Yr Ysgwrn
Hidden within the beautiful landscape of Trawsfynydd, Yr Ysgwrn is one of Wales’ most moving historic homes. This traditional stone farmhouse is best known as the home of Hedd Wyn, the celebrated Welsh-language poet whose death during the First World War transformed him into a national symbol of loss, remembrance and Welsh cultural identity. Stepping into the farmhouse feels like travelling back in time. Much of the furniture, décor and atmosphere has been carefully preserved, allowing visitors to experience rural Welsh life as it was at the beginning of the twentieth century. The rooms reflect the everyday lives of the farming family who lived here, offering a genuine glimpse into the social and agricultural history of the period. The most famous object inside is the legendary Black Chair. This bardic chair was awarded posthumously to Hedd Wyn after he won the prestigious National Eisteddfod poetry competition in 1917. When news arrived that the poet had been killed during the Battle of Passchendaele, the ceremony became an occasion of national mourning. The chair was draped in black cloth and has remained one of the most powerful symbols in Welsh cultural history.
Trawsfynydd Wales
Yr Ysgwrn is a deeply poignant historic Welsh farmhouse and national heritage site famous as the home of Ellis Humphrey Evans, better known by his bardic name Hedd Wyn. The romantic 19th-century hill farm stands as a living symbol of Welsh language, culture, and the devastating human cost of the First World War. Hedd Wyn posthumously won the prestigious Bardic Chair at the 1917 National Eisteddfod just weeks after falling at the Battle of Passchendaele. The farmhouse is located at Yr Ysgwrn, Trawsfynydd, Blaenau Ffestiniog, Gwynedd, LL41 4UW, Wales, United Kingdom. It sits nestled in the countryside of Cwm Prysor within Eryri National Park, just east of the village of Trawsfynydd. Because of its central setting in Eryri National Park, visiting Yr Ysgwrn places you within easy reach of many surrounding historic and natural attractions. A short drive north brings you to the slate mining town of Blaenau Ffestiniog, home to the slate caverns at Llechwedd and the Ffestiniog Railway. Heading west toward the coast leads to the grand World Heritage fortress of Harlech Castle, while traveling south into the valley opens up visits to Castell y Bere, Plas Brondanw Gardens, and the Italianate coastal village of Portmeirion near Porthmadog.