A HOME KEPT ALIVE Nestled on the slopes of Cwm Prysor near Trawsfynydd at the heart of the Snowdonia National Park, Yr Ysgwrn is a peaceful memorial to a generation of young men lost during the First World War. A symbol of the futility of war and bearing the legacy of that generation of doomed youth, Yr Ysgwrn has become a beacon of hope for peace and goodwill, and represents one of the greatest stories of Welsh culture, that of Ellis Humphrey Evans, better known as Hedd Wyn, whose family farm and home it was. Hedd Wyn was killed on the first day of the Battle of Passchendaele in 1917, only a few weeks before it was announced that he had won his life’s ambition, and the highest accolade awarded to Welsh poets, the National Eisteddfod bardic chair, for his poem ‘Yr Arwr’ (‘The Hero’). He was 30. At the ceremony his empty chair was draped in a black cloth and has been known ever since as Y Gadair Ddu (The Black Chair). Kept at Yr Ysgwrn since 1917, Y Gadair Ddu is a symbol of the futility of war, symbolising empty chairs in homes throughout Wales following the First World War. His legacy has been safeguarded by Hedd Wyn’s family for over a century. In the years following his death, they provided a warm welcome to visitors keen to view Y Gadair Ddu and to experience life at the home and surroundings which inspired his poetry. Hedd Wyn’s nephews, Ellis and Gerald Williams made a solemn promise to their grandmother, the poet’s mother, that they would continue to keep the door open and in 2012, with the support of the Welsh Government and the National Heritage Memorial Fund, the Snowdonia National Park Authority (SNPA) became custodian of Yr Ysgwrn. The SNPA continues to work with Mr Gerald Williams to ensure that the site is conserved and sensitively restored for the benefit of future generations, whilst remaining a working farm. The £3.7m development at Yr Ysgwrn was supported by the Welsh Government and the National Heritage Memorial Fund and completed in time to commemorate the centenary of his death in July 2017.
A light-touch approach was adopted, in order to undertake the necessary renovation work and changes (such as installing water, conservation heating and electricity to the farmhouse) without undermining the intimacy of the setting and collection of family furniture and artefacts. The familiarity of the setting was vital: preserving the row of hats hung on the beams, the initials carved on the bellows and the books displayed in the hearth. These cherished details could be easily lost but hard to reinstate. Other spaces have been treated simply, in order to bring them back to life while maintaining the character and original fabric of the buildings. This approach has been balanced with the need to provide visitors with a first class visitor experience. The upstairs of the farmhouse and agricultural buildings have been treated as exhibition spaces and access for all is provided in all spaces. Yr Ysgwrn is now an Accredited museum and multi-award winning visitor attraction and has won national and international awards. Caring for Yr Ysgwrn has been the life’s work of Hedd Wyn’s family and it is our privilege to continue to keep the door open. Naomi Jones, Head of Cultural Heritage, Snowdonia National Park Authority Find out more: www.yrysgwrn.com ‘ It is a fascinating place to visit and very poignant. The staff were very knowledgeable and happy to answer questions. All very relaxed. Nothing was too much trouble. Brilliant.’ (Quote left on Tripadvisor)
Left: Yr Ysgwrn’s kitchen © Andrew Lee CYMRU’N COFIO WALES REMEMBERS 1914−1918 |
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