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67-657: The Royal South Street Eisteddfod , also known as The Grand National Eisteddfod of Australasia , is held annually in Ballarat , Australia and is administered by the Royal South Street Society. It began as a debating competition run by the South Street Society in 1891 and attained "Royal" status in 1962. It soon grew and now includes public speaking, acting, singing, music, dance and calisthenics. The Aria section, "competition for The Sun trophy, representing

134-621: A 1575 "Report on Wales" that reveals an additional reason for the decree. During the Queen's ongoing religious persecution of the Catholic Church in England and Wales , many Welsh Pencerddau ('head bards') were, according to the report, acting as the secret emissaries of Recusants in the Welsh nobility and were helping those nobles spread the news about secret Catholic masses and pilgrimages . This

201-661: A day, in sight and hearing of lords and commons and in the face of the sun, the eye of light, be it known that a Gorsedd and Eisteddfod will be held at the town of ----, where protections will be afforded to all who seek privilege, dignity, and license in Poetry and Minstrelsy... And thither shall come the Archdruid and the Gorsedd and others, Bards and Licensiates of the Privilege and Robe of the Bards of

268-478: A fairly pragmatic tolerance of public views and social styles. Though its competitions are confined solely to the Welsh language, and even though many Welsh-speaking writers and musicians prefer to have nothing to do with it, still it remains the Chief public expression of the Welsh culture's continued existence, the one occasion when a stranger can realize that the language is still creative, the traditions are not lost, and

335-530: A limited number of surnames, and many people can share even the full name, so it was common practice to add a nickname to distinguish between people with similar names. For some people, this might be a reference to their occupation within the village, but for those with a literary reputation, whose name would be known across the land, it was common practice to take, or be awarded, a sobriquet . For example, John Jones (Talhaiarn) took his bardic name from his place of origin, to distinguish him from contemporaries with

402-405: A means of heightening an awareness of language and literature as humanizing forces which no society can neglect with impunity is not too large a claim to make for it." Also according to Morris, "literature is the first Welsh glory, poetry its apotheosis , and the company of poets is the nobility of this nation." According to Edwards, there is a legend that the first eisteddfod took place at

469-480: A medieval testing-ground-cum-house of correction for professional Bards and Minstrels into a popular festival which annually highlights the literary scene with the aid of the Gorsedd. Lectures and discussions in Y Babell Lên , followed by reviews of the Cyfansoddiadau a Beirniadaethau in a variety of publications help to encourage a deeper and more abiding interest in Welsh literature. That 'The National' acts as

536-542: A noble household. Some of these medieval poets were known by a pseudonym, for example Cynddelw Brydydd Mawr ('Cynddelw the Master Poet'), fl. 1155–1200 and Iolo Goch ('Iolo the Red'), c. 1320 – c. 1398. The practice seems to have very ancient antecedents, as in the names of the presumably 6th century poets Talhaearn Tad Awen , Blwchfardd and Culfardd , mentioned by the Welsh historian Nennius alongside Taliesin and Aneirin ,

603-620: A prize of 23 guineas for an aria from Grand Opera, to be sung in English", was sponsored by The Sun News-Pictorial , a Melbourne newspaper, from 1924, and continued independently as the Melbourne Sun Aria . Since 1965 it has been held in Her Majesty's Theatre , Ballarat, Australia's oldest continually operating theatre. Situated on Lydiard Street, it was earlier known as the Academy of Music, and

670-662: A satirical Cywydd composed in Wrexham Gaol following the assassination of Dutch Revolt leader William the Silent by Balthasar Gérard , were discovered and published. Similar Welsh poetry in strict metre survives from other Recusant Bards of the era, such as Robert Gwin , Catrin ferch Gruffudd ap Hywel , and Gruffydd Robert . Despite their battles similar to his own against government censorship, Sir Philip Sidney , in An Apology for Poetry , expressed both admiration for and evny of

737-435: A series of Eisteddfodau'r Almaciau , so called because they were widely advertised in the cheap almanacs that were widely available. The englynion and cywyddau composed for these events "owe more to the beery atmosphere at which they were composed than to genuine inspiration and craft." In 1734, Siôn Rhydderch organized an eisteddfod adjudicated by a panel of 12 judges at Dolgellau , but upon his arrival there

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804-403: A similarly predetermined title. According to Morris, "When Welsh poets speak of free verse , they mean forms like the sonnet or the ode , which obey the same rules as English poesy . Strict Metres verse still honours the immensely complex rules laid down for correct poetic composition 600 years ago." During these ceremonies, according to Morris, "the whole assembly seems to turn towards

