Alfred Noyes CBE (16 September 1880 – 25 June 1958) was an English poet, short-story writer, and playwright, renowned for his lyrical and traditional verse. Born in Wolverhampton, England, Noyes moved with his family to Aberystwyth, Wales, where the coastal and mountainous landscapes inspired much of his early work. He attended Exeter College, Oxford, but left without a degree to publish his first poetry collection, "The Loom of Years" (1902), which garnered praise from literary figures like W.B. Yeats.

Noyes is best remembered for his ballads "The Highwayman" and "The Barrel-Organ," with "The Highwayman" voted the 15th favorite poem in a 1995 BBC poll. His work often reflected themes of patriotism and the sea, and he was influenced by Romantic poets such as Tennyson and Wordsworth. In addition to poetry, Noyes wrote plays, including "Sherwood," later revised as "Robin Hood."

From 1914 to 1923, Noyes taught English literature at Princeton University in the United States. His later works include the epic trilogy "The Torch-Bearers" (1922–1930), exploring the relationship between science and Christianity. Noyes converted to Catholicism in 1926 and continued to write on religious themes.

Noyes was married twice, first to Garnett Daniels, with whom he had three children, and later to Mary Angela Mayne, with whom he had three more children. He spent his later years on the Isle of Wight, where he passed away in 1958. Noyes left a legacy of approximately sixty books, including poetry, novels, and short stories, maintaining a classical literary style throughout his career.