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The Peniarth Manuscripts is the most important of the Library’s manuscript collections.

The Contents of the Peniarth Manuscripts

The collection was established by Robert Vaughan (c.1592-1667), Hengwrt, Meirioneth, who gathered for his library manuscripts in the following languages:

However Vaughan’s main interest was the Welsh language. He collected in Hengwrt a great number of our most significant Welsh language manuscripts, including

The History of the Peniarth Manuscript Collection

The manuscripts were preserved at Hengwrt for generations, and some other volumes were added to them over the years. When Sir Robert Williames Vaughan of Hengwrt died in 1859, without an heir, he left the collection to his friend W W E Wynne, who moved the manuscripts to the Peniarth Library, Meirioneth.

The whole collection was bought by Sir John Williams (1840-1926) in 1904. When W R M Wynne, the eldest son of W W E Wynne died in 1909, the manuscripts were transferred from Peniarth to the new National Library at Aberystwyth.

International UNESCO Status

In July 2010, the Peniarth Manuscripts Collection was included on the UNESCO UK Memory of the World Register. The register is part of a United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) programme to support documentary heritage, and to promote preservation of, and access to, the world’s archive holdings and library collections. Country-level Memory of the World Registers exist around the globe, helping to promote documentary heritage of local importance which is also of global significance.

Peniarth Manuscripts available digitally

In 2017, to commemorate the 350th anniversary of Robert Vaughan’s death, the National Library began to systematically digitise all Peniarth manuscripts, according to their sizes. The time-scale for this work is dependent on current Library resources, and attempts will be made to raise funds to meet costs. The following manuscripts are currently available to view:

Peniarth MSS 1-50

Peniarth MS 1
Peniarth MS 2
Peniarth MS 3
Peniarth MS 4
Peniarth MS 5
Peniarth MS 6
Peniarth MS 7
Peniarth MS 8
Peniarth MS 9
Peniarth MS 10
Peniarth MS 11
Peniarth MS 12
Peniarth MS 13
Peniarth MS 14
Peniarth MS 15
Peniarth MS 16
Peniarth MS 17
Peniarth MS 18
Peniarth MS 19
Peniarth MS 20
Peniarth MS 21
Peniarth MS 22
Peniarth MS 23
Peniarth MS 24
Peniarth MS 25
Peniarth MS 26
Peniarth MS 27 i
Peniarth MS 27 ii
Peniarth MS 27 iii
Peniarth MS 28
Peniarth MS 29
Peniarth MS 30
Peniarth MS 31
Peniarth MS 32
Peniarth MS 33
Peniarth MS 34
Peniarth MS 35
Peniarth MS 36
Peniarth MS 37
Peniarth MS 38
Peniarth MS 39
Peniarth MS 40
Peniarth MS 41
Peniarth MS 42
Peniarth MS 43
Peniarth MS 44
Peniarth MS 45
Peniarth MS 46
Peniarth MS 47
Peniarth MS 48
Peniarth MS 49
Peniarth MS 50

Peniarth MSS 51-100

Peniarth MS 51
Peniarth MS 52
Peniarth MS 53
Peniarth MS 54 i
Peniarth MS 54 ii
Peniarth MS 55
Peniarth MS 56
Peniarth MS 57
Peniarth MS 58
Peniarth MS 59
Peniarth MS 60
Peniarth MS 61
Peniarth MS 62
Peniarth MS 63
Peniarth MS 64
Peniarth MS 65
Peniarth MS 66
Peniarth MS 67
Peniarth MS 68
Peniarth MS 69
Peniarth MS 70
Peniarth MS 71
Peniarth MS 72
Peniarth MS 73
​​​​​​​Peniarth MS 74
Peniarth MS 75
Peniarth MS 76
Peniarth MS 77
Peniarth MS 78
Peniarth MS 79
Peniarth MS 80
Peniarth MS 81
Peniarth MS 82
Peniarth MS 83
Peniarth MS 84
Peniarth MS 85
Peniarth MS 86
Peniarth MS 87
Peniarth MS 88
Peniarth MS 89
Peniarth MS 90
Peniarth MS 91
​​​​​​​Peniarth MS 92
​​​​​​​Peniarth MS 93
​​​​​​​Peniarth MS 94
​​​​​​​Peniarth MS 95
Peniarth MS 96
Peniarth MS 97
Peniarth MS 98
​​​​​​​Peniarth MS 99
Peniarth MS 100