871-592: A work of art, and the subjects of poetry were formalized, consisting at least until the fourteenth century mainly of eulogies and elegies. Musicians were restricted by intricate rules of composition. Poets were governed by the Twenty-Four Strict Metres of the classical Welsh tradition. Among the Cymry Cymraeg the Metres still prevail." According to Hywel Teifi Edwards, "The Eisteddfod, then, has evolved from

938-573: Is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . This article about Australian culture is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Eisteddfod In Welsh culture , an eisteddfod is an institution and festival with several ranked competitions, including in poetry and music. The term eisteddfod , which is formed from the Welsh morphemes : eistedd , meaning 'sit', and fod , meaning 'be', means, according to Hywel Teifi Edwards , "sitting-together." Edwards further defines

1005-503: Is annually awarded in three categories; Fine Art, Architecture, and Craft and Design. Furthermore, the National Eisteddfod's open exhibition of art and craft, Y Lle Celf ('The Art Space') is one of the highlights of the calendar for Welsh artists. According to Jan Morris, "Welsh creativity is unusually disciplined, for since the earliest times the Welsh artistic tradition has been governed by codes and conventions – perhaps since

1072-427: Is not more notable in the soon beginning, then in long continuing." Likely due to the continued existence of Recusant Bards, the 1567 and 1568 Caerwys eisteddfodau were patronized by the Queen, so that, "all or every person or persons that intend to maintain their living by name or colour of Minstrelsy, rhymers, or bards... shall.. shew their learning thereby", and overseen by the officials of her Council of Wales and

1139-572: Is rather like a military encampment. All its tents and pavilions are erected around a big central space, the Maes , or Field, which is usually scuffed and slippery with mud by the end of the week." Morris continues, "Most institutions of modern Wales are represented on the Maes , Gas Board to University of Wales Press, the genteel Society for the Protection of Rural Wales to the fiery Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg

1206-515: Is seated upon the Chair which is itself his prize, and he is proclaimed a champion: not because he won a war or a football game or even an election, but because he is judged by wise men of his nation to have composed a worthy cywydd concerning the nature of clouds." To win the chair or the crown competitions, particularly at the National Eisteddfod of Wales, grants even previously unknown poets and writers enormous publicity and prestige. The winner of

1273-463: Is the winner, but he pretends a proper astonishment anyway, and is raised faintly resisting to his feet, and out to the aisle, and away up to the platform escorted by Druids. The organ blazes a grand march, the gathering rises to its feet, the cameras whirr, and the bard is throned upon his Bardic throne, attended by elves and trumpeters and druids, in a haze of medallions, oaken wands, gleaming accoutrements and banners talismanically inscribed. Gently he

1340-510: The Pabell Lên , the Literary Tent, poets mutter couplets to themselves, or exchange bitter Bardic complaints." However, the most important events at any eisteddfod are the chairing of the bard who has written the best awdl , or poem in strict meter , based on a title chosen by the judges, and the crowning of the bard who has written the best pryddest , or poem in free verse , with

1407-576: The Druidic influences and the demonstrably fictitious nature of Iolo Morganwg's doctrines, rituals, and ceremonies, both the Gorsedd and the eisteddfod revival were embraced and spread widely by Anglican and nonconformist clergy. The revival therefore proved enormously successful and is credited as one of the primary reasons for the continued survival of the Welsh language , Welsh literature , and Welsh culture after more than eight centuries of colonialism. During his two 20th-century terms as Archdruid of

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1474-579: The Dublin -born King of Gwynedd from the House of Aberffraw and the descendant of Rhodri Mawr , Sigtrygg Silkbeard , and Brian Boru , not only reformed the Welsh bardic schools to accord with those that trained the Irish language bards, but also served as patron to an eisteddfod at Caerwys during his reign. The first documented eisteddfod was hosted by Rhys ap Gruffydd , the grandson of Gruffudd ap Cynan through

1541-605: The Gorsedd Cymru , Albert Evans-Jones , whose bardic name was Cynan and who was a war poet and minister of the Presbyterian Church of Wales , created new rituals for both the Gorsedd and the eisteddfod which are based upon the Christian beliefs of the Welsh people rather than upon Modern Druidry . After watching the initiation of Rowan Williams into the Gorsedd at the 2002 National Eisteddfod, Marcus Tanner wrote that

