Hedd Wyn

The Bard of the black chair Eisteddfod.

Born:

1887

Place of Birth:

Trawsfynydd

"Heavy weather, heavy soul, heavy heart. That is an uncomfortable Trinity, isn't it. I never saw a land more beautiful in spite of the curse that has landed upon it. The trees are as beautiful as the dreams of old kings". Hedd Wyn's description of Belgium Hedd Wyn

Biography:

The story of Hedd Wyn was brought to the world's attention by the 1992 Oscar-nominated film of his life.

Hedd Wyn was the bardic name of Ellis Humphrey Evans, a Trawsfynydd shepherd and gifted poet. Following success in local competitions and a second place for the chair in the National Eisteddfod at Aberystwyth, Ellis set his sights on the chair at the Birkenhead Eisteddfod of 1917. Such compositions take great flair and precision, as the poem must be written within the strict rules of the cynghanedd.

Meanwhile, as World War I continued, pressure was brought to bear on local farmers to send their sons to the battlefront, as only two were deemed necessary to help farm the land. As the oldest of the sons still at home, Ellis joined up, despite his misgivings about war and killing. He joined the 15th battalion of the Royal Welsh Fusiliers and was sent to serve on the Western Front.

Yet, despite the terrible conditions of the trenches and the scepticism of the English officers, he continued with his composition, this time submitting it under the bardic name Fleur-de-Lis. He drew upon his experiences of war to compose Yr Arwr (The Hero), which describes the realities of war for both the soldiers and their families back home.

Back in Birkenhead, as the judges called out the name of the victorious bard, there was silence in the auditorium. Hedd Wyn had been killed six weeks earlier on July 31, 1917, during the battle for Pilckem Ridge, Ypres. As the Western Mail reported: "Instead of the usual chairing ceremony the chair was draped in a black pall amidst death-like silence, and the bards came forward in long procession to place their muse-tribute of englyn or couplet on the draped chair in memory of the dead bard hero."

After the war, a petition was submitted to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, and it was granted that his grave in Belgium did not read simply E H Ellis, but Y Prifardd Hedd Wyn (The Principle Bard, Hedd Wyn). There is also a bronze statue of him dressed as a shepherd in the centre of Trawsfynydd, unveiled by his mother in 1923 and bearing an inscription which Hedd Wyn had written in memory of a friend who lost his life in the Trenches.

Ei aberth nid a heibio - ei wyneb Annwyl nid a'n ango Er i'r Almaen ystaenio Ei dwrn dur yn ei waed o (Neither his sacrifice nor his dear countenance are forgotten, though the Hun has stained his fist of steel in his blood).

your comments

Toby Rowland-Jones from Big Sur, California
What joy to find these comments! And what exquisite tears were brought to my eyes when I first found this film a number of years ago. A Welsh transplant to California thirty years ago, I hold Hiraeth close to my heart. And as a poet, though not in this traditional Welsh bardic style, I hold Evans' work in great esteem. Those interested in great poetry might also wish to read Robinson Jeffers' works.
Thu Dec 11 09:49:37 2008

Aldridge, Oxted, England
Hedd Wyn is my great grandad's cousin and I am very proud to be distantly related to him as he was such a remarkable and brave person. As well as a great poet.
Mon Nov 17 10:51:37 2008

Beryl Toal from Anglesey
I stood at Hedd Wyn's grave in Belgium two years ago. The cemetery where he lies is a very beatiful and peaceful place, well cared for. I felt it was an honour to just stay a while and thank God for the privilege to be able to say a small thank you for giving us the freedom we now have at their expense.
Fri Nov 7 09:18:43 2008

Emyr Hughes, Glan Conwy, Colwyn Bay
To visit Hedd Wyn's birthplace contact Gerald Williams (farmer and custodian of Hedd Wyn's home), Yr Ysgwm, Trawsfynydd, Gwynedd, LL41 4UW. I called there recently with a small group of people and found being in Mr Williams' company hearing all about the history and times of the family was an experience in itself.
Tue Oct 14 14:57:24 2008

