Yr Ysgwrn
Preserving memory in North Wales
Tucked into the hills of Snowdonia, Yr Ysgwrn is a modest stone farmhouse that holds deep cultural and national significance. Once the home of the Welsh war poet Hedd Wyn, it is now a place of remembrance and cultural reflection. Our role was to protect its past and secure its future for generations of poetry-loving pilgrims.
A poetic legacy
Hedd Wyn, born Ellis Humphrey Evans, was a shepherd and poet whose life was cut short during WWI at Passchendaele in 1917. Shortly before his death, he submitted a poem to the National Eisteddfod and was posthumously awarded the bardic chair. This moment became a symbol of cultural and personal loss for Wales and contributed to his lasting legacy in Welsh cultural identity.
Yr Ysgwrn remained largely untouched for decades. The Evans family preserved the house as it had been during Hedd Wyn’s life -maintaining its original furnishings, manuscripts, and everyday objects, honouring his memory. The result was a time capsule, offering a direct connection to a lost voice and a rural Welsh way of life.
Care and conservation
The conservation and adaptation of Yr Ysgwrn was guided by sensitivity to its cultural significance. Rather than focusing on visual transformation, the project prioritised minimal intervention and emotional continuity.
Repairs to the farmhouse were carried out with great care, ensuring that surfaces, finishes, and original materials were retained wherever possible. Thousands of personal and historical items were catalogued, recorded, and reinstated in situ, preserving the setting in which they were used and experienced.
Hedd Wyn’s bardic chair – known as the Black Chair – takes pride of place in the parlour, where it was placed upon its return from the Eisteddfod.
Essential modern upgrades—including heating, lighting, and improved accessibility—were introduced discreetly, integrated in ways that did not disrupt the character of the building. The aim was to allow visitors to experience the house much as it was, rather than as a conventional museum exhibit.
To support public access, neighbouring farm buildings were adapted to house visitor amenities, audio-visual displays, and gallery facilities. These new additions were designed to be unobtrusive, providing interpretive and gathering spaces without detracting from the quiet atmosphere of the original site.
Continued relevance
Yr Ysgwrn is now recognised as a significant cultural site in Wales, with a role that extends beyond heritage. It provides a setting for learning and reflection – welcoming school groups, language learners, and visitors interested in poetry, history, and the impact of war.
The project has received national and international recognition, including the European Union Prize for Cultural Heritage. However, public response has been its most meaningful measure of success. Many visitors describe the experience in personal terms reflecting on loss, resilience, and the value of preserving cultural narratives.
Yr Ysgwrn remains a place of quiet importance. It reflects the power of language, the cost of conflict, and the continuing relevance of heritage in shaping our understanding of identity and place.
Details
- Client Snowdonia National Park Authority
- Team Bristol Studio
- Location Trawsfynydd, Snowdonia
- Country Wales
- Listing Status Grade II*
Awards
- Europe Nostra: International Award for Cultural Heritage Won 2019
- RSAW: Building of the Year Award Won 2018
- RSAW: Welsh Architecture of the Year Award Won 2018
- RSAW: Project Architect of the Year Won 2018
- RICS Wales: Building Conservation Won 2018