1608-508: The Hebrew and Greek original Bibles, while also consulting the English Bishops ' and Geneva translations. Y Beibl cyssegr-lan , as it was called, also included original translations as well as adaptations of William Salesbury 's Welsh New Testament . No other book in the Welsh language has been anywhere near as influential in linguistic or literary terms. Bishop Morgan skillfully moulded

1675-573: The Middle Welsh literary language of the medieval bards ( Yr Heniaith , or 'the old language') into the Elizabethan-era Cymraeg Llenyddol ('literary Welsh') still in use today. Even though there is a major difference between Cymraeg Llenyddol and all 21st century spoken dialects of the Welsh language, eisteddfod submissions are still required to be composed in the literary language of Bishop Morgan's Bible, which remains

1742-1063: The Puy of France, the Meistersingers of the Holy Roman Empire , or the Rederijkerskamers of the Netherlands , all of which also organized eisteddfod-like contests between poets on patronal feast days of the Roman Catholic liturgical year . The Lord Rhys, Turvey suggested, may have learned about the Puy tradition from the Cambro-Normans in the Welsh Marches or from Welsh mercenary soldiers returning from France. When asked about Turvey's theory, recognized eisteddfod historian Hywel Teifi Edwards said, "It's conjecture, but there's no doubt that there

1809-625: The Welsh Language Society . There are shops selling harps , and comic stickers, and Lol the lewd and racy student magazine, and pottery, and evangelical tracts, and lots and lots of books." Also according to Morris, "the Eisteddfod is essentially competitive: there are competitions for penillion , and englynion , and male voice choirs, and poems in strict meter , and poems in free metre , and essays, and translations, and plays, and short stories." Also, according to Morris, "outside

1876-733: The established church and reciting, "certain rhymes of his own making against married priests and ministers." Gwyn was found guilty and condemned to death by hanging, drawing and quartering . The sentence was carried out in the Beast Market in Wrexham on 15 October 1584. Just before Gwyn was hanged he turned to the crowd and said, "I have been a jesting fellow, and if I have offended any that way, or by my songs, I beseech them for God's sake to forgive me." The hangman pulled at Gwyn's leg irons hoping to put him out of his pain. When he appeared dead they cut him down, but he revived and remained conscious through

1943-400: The 1450 Carmarthen eisteddfod and was widely adopted by bards throughout Wales. The consequence of Dafydd's reforms was that greater emphasis was placed by the bardic elite upon adhering to the stricter metres rather than to the theme or content of their poetry. Until this time, the training of Welsh poets had always been a secret, with the craft handed down from teacher to apprentice, but, as

2010-433: The 1700s, the award of an armchair immediately changed the social class of a winning bard. In 1701, an eisteddfod was held at Machynlleth in order, "To begin to renew the eisteddfod of bards (as they were in olden times), to reprimand false cynghanedd , to explain the difficult things, and to confirm what is correct in the art of poetry in the Welsh language." The 1701 eisteddfod was followed, according to Edwards, by

2077-559: The Crown, who had alleged that those whom they considered genuine bards were, "much discouraged to travail in the exercise and practice of their knowledge and also not a little hindered in their living and preferments." Unlicensed bards, according to Hywel Teifi Edwards, "would be put to some honest work." Although Edwards has compared the unlicensed bards of the era with, "today's abusers of the Social security system," historian Philip Caraman quotes

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2144-600: The Druids, relying as they did entirely upon their memories, drew up rules of composition to make it easier for themselves. In the Wales of the Independence the Bards and Harpers were institutionalized, with their own allotted places in society, their established functions to perform. They regarded poetry and music as professions, for the practice of which one must qualify, like a lawyer or a doctor. There were agreed measurements of value for

2211-554: The Grand Pavilion, claimed to be the largest movable structure in the world. Multitudes jam its doors then, as cameras swing about its gantries, and the worthies of the Gorsedd of the Isle of Britain, robed in green, white, and blue, are unloaded from buses at its entrance." Before the Archdruid of the Gorsedd reveals the identity of the winning poet, the Corn Gwlad (a trumpet) blares to

2278-451: The Isle of Britain, there to hold judgment of Chair and Gorsedd on Music and Poetry concerning the muse , conduct, and learning of all that may come to seek the National Eisteddfod honours, according to the privilege and customs of the Gorsedd of Bards of the Isle of Britain: According to Jan Morris , "The Eisteddfod Genedlaethol flourishes as never before, having matured from cranky antiquarianism through rigid chapel respectability to

