Rev John Parker (1798-1860), an artist and antiquary, is now an almost forgotten traveller in north Wales; his visits to Snowdonia began as a schoolboy and continued until shortly before he died.

A book called The Glories and the Wildness of North Wales, Exploring North Wales 1810-1860 with the Reverend John Parker by Edward Parry is based on the large collection of his paintings, drawings and journals held at the National Library of Wales in Aberystwyth, an astonishing body of work, produced over several decades.

Rev Parker held the living of two parishes either side of the Welsh border, first at Llanmerewig near Newtown and later at Llanyblodwel; he made dramatic changes to both churches which are described in his original paintings.

The book, an introduction to his life and travels, examines his achievements as a landscape artist and a recorder of the architecture and furnishings of churches, castles and country houses.

His meticulous records of churches show the buildings before Victorian restorers altered them so drastically.

Topographically and architecturally accurate, his watercolours and pencil drawings are of immense cultural value.

He is, the author argues, unduly neglected and deserves to be considered among the most gifted of the many artists who recorded the landscape of Snowdonia.

The Glories and the Wildness of North Wales, Exploring North Wales 1810-1860 with the Reverend John Parker is lavishly illustrated with his paintings and drawings and introduces Rev Parker to the wider audience which he deserves.

Published by Gwasg Carreg Gwalch, The Glories and the Wildness of North Wales, Exploring North Wales 1810-1860 with the Reverend John Parker is out now.