Digitising Hedd Wyn’s Yr Arwr

As a fitting tribute to Hedd Wyn the National Library of Wales created a facsimile of the handwritten copy of ‘Yr Arwr’ which he sent from the village of Fléchin in northern France and which was written under the nom‑de‑ plume ‘Fleur‑de‑lis’ in July 1917. The manuscript includes the judges’ notes, comments and corrections at the edge of the pages.

Creating the facsimile was a combination of modern technology and traditional skills. After the Library’s digitisation staff created high-resolution images, the conservation team cut and finished the item, and recreated any damage, holes or creases to look exactly like the original. The facsimile travelled to schools across North Wales and Birkenhead.

The digitised copy can be viewed online: cymru1914.org

Left: Yr Arwr by Hedd Wyn, The National Library of Wales © The National Eisteddfod