2345-537: The Marches . By royal decree, only Welsh bards licensed by the officials of the Queen were permitted to compete. At the eisteddfod held in Caerwys in 1568, the prizes awarded were a miniature silver chair to the winning poet, a little silver crwth to the winning fiddler, a silver tongue to the best singer, and a tiny silver harp to the best harpist. The chief chaired bard of the event was Robert Davies (from Nant-glyn ) and

2412-517: The Silver Chair. Dafydd ab Edmwnd's cywydd exemplified the 24 strict metres of Welsh poetry , previously codified by Einion Offeiriad and Dafydd Ddu o Hiraddug , as Dafydd ab Edmwnd had personally reformed them. He deleted two metres and replaced them with the more complicated Gorchest y Beirdd and the Cadwynfyr . The reform of the 24 metres presented by Dafydd was formally accepted at

2479-451: The Statute further stated that a true bard must never write satirical poetry and codified the rules of praise poetry at a time when the Welsh bardic tradition of was increasingly under threat and, "demanded that the bard celebrate in elevated language the orderliness of a God-centered world." Queen Elizabeth I of England commanded that Welsh bards be examined and licensed by officials of

2546-470: The Welsh culture." In some other countries, the term eisteddfod is used for performing arts competitions that have nothing to do with Welsh culture or the Welsh language. In other cases, however, the eisteddfod tradition has been adapted into other cultures as part of the ongoing fight to preserve endangered languages such as Irish , Cornish , Breton , Scottish Gaelic , Canadian Gaelic , Guernésiais , and Jèrriais . As decreed by Iolo Morganwg during

2613-455: The assembly replies, " Heddwch " ('Peace'). The Great Sword is then driven fully back into its sheath, and is never drawn again until the next eisteddfod the following year. "Green clad elves come dancing in", escorting a young local married woman, who presents the Horn of Plenty to the Archdruid and urges him to drink of the 'wine of welcome'. A young girl presents him with a basket of 'flowers from

2680-546: The bardic chair and crown at the National Eisteddfod both receive the lifelong title prifardd ('chief-bard'). For the same poet to win both the chair and the crown at the same eisteddfod is almost unheard of, but Alan Llwyd and Donald Evans have both succeeded at doing so twice. According to Hywel Teifi Edwards , the ceremony of presenting the Prose Medal  [ cy ] , which has been awarded since 1937, has progressively grown in importance, "but still trails far in

2747-634: The bardic schools, and the Anglicization of the Welsh nobility , it fell into abeyance. The current format owes much to an 18th-century revival, first patronized and overseen by the London-based Gwyneddigion Society . It was later co-opted by the Gorsedd Cymru , a secret society of poets, writers, and musicians founded by Iolo Morganwg , whose beliefs were "a compound of Christianity and Druidism, Philosophy and Mysticism." Despite

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2814-434: The bards "were the leading upholders of the belief that a hierarchical social structure, 'the heritage and tradition of an ancient aristocracy', were the necessary precondition of civilized life and that there were deep philosophical roots to this belief." The next eisteddfod that is historically documented is the 1451 Carmarthen eisteddfod. In 1523, an eisteddfod was held at Caerwys under King Henry VIII 's charter and

2881-484: The disembowelling, until his head was severed. His last words, in Welsh, were reportedly " Iesu, trugarha wrthyf " ('Jesus, have mercy on me'). Richard Gwyn was canonised by Pope Paul VI in 1970 as one of the Forty Martyrs of England and Wales . His feast day is celebrated on 17 October. Following Catholic Emancipation in 1829, six works of Christian poetry in the Welsh language by Richard Gwyn, five carols and

2948-473: The earliest form of the eisteddfod as a competitive meeting between bards and minstrels , in which the winner was chosen by a noble or royal patron. The first documented instance of such a literary festival and competition took place under the patronage of Prince Rhys ap Gruffudd of the House of Dinefwr at Cardigan Castle in 1176. However, with the Edwardian Conquest of Wales , the closing of

3015-632: The east, west, north, and south to symbolically call the people together from the four corners of Wales. The Gorsedd Prayer is then recited. Flanked by his fellow members of the Gorsedd in ceremonial Neo-Druidic robes, as well as the Herald, the Recorder, and the Swordbearer, the Archdruid partially withdraws the Great Sword from its sheath three times, and asks, " A oes heddwch ?" ('Is there peace?'), to which