Morris Owen
Hedd Wyns mother was my great grandfathers Sister and my great granddad had the same name as myself. I have his snuff box with his name and address thereon which has been handed down in the family.
Wed May 21 10:51:29 2008

kelsey williams, wrexham
ellis-hedd wyn is a gr8 uncle of mine and sounds like he had a big family, and was really shocked wen i found out i was related to him! i go quite regularly to see uncle Gerald whos is still there of course, and sat on many of ellis' well worn chairs!
Fri Apr 11 09:23:59 2008

P. Humphreys, Dolgellau
to I Hughes of ruthin: The use of the word "Hun" is actually correct in the context of the translation. The german army at that time was known as "the hun", and the verse is aimed at the german army really isn't it.
Tue Dec 4 09:39:44 2007

Haydyn Williams, Edinburgh
For those interested, the film is now available on DVD, Cob Records list it on their site, as do, I think, Amazon. So it should be possible to get a copy.
Fri Nov 9 09:09:12 2007

I. Hughes, Rhuthun
The translation of the englyn is incorrect. "Yr Almaen" means "Germany", but here probably "Germans" - and certainly not the rather unfortunate "Hun" used here.
Wed Aug 1 10:02:41 2007

Winifred Sarah Roberts nee Jones (Sally)
My father William Edmund Jones of 1 Penmawr Traws, was Hedd wyn's 1st cousin and they grew up together as young boys. My nain Winifred Sarah was his Auntie. My late uncle Evan Gordon Jones is buried in the cemetery in Traws. All the family have visited the family house in Traws.
Tue May 29 09:45:42 2007

Bev Owen from Llandudno Junction, North Wales
My daughter is studying Hedd Wynn, and it was lovely to tell her we are distantly related to him. My great great grandfather, Evan, was the brother to David. David's daughter Mary was Hedd Wynn's mother. Evan was his great uncle. My daughter is so interested in Hedd Wynn and I look forward to taking her to Trawsfynydd in the near future.
Thu Feb 1 09:23:07 2007

Sharon Morris, Blaenau Ffestiniog
My Grandfather Brian Morris is a nephew to Hedd Wyn, his mother Enid Morris was a sister to Hedd Wyn. I have a picture of Enid Morris who is my greatgrandmother and is my father's gran holding me and my brother Marc on the chair near the fireplace. We as a family were invited to the premiere of the Hedd Wyn film at Theatr Ardudwy, Harlech. My father goes to Ysgwrn mostly every week to see Uncle Gerald and to gather sheep with his dog Roy.
Thu Jan 25 09:22:32 2007

Katie Last From Brighton
Can anyone could help with a family mystery. We discovered a postcard with the picture of Hedd Wyn on it, on the back of the card in my Grandmother's writing was written 'my cousin'. we have been trying to trace the connection. my Grandmother was Jenny Hughes born in 1922 in South Wales, her father Evan Hughes born in 1895/96 in Trawsfynydd, his Father Edwin Hughes was born in Penmachno in 1867, his mother was Jane Roberts born in Trawsfynydd in 1866 remarried to become Jones.
Wed Jan 3 14:07:55 2007

don jones fochriw
with my wife eileen,and ,laurence,irene , we spent a majical hour with gerald who is also a hero safegaurding hedd wyns heritage.his history of the evans family and farm told to us sat on bardic chairs will be cherished .gerald has kept his promise to his grandmother to open and maintain the farm with hedd wyns bardic chairs on view.
Thu Nov 30 09:26:20 2006

Gemma, Penybont
I'm studying Hedd Wyn in school and found this very useful..I went to Ypes 2 years ago and saw Hedd Wyn's grave but I didn't really understand what a hero he was until now. It's so sad that he never knew he won the chair. Learning about Hedd Wyn should make anyone proud to be Welsh.
Wed Sep 20 09:43:59 2006

