The Hidden Gold Of The Library
In the Hengwrt room that you have to go hunting for within LLyfrgell Genedlaethol Cymru (National Library Of Wales) are the oldest items the library has on display, and it's a delight.
Left top large: Poem manuscript by Dylan Thomas, 1939
Considered to be one of the greatest Welsh poets of all time, Dylan Thomas (1914-1953) is largely known for his imaginative use of language and vivid imagery in his poems. His most famous works include the poem 'Do not go gentle into that good night' and the play for voices 'Under Milk Wood'. Here is a manuscript draft of 'Poem on his Birthday', which was written to mark his thirty-fifth birthday. Dylan often made wordlists to help him write poetry and these provide an insight into his meticulous methods.Casgliad Jeff Towns (Dylan Thomas) Collection, E1/2/6
Right top small: Geographia map of Wales printed by Johann Reger, late fifteenth century
This is the oldest surviving geographical record of Wales and is taken from Geographia, a treatise on cartography originally written in the second century by the Greek geographer, Claudius Ptolemy. It is one of the earliest printed maps of the British Isles, and is the oldest item in the Library's map collection. No original copies of the work survive from the Roman period, only later versions exist, including this printed version by Johann Reger, who was active in the late fifteenth century.
Right middle small: Darluniad y Ddaear engraved by Richard Palmer, 1677
Darluniad y Ddaear (An Illustration of the World), is a map of two hemispheres printed in 1677 as part of the third edition of Y Fydd Ddi-ffuant, a history of Christianity by Charles Edwards. The map was engraved by Richard Palmer and is unique in that it was the very first map to be printed entirely in the Welsh language.
Right bottom small: Map of Wales, Abraham Ortelius, 1573
This is a later edition of the map of Wales from the plate produced by Abraham Ortelius for publication in the Additamentum to the Theatrum Orbis Terrarum in 1573. This was the first printed map to show Wales as a country, and despite its inaccuracies it continued to be republished for the next 150 years. One interesting feature of the map is the use of Latin, English and Welsh, some place names being shown in all three languages.
Left bottom large: Map of Welsh counties, published by John Speed, 1610
John Speed was an English historian and renowned cartographer. He published his Theatre of the Empire of Great Britain, the earliest English attempt at producing an atlas on a large scale. The second of this work's four volumes included a map of Wales along with individual maps of the 13 Welsh counties. Speed's 'Theatre' was extremely successful and its maps became the basis for folio atlases produced up to the mid-eighteenth century.
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4
Day 5
Days 6 & 7
Llyfrgell Genedlaethol Cymru, Aberystwyth - Devil's Bridge - Pentre Ifan “Burial Chamber” - St Davids Cathedral - Solva & roads - Usk - HOME!
.jpeg)
Comments
Post a Comment