3082-543: The eisteddfod the Cadair Arian ('Silver Chair'), which is said to have been fashioned by Gruffudd ap Nicolas himself, was won by a cywydd in honour of the Holy Trinity composed by Dafydd ab Edmwnd , a Welsh poet who did not depend on noble patronage, from Hanmer , Flintshire. Welsh poet and Roman Catholic priest Llawdden , however, accused Gruffudd ap Nicolas of accepting a bribe from Dafydd ab Edmwnd in return for

3149-529: The foundation upon which all subsequent Welsh literature has been built. According to Marcus Tanner, Queen Elizabeth I's experiment at royal patronage of the eisteddfod did not catch on and, as the 16th and 17th centuries progressed, the Welsh nobility became increasingly Anglicized and ceased to grant employment or hospitality to Welsh-language poets. Although eisteddfodau continued, the gatherings became more informal; Welsh poets would often meet in taverns, cemeteries, or inns to have "assemblies of rhymers". But

3216-482: The interest of the Welsh people dwindled to such a point that the eisteddfod held at Glamorgan in 1620 attracted an audience of only four people. The winners, however, continued to receive a chair, which was a highly prized award because of its perceived social status. Throughout the medieval period, high-backed chairs with arm rests were reserved for royalty and high-status leaders in military, religious, or political affairs. As most ordinary people sat on stools until

3283-413: The land and soil of Wales' and a floral dance is performed, based on a pattern of flower gathering from the fields. According to Morris, "Harps play. Children sing. The tension mounts, for nobody in that immense audience yet knows who is to be the recipient of all this honour. The winning poet is somewhere among them, but first he must be found." The Archdruid then asks one of the judges to comment on

3350-762: The last referred to as Aneurin Gwenithwawd ('Aneurin of the Corn Poetry'). The revival of bardic names became something of a conceit following the reinvention of medieval tradition by Iolo Morganwg in the 18th century. The usage has also extended to Breton and Cornish poetry. In Cornwall, some of the pioneers of the Cornish language movement are referred to by their bardic names, e.g., "Mordon" for Robert Morton Nance , and "Talek" for E. G. Retallack Hooper . Many surnames in Wales derive from patronymics rather than, for instance, places of origin. Many people therefore share

3417-465: The late 18th century, each eisteddfod is proclaimed a year and a day prior to its opening day, by a herald from the Gorsedd Cymru . The proclamation is to read as follows, "When the year of Our Lord ----, and the period of the Gorsedd of the Bards of Britain within the summer solstice , after summons and invitation to all to all of Wales through the Gorsedd Trumpet, under warning of a year and

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3484-489: The loyalty of the Welsh to their origins is not dissipated. Honorary membership in the Gorsedd is still the only honour the Welsh nation can bestow upon its sons and daughters, and in a key and of back-handed symbolism, the British Government 's Secretary of State for Wales is generally invited to open the festival's proceedings (generally having to learn a few words of Welsh in order to do so). The Eisteddfod in full fig

3551-460: The maternal line and monarch of Deheubarth through his paternal descent from the House of Dinefwr , at Cardigan Castle on Christmas Day, 1176. According to Hywel Teifi Edwards, what few details are recorded of the event in the Brut y Tywysogion , "encourage the view that it could not have been the first of its kind." Rhys awarded two chairs as prizes, one for the winner of the poetry competition and

3618-415: The monks and abbots of monasteries such as Strata Florida and Valle Crucis Abbey for both hospitality and patronage in return for praise poetry . Davies adds, however, that, "in a notable article", Welsh nationalist and traditional Catholic writer Saunders Lewis argued that the Welsh bards of the era, "were expressing in their poetry a love for a stable, deep-rooted civilization." Lewis added that

3685-691: The other for music. The bardic chair went to a poet from Gwynedd , while the musical chair went to the son of Eilon the Crythwr, a member of Rhys's court. Armchairs were a valuable asset, normally reserved for people of high status. In 2007, Welsh historian Roger Turvey, writing of Dinefwr Castle , suggested that The Lord Rhys' idea for a competitive festival of music and poetry at Cardigan Castle may have been inspired by similar contests in other parts of Catholic Europe . In those other countries, aspiring poets were trained through apprenticeship to master craftsmen or by attending schools run by poets' guilds such as

3752-400: The poetry of the professional bards became increasingly incomprehensible, less complex and more popularly oriented works of Welsh poetry began to be composed by bards with humbler origins and less formal training. According to John Davies , a team of researchers led by Dafydd Bowen has demonstrated that the Welsh bards of the 15th century were completely dependent upon the Welsh nobility and

