Red Book of Hergest

Red Book of Hergest Llyfr Coch Hergest
Oxford, Jesus College, MS 111
Facsimile of part of column 579 from the Red Book of Hergest
Date	shortly after 1382
Language(s)	Welsh
Scribe(s)	Hywel Fychan and two other scribes
Patron	Hopcyn ap Tomas
Material	vellum and leather
Size	34 × 21 cm; 362 leaves
Condition	leaves missing at the end; no original binding
Contents	early Welsh poetry of the Cynfeirdd and especially, that of the Gogynfeirdd; the Mabinogion; Brut y Brenhinedd; remedies associated with Rhiwallon Feddyg; etc.

The Red Book of Hergest (Welsh: Llyfr Coch Hergest), Oxford, Jesus College, MS 111, is a large vellum manuscript written shortly after 1382, which ranks as one of the most important medieval manuscripts written in the Welsh language. It preserves a collection of Welsh prose and poetry, notably the tales of the Mabinogion and Gogynfeirdd poetry. The manuscript derives its name from the colour of its leather binding and from its association with Hergest Court between the late 15th and early 17th century.