A study of Welsh manuscripts, hailed as the most important for over a century, will be published at the National Library of Wales in Aberystwyth later today (Monday).

Dr Daniel Huws’ eagerly anticipated magnum opus, A Repertory of Welsh Manuscripts and Scribes, c.800-c.1800, will be launched by the National Library of Wales and the University of Wales Centre for Advanced Welsh and Celtic Studies in an international conference at the Library and online.

The Repertory will be the most important publication on Welsh manuscripts for over a century, it will revolutionise the study of our culture and literature.

The three volumes will include a detailed study of the manuscripts safeguarded by our main libraries, such as the National Library, Bangor University, the British Library and the Bodleian Library, Oxford.

It will also look at manuscripts that are kept further afield in places such as the Universities of Havard and Yale, Stonyhurst College, and Northampton Archives.

On the basis of these manuscripts, the work and motives of the individuals that created them is analysed - from the Middle Ages up to the Industrial Revolution – introducing us to notable individuals in the history of the nation, to some that have been long forgotten and other more interesting characters that deserve more attention.

First Minister Mark Drakeford said: “This is a huge work of scholarly research that should be treasured by the Welsh nation. “Centuries worth of Welsh culture and learning are included in these volumes by Dr Daniel Huws.

“I would like to congratulate Dr Huws for his work, not just on this project, but throughout his long and distinguished career.”

Pedr ap Llwyd, Chief Executive and Librarian of The National Library of Wales said: “This is undoubtedly one of the most important, if not the most important, scholarly research to be published by us. We owe a debt of gratitude to Daniel for his outstanding work and I have been privileged to get to know this dear and unique scholar over the past few years. Our best wishes to him on his special birthday and our thanks to him for a lifetime of service to Wales, our culture and learning.”

Professor Elin Haf Gruffydd Jones, Director of the University of Wales Centre for Advanced Welsh and Celtic Studies said: “This is a masterpiece indeed.

“We celebrate the scholarship of Dr Daniel Huws and are proud of the collaboration that has taken place so as to present this work to the world. I would like to thank all those who have worked with us to publish these extraordinary volumes and we look forward – not only to the launch and conference this year – but also to the new work and research that will come as a result of the Repertory for decades to come.”