3819-636: The prestige that poets enjoyed in Welsh culture , which he contrasted with what he described as the Elizabethan era tendency in English culture to treat poets as unwanted stepchildren, "In Wales, the true remnant of the ancient Brittons, as there are good authorities to show, the long time they had poets which they called Bards: so through all the conquests of Romans , Saxons , Danes , and Normans , some of whom, did seek to ruin all memory of learning from among them, yet do their poets even to this day last: so as it

3886-547: The rituals "seemed culled from the pages of Tolkien 's The Lord of the Rings ." Since its 18th-century revival, the eisteddfod tradition has been carried all over the world by the Welsh diaspora . Today's eisteddfodau (plural form) and the National Eisteddfod of Wales in particular, are in equal parts a Renaissance fair , a Celtic festival , a musical festival , a literary festival , and "the supreme exhibition of

3953-508: The royal behest of Maelgwn Gwynedd at Conwy during the 6th century. It was Maelgwn's wish that the assembled bards and minstrels would compete against each other. First, however, Maelgwn decreed that they must all swim the River Conwy first and that the minstrels must do so carrying the harps on their backs. For this reason, the bards, whom Maelgwn favoured, ended up winning the contest. According to legend, Gruffudd ap Cynan (1055–1137),

4020-464: The second being " Twm o'r Nant ". The official Anglican translation of the Bible into the Welsh language , which continues to have an enormous influence on the Welsh poetry submitted to the eisteddfodau, saw its first publication in 1588. The translator, Reverend William Morgan , was a Cambridge graduate and later became Anglican Bishop of Llandaff and St Asaph . He based his Biblical translation on

4087-458: The wake of the Chairing and Crowning. The poet is not to be upstaged by novelist, short-story writer, autobiographer, biographer, or what have you. All attempts to transfer the Crown from poetry to prose have been forestalled, the poets rallying to the defense of what is 'rightfully' theirs with the cry of, 'What we have, we hold.'" At the National Eisteddfod, a Gold Medal ( Welsh : Medal Aur )

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4154-408: The winning entry and explain the reasons why it was chosen. After the judge does so, the Archdruid thanks the judge for his or her, "excellent adjudication". The Archdruid then announces that if the poet or writer whose awdl , pryddest , or essay was submitted under a certain pen name is present, then he or she is stand up. According to Morris, "the poet has really known for some time that he

4221-432: Was a bardic tradition of competition for status before this time." Edwards further stated that any foreign influence was an indication of how very cosmopolitan Medieval Wales had been. "It's a sign of a healthy culture to accept – and marry with – other cultures," he added. The next large-scale eisteddfod that is historically known is the three-month-long 1450 eisteddfod at Carmarthen Castle under Gruffudd ap Nicolas . At

4288-554: Was greeted by only six poets, "and all the signs of apathy and dejection." Bardic name A bardic name ( Welsh : enw barddol , Cornish : hanow bardhek ) is a pseudonym used in Wales , Cornwall , or Brittany by poets and other artists, especially those involved in the eisteddfod movement. The Welsh term bardd ('poet') originally referred to the Welsh poets of the Middle Ages , who might be itinerant or attached to

4355-439: Was led by Welsh bard and future Franciscan friar , Tudur Aled . At the urging of the aristocratic Mostyn family of Talacre Hall, a Statute, which was attributed to King Gruffydd ap Cynan of Gwynedd , was used as the basis for the eisteddfod. The Statute listed the rights of bards in Welsh culture and under traditional Welsh law , while also arguing that bards should not drink to excess, womanize, or gamble. In addition,

4422-472: Was no idle claim. When Welsh Recusant, schoolmaster, and unlicensed bard Richard Gwyn was put on trial for high treason before a panel of judges headed by the Chief Justice of Chester , Sir George Bromley , at Wrexham in 1583, Gwyn stood accused of refusing to take the Oath of Supremacy , denying the Queen's claim to be Supreme Head of the Church of England , of involvement in the local Catholic underground, but also of composing satirical poetry aimed at

4489-458: Was purchased after the South Street Society ran an appeal. Today Her Majesty's is the main venue for the Eisteddfod, but it was gifted to the City of Ballarat in 1987 to enable government funding for major upgrades, restorations and maintenance work. Virtual competitions only were held from 2020 due to COIVID-19 precautions, but were scheduled to resume in 2022. Notable competitors past eisteddfods include: This festival -related article

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