The War Poets

It was here at Craiglockhart War Hospital during the First World War, that some of Wilfred Owen (1893-1918) and Siegfried Sassoon’s (1886-1967) greatest war poetry was inspired and written, and there is no better place for this special collection to be on permanent display to the public.

The War Poets Collection Exhibition at Craiglockhart

The Collection now comprises more than 800 items, including many unique items that Edinburgh Napier University is proud to own, such as signed first edition books, volumes of poetry by Sassoon and Owen and three original issues of The Hydra, the hospital’s magazine.

Our permanent exhibition within Craiglockhart Campus allows visitors to view the War Poets Collection and gain an insight into the personal and social experiences of war through the words, memories, voices and objects that the officers, medical staff and relatives left behind.

For further information regarding the poets, see:

Contact us

For information about visiting any of our heritage collections, please email heritage@napier.ac.uk.

Wilfred Owen's Edinburgh

Wilfred Owen originally arrived in Edinburgh by train on the 26th of June 1917 after being sent to the city to be treated for shellshock at Craiglockhart War Hospital. His arrival was re-enacted during a commemorative celebration in 2017.

Historic images of Craiglockhart War Hospital, 1917