Bards Collection

Gorsedh Kernow Bardic ceremony, Roche, Cornwall. September 1991
Cornish Bards gather in the field beneath Roche Rock where the Gorsedh Kernow, or Cornish Gorsedh, takes place. Photographer: Jonathan Barker

A Bard singing to Ancient Britons
A Bard singing his poetry for the Britons around the campfire. These soldiers would be fighting their rivals in battle the next day... Date: circa 43 AD

The Bards. A. D. 500 onwards (colour litho)
670046 The Bards. A.D. 500 onwards (colour litho) by Moreland, Arthur (1876-1951); Private Collection; (add.info.: The Bards. A.D. 500 onwards)

Troubadours in Minnehof (chromolitho)
735094 Troubadours in Minnehof (chromolitho) by European School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Troubadours in Minnehof)

Two Bards by a Pool (oil on panel)
2829718 Two Bards by a Pool (oil on panel) by Tovey, James (19th century); Bristol Museum and Art Gallery, UK; eBristol Museums, Galleries & Archives; Purchased, 1963.; English, out of copyright

Lloyd George speaking at the Welsh National Eisteddfod
Prime Minister, David Lloyd George making a speech at the Welsh National Eisteddfod at Birkenhead in 1917. Date: 1917

The National Eisteddfod of Wales (engraving)
1062812 The National Eisteddfod of Wales (engraving) by English School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: The National Eisteddfod of Wales)

Bardic ceremony at the festival of Saint-Brieuc, Brittany (colour litho)
2779215 Bardic ceremony at the festival of Saint-Brieuc, Brittany (colour litho) by French School, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Bardic ceremony at the festival of Saint-Brieuc)

Comic Early English History: The druids (colour litho)
5999164 Comic Early English History: The druids (colour litho) by English School, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: The druids)

The Duke and Duchess of York invested as bards - Eisteddfod
The Duke and Duchess of York invested as bards at the Welsh National Eisteddfog at Swansea in August, 1926. They were given the bardic names Albert o Efrog and Betsi o Efrog

Sunday Mass in Haifa Melkite Cathedral celebrated by Bishop Elias Chacour, Haifa, Israel, Middle East

Cornish Gorsedd procession, St Just, Cornwall
The Cornish Gorsedd, a community of modern-day bards, taking part in the Sword of Arthur ceremony and procession at St Just in Cornwall

Germanic bards. Colored engraving
Bard. Among the ancient Celts, a poet who composed panegyrics and songs of war, but then went on to describe the heroic or lyric poet of any age or country. Germanic bards. Colored engraving

England Stonehenge
Celebrating a grand conventional festival at Stonehenge : priests and bards perform their functions, oxen drag the Avane, containing a monster from the lake. Date: BCE

Tennyson Sambourne
Alfred Lord Tennyson (1809 - 1892) the Poet Laureate as Alfred the Great: " What we call our Bards our Best, and may his Poetry never be Werse!" Date: 1882

Cornish Gorsedd, Sword of Arthur, St Just, Cornwall
The Cornish Gorsedd, a community of modern-day bards, taking part in the Sword of Arthur ceremony at St Just in Cornwall. The Gorseth Kernow (Gorsedd of Cornwall)

Cornish Gorsedd, Sword of Arthur, Cornwall
The Cornish Gorsedd, a community of modern-day bards, taking part in the Sword of Arthur ceremony at St Just in Cornwall. The Gorseth Kernow (Gorsedd of Cornwall)

Bardic Ceremony at Saint-Brieuc, Brittany, illustration from Le Petit Journal
XIR219302 Bardic Ceremony at Saint-Brieuc, Brittany, illustration from Le Petit Journal, 29th July 1906 (colour litho) by French School, (20th century); Private Collection; French, out of copyright

Breton Bardic Festival
At Saint-Brieuc, Britanny, Breton bards hold a fete, to encourage the preservation of Breton traditions and culture Date: 1906

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"Bards: Keepers of Ancient Tales and Melodies" In the enchanting land of Cornwall, England, they have long held a revered place in society. Rooted in ancient traditions they can the custodians of history and culture. The Cornish Gorsedd stands as a testament to their significance, where poets and musicians gather to celebrate their craft. Legend whispers tales of King Arthur's Sword, said to be wielded by these skilled wordsmiths. In St Just, Cornwall, the echoes of their songs can still be heard resonating through time. It was here that the Bardic ceremony took place in September 1991 during the Gorsedh Kernow festivities. Picture this: a bard standing amidst Ancient Britons captivated by his melodious voice. Their spirits transported back to an era when storytelling was an art form cherished above all else. Such scenes were not limited to Cornwall alone; even Stonehenge witnessed its fair share of lyrical magic. Across Europe's tapestry lies evidence of bards' influence on various cultures. From Germanic lands adorned with colored engravings depicting their existence to troubadours gracing Minnehof with vibrant melodies captured in chromolitho prints – each portrayal speaks volumes about their universal appeal. Art has immortalized them too. "Two Bards by a Pool" painted on panel captures moments frozen in time while showcasing the profound connection between nature and music that bards embody. Beyond England's borders lies Wales – home to another rich bardic tradition celebrated at events like the Welsh National Eisteddfod. Here, figures like Lloyd George spoke passionately about preserving heritage through language and song. But it is not only Britain that cherishes its bards; across the English Channel lies Brittany with its own unique celebration at Saint-Brieuc festival depicted vividly in color lithographs capturing mesmerizing bardic ceremonies.