Heritage centre plan for poet Hedd Wyn’s home on show

Yr Ysgwrn

Yr Ysgwrn was secured for the nation by Snowdonia National Park Authority in 2012

Plans to preserve the home of World War One poet Hedd Wyn and turn it into a heritage centre go on show on Saturday.

Yr Ysgwrn, near Trawsfynydd, Gwynedd, houses the bard’s National Eisteddfod chair, posthumously awarded at the annual Welsh cultural festival in 1917.

He died in action at Passchendaele, Belgium, six weeks before the festival.

Snowdonia National Park Authority said Yr Ysgwrn had inspired several of his most well-known poems. Work to restore the property begins this summer.

Hedd Wyn

Hedd Wyn died at the Battle of Passchendaele

Old building

One of the old buildings will be converted to include a reception, cafe and exhibition room

The park authority has received £2.8m in heritage lottery funding to safeguard the home and other buildings which belonged to Ellis Humphrey Evans, who wrote under the name Hedd Wyn.

Efforts to save Yr Ysgwrn, a Grade II* listed building, started after his nephew Gerald Williams raised concerns in 2009.

Project manager Sian Griffiths said: “What is vitally important is that we keep the atmosphere of Yr Ysgwrn.”

The plans include opening the farmhouse to the public, including the buttery, pantry and bedrooms with interpretation focusing on the life and work of Hedd Wyn.

And the Beudy Llwyd (an old cow house) will be converted to include a reception, cafe and an exhibition room.

Plans for Yr Ysgwrn

The whole building will be open to the public when the work is complete

Plans for Yr Ysgwrn

Project manager Sian Griffiths said it is important to “keep the atmosphere” of the buildings