Peniarth MSS 101-200

Peniarth MS 101
Peniarth MS 102
Peniarth MS 103
Peniarth MS 104
Peniarth MS 105
Peniarth MS 106
Peniarth MS 107
Peniarth MS 108
Peniarth MS 109
Peniarth MS 110
Peniarth MS 111
Peniarth MS 112
Peniarth MS 113
Peniarth MS 114
Peniarth MS 115
Peniarth MS 116
Peniarth MS 117
Peniarth MS 118
Peniarth MS 119
Peniarth MS 120
Peniarth MS 121
Peniarth MS 122
Peniarth MS 123
Peniarth MS 124
Peniarth MS 125
Peniarth MS 126
Peniarth MS 127
Peniarth MS 128
Peniarth MS 129
Peniarth MS 130
​​​​​​​Peniarth MS 131
Peniarth MS 132
Peniarth MS 133
Peniarth MS 134
Peniarth MS 135
Peniarth MS 136
Peniarth MS 137
Peniarth MS 138
Peniarth MS 139 i
Peniarth MS 139 ii
Peniarth MS 139 iii
Peniarth MS 140
Peniarth MS 141
​​​​​​​Peniarth MS 142
​​​​​​​Peniarth MS 143
Peniarth MS 144
Peniarth MS 145
Peniarth MS 146
Peniarth MS 147
Peniarth MS 148
Peniarth MS 149
Peniarth MS 150
Peniarth MS 151
Peniarth MS 152
Peniarth MS 153
Peniarth MS 154
Peniarth MS 155
Peniarth MS 156
Peniarth MS 157
Peniarth MS 158
Peniarth MS 159
Peniarth MS 160
Peniarth MS 161
Peniarth MS 162
Peniarth MS 163
Peniarth MS 164
Peniarth MS 165
Peniarth MS 166
Peniarth MS 167
Peniarth MS 168
Peniarth MS 169
Peniarth MS 170
Peniarth MS 171
Peniarth MS 172
Peniarth MS 173
Peniarth MS 174
Peniarth MS 175
Peniarth MS 176
Peniarth MS 177
Peniarth MS 178
Peniarth MS 179
Peniarth MS 180
Peniarth MS 181
Peniarth MS 182
Peniarth MS 183
Peniarth MS 184
Peniarth MS 185
Peniarth MS 186
Peniarth MS 187
Peniarth MS 188
Peniarth MS 189
Peniarth MS 190
Peniarth MS 191
Peniarth MS 192
Peniarth MS 193
Peniarth MS 194
Peniarth MS 195
Peniarth MS 196
Peniarth MS 197
Peniarth MS 198
Peniarth MS 199
Peniarth MS 200

Peniarth MSS 201-300

Peniarth MS 201
Peniarth MS 202
Peniarth MS 203
Peniarth MS 204
Peniarth MS 205
Peniarth MS 206
Peniarth MS 207
Peniarth MS 208
Peniarth MS 209
Peniarth MS 210
Peniarth MS 211
Peniarth MS 212
Peniarth MS 213
Peniarth MS 214
Peniarth MS 215
Peniarth MS 216
Peniarth MS 217
Peniarth MS 218
Peniarth MS 219
Peniarth MS 220
Peniarth MS 221
Peniarth MS 222
Peniarth MS 223
Peniarth MS 224
Peniarth MS 225
Peniarth MS 226
Peniarth MS 227
Peniarth MS 228 i
Peniarth MS 228 ii
Peniarth MS 228 iii
Peniarth MS 229
Peniarth MS 230
Peniarth MS 231
Peniarth MS 232
Peniarth MS 233
Peniarth MS 234 i
Peniarth MS 234 ii
Peniarth MS 235
Peniarth MS 236
Peniarth MS 237
Peniarth MS 238
Peniarth MS 239
Peniarth MS 240
Peniarth MS 241
Peniarth MS 242
Peniarth MS 243
Peniarth MS 244
Peniarth MS 245
Peniarth MS 246
Peniarth MS 247
Peniarth MS 248
Peniarth MS 249
Peniarth MS 250
Peniarth MS 251
Peniarth MS 252
Peniarth MS 253
Peniarth MS 254
Peniarth MS 255
Peniarth MS 256
Peniarth MS 257
Peniarth MS 258
Peniarth MS 259
Peniarth MS 260
Peniarth MS 261
Peniarth MS 262
Peniarth MS 263
Peniarth MS 264
Peniarth MS 265
Peniarth MS 266
Peniarth MS 267
Peniarth MS 268
Peniarth MS 269
Peniarth MS 270
Peniarth MS 271
Peniarth MS 272
Peniarth MS 273 i
Peniarth MS 273 ii
Peniarth MS 274
Peniarth MS 275
Peniarth MS 276
Peniarth MS 277
Peniarth MS 278
Peniarth MS 279
Peniarth MS 280
Peniarth MS 281
Peniarth MS 282
Peniarth MS 283
Peniarth MS 284
Peniarth MS 285
Peniarth MS 286
Peniarth MS 287 i
Peniarth MS 287 ii
Peniarth MS 288
Peniarth MS 289
Peniarth MS 290
Peniarth MS 291
Peniarth MS 292
Peniarth MS 293 i
Peniarth MS 293 ii
Peniarth MS 294
Peniarth MS 295
Peniarth MS 296
Peniarth MS 297
Peniarth MS 298
Peniarth MS 299
Peniarth MS 300

