St Winefride's Well
Encyclopedia
St Winefride's Well is a holy well
located in Holywell
, in Flintshire
in North Wales
. It is the oldest continually visited pilgrimage site in Great Britain
.
The well is believed to be connected to St Mary's well and chapel in Cefn Meiriadog, Denbighshire
. In that it is one of the few locations mentioned by name in the anonymous medieval alliterative poem Sir Gawain and the Green Knight
, it is interesting to compare the site's beheading history with the beheading game in the poem.
cures. The legend of St Winefride
tells how in 660AD, Caradoc
, the son of a local prince, severed the head of the young Winefride after she spurned his advances. A spring rose from the ground at the spot where her head fell and she was later restored to life by her uncle, St. Beuno
.
The holy well is known as "the Lourdes
of Wales
" and is mentioned in an old rhyme as one of the Seven Wonders of Wales
. It has been a pilgrimage site since the 7th century.
After a shrine
was established in Shrewsbury
around 1138, it and St Winefride's Well became important pilgrimage
destinations.
Richard I
visited the site in 1189 to pray for the success of his crusade
, and Henry V
was said by Adam of Usk
to have travelled there on foot from Shrewsbury in 1416.
In the late 15th century, Lady Margaret Beaufort had built a chapel overlooking the well, which now opens on to a pool where visitors may bathe.
Some of the structures at the well date from the reign of King Henry VII
, or earlier. Later, King Henry VIII
caused the shrine and saintly relic
s to be destroyed, but some have been recovered to be housed at Shrewsbury and Holywell.
In the 17th century the well became known as a symbol of the survival of Catholic recusancy
in Wales. From early in their mission to England, the Jesuits
supported the holy well. In 1605, many of those involved with the Gunpowder plot
visited it with Father Edward Oldcorne
to give thanks for his deliverance from cancer, or as some said, to plan the plot.
James II
is known to have visited the well with his wife Mary of Modena
during 1686, after several failed attempts to produce an heir to the throne. Shortly after this visit, Mary became pregnant with a son, James
.
Princess Victoria, staying in Holywell, with her uncle King Leopold of Belgium, visited the Well in 1828.
Spring (hydrosphere)
A spring—also known as a rising or resurgence—is a component of the hydrosphere. Specifically, it is any natural situation where water flows to the surface of the earth from underground...
located in Holywell
Holywell
Holywell is the fifth largest town in Flintshire, North Wales, lying to the west of the estuary of the River Dee.-History:The market town of Holywell takes its name from the St Winefride's Well, a holy well surrounded by a chapel...
, in Flintshire
Flintshire
Flintshire is a county in north-east Wales. It borders Denbighshire, Wrexham and the English county of Cheshire. It is named after the historic county of Flintshire, which had notably different borders...
in North Wales
North Wales
North Wales is the northernmost unofficial region of Wales. It is bordered to the south by the counties of Ceredigion and Powys in Mid Wales and to the east by the counties of Shropshire in the West Midlands and Cheshire in North West England...
. It is the oldest continually visited pilgrimage site in Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
.
The well is believed to be connected to St Mary's well and chapel in Cefn Meiriadog, Denbighshire
Denbighshire
Denbighshire is a county in north-east Wales. It is named after the historic county of Denbighshire, but has substantially different borders. Denbighshire has the distinction of being the oldest inhabited part of Wales. Pontnewydd Palaeolithic site has remains of Neanderthals from 225,000 years...
. In that it is one of the few locations mentioned by name in the anonymous medieval alliterative poem Sir Gawain and the Green Knight
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is a late 14th-century Middle English alliterative romance outlining an adventure of Sir Gawain, a knight of King Arthur's Round Table. In the poem, Sir Gawain accepts a challenge from a mysterious warrior who is completely green, from his clothes and hair to his...
, it is interesting to compare the site's beheading history with the beheading game in the poem.
History
The healing waters have been said to cause miraculousMiracle
A miracle often denotes an event attributed to divine intervention. Alternatively, it may be an event attributed to a miracle worker, saint, or religious leader. A miracle is sometimes thought of as a perceptible interruption of the laws of nature. Others suggest that a god may work with the laws...
cures. The legend of St Winefride
Winefride
thumb|right|300px|St Winifred's Well, [[Woolston, north Shropshire|Woolston]], ShropshireSaint Winefride was a legendary 7th-century Welsh noblewoman who was canonized after dying for the sake of her chastity...
tells how in 660AD, Caradoc
Caradoc
Caradoc Vreichvras Arm) was a semi-legendary ancestor to the kings of Gwent. He lived during the 5th or 6th century. He is remembered in Arthurian legend as a Knight of the Round Table as Carados Briefbras ....
, the son of a local prince, severed the head of the young Winefride after she spurned his advances. A spring rose from the ground at the spot where her head fell and she was later restored to life by her uncle, St. Beuno
Beuno
Saint Beuno was a 7th-century Welsh holy man and Abbot of Clynnog Fawr in Gwynedd, on the Llŷn peninsula.-Life:Beuno was born in Powys, supposedly at Berriew, the grandson of a prince of that realm. After education and ordination in the monastery of Bangor-on-Dee in north-east Wales, he became an...
.
The holy well is known as "the Lourdes
Lourdes
Lourdes is a commune in the Hautes-Pyrénées department in the Midi-Pyrénées region in south-western France.Lourdes is a small market town lying in the foothills of the Pyrenees, famous for the Marian apparitions of Our Lady of Lourdes occurred in 1858 to Bernadette Soubirous...
of Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
" and is mentioned in an old rhyme as one of the Seven Wonders of Wales
Seven Wonders of Wales
The Seven Wonders of Wales is a traditional list of notable landmarks in North Wales, commemorated in an anonymously written rhyme:The seven wonders comprise:...
