articles in British magazines concerning Jones's work, and the history of Wales and Roman Britain. An illustration of a 'pacing-stick' is on f. 11 verso. There are occasional annotations in pencil by Bonnerot (ff. 29, 29 verso, 32, 33 verso, 36, 36 verso, 38, 38 verso, and 43), together with a transcript by Bonnerot of most of Jones's letter of 9 October 1972 (ff. 56-61).

Papers of Alun-Oldfield Davies, 1928-1988, relating mainly to the artist and writer David Jones, including an original water-colour inscription, 1954; photographs of inscriptions, personalised and sent as greetings cards , 1958-1961; letters from David Jones to Alun Oldfield-Davies, 1954-1962; papers concerning the fate of David Jones's manuscripts and pictures, 1971-1976; miscellaneous items including lists of works by David Jones for exhibitions, 1972-1976, a radio talk broadcast in 1954 and articles on his life and work, 1954-1988. The additional papers comprise a copy of John Morris-Jones, Penillion Omar Khayyam (Gregynog Press, 1928), formerly in the possession of Colonel Richard C. Ruck (1887-1973), containing his manuscript annotations in Persian, Welsh and English, with letters from his widow concerning the bequest of the volume to Alun Oldfield-Davies, 1973-1974; and a notebook containing reminiscences in Welsh ('Stori fy mywyd') of the Reverend Jonathan Oldfield-Davies (1876-1960), Congregationalist minister and father of Alun Oldfield-Davies.

Correspondence and other papers, 1952-1990, of Morag Owen (née McLennan; later married name Bulbrook), relating to her friend the painter-poet David Jones, including eighteen letters and cards to her from Jones, 1952-1973 (ff. 1-15, 17-25), and one to her first husband Richard Owen, 28 July 1965 (f. 16), mostly concerning personal matters, Jones's health, Welsh grammar and placenames and the 'Old North'.
Four of the items are photographic reproductions of Jones's inscriptions, sent as Christmas, and other, cards (ff. 1, 3, 9-10); in three instances Jones has altered the photographs with the addition of further painted inscriptions (ff. 3, 9-10). A copy of the 1961 Faber Christmas card, designed by Jones, was sent by him as a ' Spring 1962' card (ff. 11-12; for a clean copy of the same card see ff. 39-40). Also included are letters to Morag from Barbara, [Countess of] Moray, 31 August 1977 (f. 26), Diana L. Austin, Oxford, April-May 1978 (ff. 27-31), and Thomas Dilworth, University of Windsor, Ontario, 1986-1990 (ff. 33-35), all concerning David Jones, as well as two draft inscriptions, presumably by Jones (ff. 36-37), a photograph of him, [1950x1970] (f. 38), a pencil drawing by Jones of a young woman in profile, [c. 1967] (f. 41), and press cuttings of three book reviews from The Times, 15 May 1978, p. 12 (f. 44), The Tablet, 3 June 1978, pp. 532-3 (ff. 45-46) and The Sunday Times, 18 June 1978, p. 40 (f. 47).

A letter, 26 October 1969, from the artist and poet David Jones, Harrow, to Ann Sidgwick of the Ganymed Press, London, giving permission to transfer the reproduction rights in Ganymed Press's facsimile of Jones's watercolour 'The Chapel in the Park' to a potential buyer (f. 6). Sidgwick's draft reply, 29 October 1969, is also included (f. 7).
The letter is written in reply to Sidgwick's of 29 September 1969 (now NLW, David Jones (Artist and Writer) Papers CT4/13, ff. 29-32).

An autograph letter, 27 May 1961, from the artist and poet David Jones, Harrow on the Hill, to Geoffrey Robinson, general editor at publishers Barrie & Rockliff, thanking him for the page proofs for his foreword (on pp. vii-ix) to R. W. Barber, Arthur of Albion: An Introduction to the Arthurian Literature and Legends of England (London: Barrie & Rockliff, 1961), and suggesting a very few minor emendations.

A letter, November 1954 (dated 'Calan Gaeaf MCMLIV' [1 November 1954] but completed at a later date), and decorated with a coloured inscription, from the artist and writer David Jones to the dramatist, poet and critic Saunders Lewis.
The letter contains personal news and refers to the Lewis's contribution to a radio broadcast about David Jones transmitted on the Welsh Home Service, 29 October 1954 (see NLW, Alun Oldfield-Davies Papers 27 for a copy of the script).

An autograph letter, 1955, from David Jones, artist and writer, enclosing proof corrections to his article 'History and pre-history' to be published in the literary magazine Dock Leaves.

A letter, dated 10-11 July 1967, from the artist and writer David Jones, Harrow, to the novelist [Anthony] Powell, mainly discussing Welsh genealogy and history. Jones also refers to the anniversary of his involvement in the battle of Mametz Wood, 10-11 July 1916, the subject of part 7 of his poem In Parenthesis (London, 1937) (f. 16 verso).
The letter contains references to the recent 'David Jones Special Issue' of Agenda, 5.1-3 (Spring-Summer 1967), Powell's television producer and director son Tristram, with whom Jones was acquainted, Kenneth Jackson, Saunders Lewis, and Jones's knowledge of Welsh (all f. 16), and the Eliseg Pillar inscription (f. 16 recto-verso).

Thirty-four letters from David Jones (1895-1974), artist and writer, to Petra Tegetmeier, 1930-1970, mostly 1930-1935, including letters from Egypt in 1934. Drawings on ff. 24, 35v, 36 and 54; inscriptions on ff. 28 ('Exsultet iam angelica turba ...') and 53 ('Gloria in excelsis ...').

A letter, 1 March 1972, from David Jones, artist and writer, to Alun R. Jones, Professor of English at UCNW, Bangor (f. 1), enclosing a typescript draft of sleeve notes, prepared by the latter, for a gramophone record entitled Poets of Wales: David Jones (Argo, 1972), with copious manuscript notes and corrections by David Jones (ff. 2-9).
David Jones' notes include comments on his poems 'A, a, a, Domine Deus' (ff. 1 verso, 5), 'The Sleeping Lord' (ff. 1 recto-verso) and 'The Tribune's Visitation' (ff. 6-7). Also included is a revised typescript draft of the sleeve notes (ff. 10-17).