Peniarth MSS 301-400

Peniarth MS 301
Peniarth MS 302
Peniarth MS 303
Peniarth MS 304
Peniarth MS 305
Peniarth MS 306
Peniarth MS 307
Peniarth MS 308 i
Peniarth MS 308 ii
Peniarth MS 309 i
Peniarth MS 309 ii
Peniarth MS 310
Peniarth MS 311
Peniarth MS 312
Peniarth MS 313
Peniarth MS 314
Peniarth MS 315
Peniarth MS 316
Peniarth MS 317
Peniarth MS 318
Peniarth MS 319
Peniarth MS 320
Peniarth MS 321
Peniarth MS 322
Peniarth MS 323
Peniarth MS 324
Peniarth MS 325
Peniarth MS 326
Peniarth MS 327
Peniarth MS 328
Peniarth MS 329
Peniarth MS 330
Peniarth MS 331
Peniarth MS 332
Peniarth MS 333
Peniarth MS 334
Peniarth MS 335
Peniarth MS 336
Peniarth MS 337
Peniarth MS 338
Peniarth MS 339
Peniarth MS 340
Peniarth MS 341
Peniarth MS 342
Peniarth MS 343
Peniarth MS 344
Peniarth MS 345
Peniarth MS 346
Peniarth MS 347
Peniarth MS 348
Peniarth MS 349
Peniarth MS 350
Peniarth MS 351
Peniarth MS 352
Peniarth MS 353
Peniarth MS 354
Peniarth MS 355
Peniarth MS 356
Peniarth MS 357
Peniarth MS 358
Peniarth MS 359
Peniarth MS 360
Peniarth MS 361
Peniarth MS 362
Peniarth MS 363
Peniarth MS 364
Peniarth MS 365
Peniarth MS 366
Peniarth MS 367
Peniarth MS 368
Peniarth MS 369
Peniarth MS 370
Peniarth MS 371
Peniarth MS 372
Peniarth MS 373
Peniarth MS 374
Peniarth MS 375
Peniarth MS 376
Peniarth MS 377
Peniarth MS 378
Peniarth MS 379
Peniarth MS 380
Peniarth MS 381
Peniarth MS 382
Peniarth MS 383
Peniarth MS 384
Peniarth MS 385
Peniarth MS 386
Peniarth MS 387
Peniarth MS 388
Peniarth MS 389
Peniarth MS 390
Peniarth MS 391
Peniarth MS 392
Peniarth MS 393
Peniarth MS 394
Peniarth MS 395
Peniarth MS 396
Peniarth MS 397
Peniarth MS 398
Peniarth MS 399
Peniarth MS 400