. It has been a pilgrimage site since the 7th century.
After a shrine
Shrine
A shrine is a holy or sacred place, which is dedicated to a specific deity, ancestor, hero, martyr, saint, daemon or similar figure of awe and respect, at which they are venerated or worshipped. Shrines often contain idols, relics, or other such objects associated with the figure being venerated....
was established in Shrewsbury
Shrewsbury
Shrewsbury is the county town of Shropshire, in the West Midlands region of England. Lying on the River Severn, it is a civil parish home to some 70,000 inhabitants, and is the primary settlement and headquarters of Shropshire Council...
around 1138, it and St Winefride's Well became important pilgrimage
Pilgrimage
A pilgrimage is a journey or search of great moral or spiritual significance. Typically, it is a journey to a shrine or other location of importance to a person's beliefs and faith...
destinations.
Richard I
Richard I of England
Richard I was King of England from 6 July 1189 until his death. He also ruled as Duke of Normandy, Duke of Aquitaine, Duke of Gascony, Lord of Cyprus, Count of Anjou, Count of Maine, Count of Nantes, and Overlord of Brittany at various times during the same period...
visited the site in 1189 to pray for the success of his crusade
Crusades
The Crusades were a series of religious wars, blessed by the Pope and the Catholic Church with the main goal of restoring Christian access to the holy places in and near Jerusalem...
, and Henry V
Henry V of England
Henry V was King of England from 1413 until his death at the age of 35 in 1422. He was the second monarch belonging to the House of Lancaster....
was said by Adam of Usk
Adam of Usk
Adam of Usk was a Welsh priest, canonist, and late medieval historian and chronicler.- Patronage :Born at Usk in what is now Monmouthshire, southeast Wales, Adam received the patronage of Edmund Mortimer, 3rd Earl of March, who inherited the Lordship of Usk through his wife Philippa...
to have travelled there on foot from Shrewsbury in 1416.
In the late 15th century, Lady Margaret Beaufort had built a chapel overlooking the well, which now opens on to a pool where visitors may bathe.
Some of the structures at the well date from the reign of King Henry VII
Henry VII of England
Henry VII was King of England and Lord of Ireland from his seizing the crown on 22 August 1485 until his death on 21 April 1509, as the first monarch of the House of Tudor....
, or earlier. Later, King Henry VIII
Henry VIII of England
Henry VIII was King of England from 21 April 1509 until his death. He was Lord, and later King, of Ireland, as well as continuing the nominal claim by the English monarchs to the Kingdom of France...
caused the shrine and saintly relic
Relic
In religion, a relic is a part of the body of a saint or a venerated person, or else another type of ancient religious object, carefully preserved for purposes of veneration or as a tangible memorial...
s to be destroyed, but some have been recovered to be housed at Shrewsbury and Holywell.
In the 17th century the well became known as a symbol of the survival of Catholic recusancy
Recusancy
In the history of England and Wales, the recusancy was the state of those who refused to attend Anglican services. The individuals were known as "recusants"...
in Wales. From early in their mission to England, the Jesuits
Society of Jesus
The Society of Jesus is a Catholic male religious order that follows the teachings of the Catholic Church. The members are called Jesuits, and are also known colloquially as "God's Army" and as "The Company," these being references to founder Ignatius of Loyola's military background and a...
supported the holy well. In 1605, many of those involved with the Gunpowder plot
Gunpowder Plot
The Gunpowder Plot of 1605, in earlier centuries often called the Gunpowder Treason Plot or the Jesuit Treason, was a failed assassination attempt against King James I of England and VI of Scotland by a group of provincial English Catholics led by Robert Catesby.The plan was to blow up the House of...
visited it with Father Edward Oldcorne
Edward Oldcorne
Blessed Edward Oldcorne or Oldcorn alias Hall was an English Jesuit priest. He was known to people who knew of the Gunpowder Plot to destroy the Parliament of England and kill King James I, and, although his involvement is unclear, he was caught up in the subsequent investigation...
to give thanks for his deliverance from cancer, or as some said, to plan the plot.
James II
James II of England
James II & VII was King of England and King of Ireland as James II and King of Scotland as James VII, from 6 February 1685. He was the last Catholic monarch to reign over the Kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland...
is known to have visited the well with his wife Mary of Modena
Mary of Modena
Mary of Modena was Queen consort of England, Scotland and Ireland as the second wife of King James II and VII. A devout Catholic, Mary became, in 1673, the second wife of James, Duke of York, who later succeeded his older brother Charles II as King James II...
during 1686, after several failed attempts to produce an heir to the throne. Shortly after this visit, Mary became pregnant with a son, James
James Francis Edward Stuart
James Francis Edward, Prince of Wales was the son of the deposed James II of England...
.
Princess Victoria, staying in Holywell, with her uncle King Leopold of Belgium, visited the Well in 1828.
Further reading
- T. W. Pritchard. St Winefride, Her Holy Well and the Jesuit Mission c.660-1930. Bridge Books, 2009.
External links
- St Winefride's Well - official site
- Holywell Tourism: St Winefride's Well
- St Winefride's Holy Well
- St. Winifred's Well information at Castlewales.com
- Notes on the site's history including souvenir postcards featuring heaped pilgims' crutches left behind after miraculous cures