The four thousand 18th and 19th century ballads that make up the Welsh Ballads Digitisation project at Cardiff University have gone live on a new website.
The project has made around 15,000 pages of rare Welsh ballads available online. The collection also includes some of the ballads sung and available digitally.
The ballads give an unparalleled glimpse into Welsh society during the 18th and 19th centuries.
Cardiff University’s Dr Wyn James stated that the ballads:
“were the daily newspapers for the poor throughout the 18th and 19th centuries, and were sold cheaply and widely at markets, fairs, and villages. They communicated news on local matters and overseas events of the day”.
The ballads launch has also attracted some interest nationally, with BBC Wales reporting on the story online. To find out more you can visit the Ballads webpages at the National Library of Wales.