Peniarth MSS 401-560

Peniarth MS 401
Peniarth MS 402
Peniarth MS 403
Peniarth MS 404
Peniarth MS 405
Peniarth MS 406
Peniarth MS 407
Peniarth MS 408
Peniarth MS 409
Peniarth MS 410
Peniarth MS 411
Peniarth MS 412
Peniarth MS 413
Peniarth MS 414
Peniarth MS 415
Peniarth MS 416 i
Peniarth MS 416 ii
Peniarth MS 416 iii
Peniarth MS 416 iv
Peniarth MS 416 v
Peniarth MS 416 vi
Peniarth MS 416 vii
Peniarth MS 416 viii
Peniarth MS 416 ix
Peniarth MS 416 x
Peniarth MS 417
Peniarth MS 418
Peniarth MS 419
Peniarth MS 420
Peniarth MS 421
Peniarth MS 422
Peniarth MS 423
Peniarth MS 424
Peniarth MS 425
Peniarth MS 426
Peniarth MS 427
Peniarth MS 428
Peniarth MS 429
Peniarth MS 430
Peniarth MS 431
Peniarth MS 432
Peniarth MS 433
Peniarth MS 434
Peniarth MS 435
Peniarth MS 436
Peniarth MS 437
Peniarth MS 438
Peniarth MS 439
Peniarth MS 440
Peniarth MS 441
Peniarth MS 442
Peniarth MS 443
Peniarth MS 444
Peniarth MS 445
Peniarth MS 446
Peniarth MS 447
Peniarth MS 448
Peniarth MS 449
Peniarth MS 450
Peniarth MS 451
Peniarth MS 452
Peniarth MS 453
Peniarth MS 454
Peniarth MS 455
Peniarth MS 456
Peniarth MS 457
Peniarth MS 458
Peniarth MS 459
Peniarth MS 460
Peniarth MS 461
Peniarth MS 462
Peniarth MS 463
Peniarth MS 464
Peniarth MS 465
Peniarth MS 466
Peniarth MS 467
Peniarth MS 468
Peniarth MS 469
Peniarth MS 470
Peniarth MS 471
Peniarth MS 472
Peniarth MS 473
Peniarth MS 474
Peniarth MS 475
Peniarth MS 476
Peniarth MS 477
Peniarth MS 478
Peniarth MS 479
Peniarth MS 480
Peniarth MS 481
Peniarth MS 482
Peniarth MS 483
Peniarth MS 484
Peniarth MS 485
Peniarth MS 486
Peniarth MS 487
Peniarth MS 488
Peniarth MS 489
Peniarth MS 490
Peniarth MS 491
Peniarth MS 492
Peniarth MS 493
Peniarth MS 494
Peniarth MS 495
Peniarth MS 496
Peniarth MS 497
Peniarth MS 498
Peniarth MS 499
Peniarth MS 500
Peniarth MS 501
Peniarth MS 502
Peniarth MS 503
Peniarth MS 504
Peniarth MS 505
Peniarth MS 506
Peniarth MS 507
Peniarth MS 508
Peniarth MS 509
Peniarth MS 510
Peniarth MS 511
Peniarth MS 512
Peniarth MS 513
Peniarth MS 514
Peniarth MS 515
Peniarth MS 516
Peniarth MS 517
Peniarth MS 518
Peniarth MS 519
Peniarth MS 520
Peniarth MS 521 i
Peniarth MS 521 ii
Peniarth MS 521 iii
Peniarth MS 521 iv
Peniarth MS 521 v
Peniarth MS 521 vi
Peniarth MS 521 vii
Peniarth MS 521 viii
Peniarth MS 521 ix
Peniarth MS 521 x
Peniarth MS 521 xi
Peniarth MS 521 xii
Peniarth MS 521 xiii
Peniarth MS 521 xiv
Peniarth MS 521 xv
Peniarth MS 521 xvi
Peniarth MS 521 xvii
​​​​​​​Peniarth MS 521 xviii
Peniarth MS 522
Peniarth MS 523
Peniarth MS 524
Peniarth MS 525
Peniarth MS 526
Peniarth MS 527
Peniarth MS 528
Peniarth MS 529 i
Peniarth MS 529 ii
​​​​​​​Peniarth MS 529 iii
Peniarth MS 529 iv
Peniarth MS 530
Peniarth MS 531
Peniarth MS 532
Peniarth MS 533
Peniarth MS 534
Peniarth MS 535
Peniarth MS 536
Peniarth MS 537
Peniarth MS 538
Peniarth MS 539
Peniarth MS 540
Peniarth MS 541
Peniarth MS 542
Peniarth MS 543
Peniarth MS 544
Peniarth MS 545
Peniarth MS 546
Peniarth MS 547
Peniarth MS 548
Peniarth MS 549
Peniarth MS 550
Peniarth MS 551
Peniarth MS 552
Peniarth MS 553
Peniarth MS 554
Peniarth MS 555
Peniarth MS 556
Peniarth MS 557
Peniarth MS 558
Peniarth MS 559
Peniarth MS 560

This list of manuscripts will be updated periodically.

Bibliography

To find out more about the history of the Hengwrt-Peniarth manuscripts, see

  • Handlist of Manuscripts in the National Library of Wales(Aberystwyth, 1940-2003), vol. I, pp. iii-xxiii

For descriptions of individual manuscripts, see

  • MSS 1-327 and 533-9 (the collection’s Welsh language manuscripts): J Gwenogvryn Evans’ catalogue, Report on Manuscripts in the Welsh Language (London, 1898-1910), volume. I, pp. 297-1126
  • MSS 328-532 (manuscripts mainly in languages other than Welsh): descriptions in Handlist of Manuscripts in the National Library of Wales (1943-2003), vol. I, pp. 1-22, other than a small number of manuscripts that did not come to the Library in 1909
  • MSS 540-61 and the 'Ancient Peniarth Manuscripts' (all the manuscripts that did not come to the Library in 1909): typescript cataloguePeniarth MSS: A Catalogue of Additional Manuscripts (1990)

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