Felicity Williams
My Nain was Hedd Wyn's sister and I remember having to paint the windows of Yr Ysgrwrn, Hedd Wyn's home when the film was being made. We also had to put tea on the walls of the porch with sponges to make it look old. It was good to see how realistic all the props looked. My great grandmother always kept the kitchen as it was in the days of my great uncle and my uncle to this day has not changed it either. It never seemed strange cooking on the fire and lighting oil lamps in the evenings. It is a bit cold in the winter with no heating but cool in the summer. I've had many tea cakes cooked on a skewer held over the flame. When the film was made they used an old farm nearby to reconstruct an identical kitchen as filming inside was too intrusive. They did however film in the chair room though were not allowed to take the black chair out so the last scene with the chair coming up the drive is actually a wooden frame. The casting was excellent especially Taid Ysgwrn who wa! s Hedd Wyn's father. He looked very much like my great grandfather. My grandmother didn't resemble in looks the actress who played her but all the characters personalities were I think portrayed quite acurately. I liked the film and am glad it was made, my only reservation is that to me they put too much emphasis on Ellis' love life but I suppose it was spiced up to make it a bit more interesting for the audience. Someone commented earlier on the fact that there weren't English translations for the poems. There are a few, but not very many. Translating them to portray the exact same meaning would be nigh on impossible and probably subject to the translators own interpretation which would then make it someone else's work and take away the real sense of what Hedd Wyn was conveying with his words.
Tue Aug 8 10:29:25 2006

George Cairns
I was shocked the moment I heard that I was related to this statue! I was in Trawsfyndd at the time and we immediatly went up to Ysgwrn to talk to Uncle Gerald who is still at Ysgwrn today. I am a relative of Alfie James Cairns and I am also Hedd Wyn's great great nephew. I'm seriously not lying, and I would like to meet anyone else that I don't know is related to Hedd Wyn
Tue Aug 8 10:23:34 2006

Alfie James Cairns
Hedd Wyn is my Great Great Uncle and he died in World war one by the German Amry and he was born in 1887 and that was before world war one. My Family miss him as he died in 1917 and he only died when he was 37 i Think From Alfie
Fri Aug 4 13:30:46 2006

Janet Hamilton Jacobs, Cambridgeshire
A first cousin of my maternal nain, Hedd Wyn was never forgotten in our household as I grew up. My mother as a small girl in 1923 attended the unveiling of his statue with her mother and older brother Glyn. She often spoke about it and said that they stayed at "Tyn-Rhyddyn" (I apologise for the most probable mis-spelling). A very interesting site.
Mon Jun 5 11:45:08 2006

Iris Pain
My father, William Jones, was brought up on a farm called Tyn Llyn in Trawsfynydd (his father was also named William Jones) and said he was a child at the same time as Hedd Wyn and played with him on the mountains. He said he was a second cousin to him.

My father was in the 1st World War which he said was horrendous as they had to fight hand-to-hand with bayonets. He managed to survive that and went to South Wales to work in the mines. He was also a survivor of a dreadful mining disaster in Senghenydd - I think that was in the early 1900s.

My father was very proud of the poetry I was encouraged to write as a child. I understand why now, as poetry in Trawsfynydd was very prized. Not that I can remember any of it! He gave me a handwritten poem that he said was written by Hedd Wyn about women's bloomers, but I'm afraid I cannot remember what happened to it, as I was very young at the time. I think Hedd Wyn must have had a very good sense of humour.

When I went on a visit a few years ago to find the graves of my grandparents in Trawsfynydd, I asked a man in the village where I could find them. I said the name of my grandfather was William Jones and he said many men in the area had the same name, so it would be a bit difficult - in fact he had the same name himself!

I wish I'd asked my father about all the people from Trawsfynydd who moved to America many years ago. I remember seeing a very old postcard sent by someone who had just arrived in America. I should imagine there are many people there whose ancestors can be traced to Trawsfynydd.
Tue Sep 13 15:36:48 2005

Stefan Zimmer, Bonn
Nice article on the famous young poet. Please correct the translation of the memorial poem by his friend who speaks of "yr Almaen" which means "Germany", probably in the sense of "Germans" or "German soldiers" - this is not the strongly derogatory English "Hun". Byddai Hedd Wyn ei hunain ddim yn siarad am y milwyr tlawd fel hyn, rwy'n siwr. Cynharwch ei eiriau yn y ffilm yn enwedig. Diolch yn fawr iawn.
Thu Oct 21 21:55:08 2004

R. Evans, Omaha Nebraska USA
I noticed a minor error in this article. "Fleur-de-Lis" was the pen name (ffugenw) Ellis Evans used to submit his work, YR ARWR. Hedd Wyn was his bardic name. That aside, a splendid tribute to a wonderful poet in a troubled time.
Sun Oct 10 01:49:50 2004

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