ST. WINEFRED.
The legend is told thus:—Winefred was a beautiful and devout virgin, of noble birth, and it is supposed lived in the early part of the seventh century, under the guardianship of her uncle, the good Bueno, who had founded a church here, and was conspicuous for his great piety. A young prince of the country, of the name of Caradoc, saw the damsel, and was enamoured with the beauty of her person, and resolved to attempt her virtue; seizing an opportunity, when all but the fair Winefred were at prayers, he declared to her his passion. She fled from his presence, but before she could reach the sacred edifice, which stood at the foot of the hill, even, as at the present day, the prince overtook her, and in a paroxysm of rage and disappointment, he struck off her head, which bounded down the hill, through the door of the church, to the foot of the altar. Bueno raised up the head, and instead of a pool of blood, which appeared for a moment, a fountain of clear water gushed forth. His horror was great, when he found that the beautiful features, and golden hair of the head he gazed upon, were those of his beloved niece. The saint, for such Bueno afterwards became, took up the head, and with devout prayers, joined it to the body, and to the wonder of all present it immediately re-united, the place of separation being marked only by a white line encircling the neck. The cruel Prince Caradoc fell dead on the spot where he had committed the atrocious act. Winefred lived fifteen years after this event, and founded a nunnery at Gwytherin, Denbighshire, of which she became abbess, and died there.
The well is an oblong square, about twelve feet by seven, and the water passes into a small square court, through an arch under which, it is said, the Roman Catholics used to swim as an act of penance. Innumerable are the miracles said to have been performed through the intervention of the saint, and as countless is the list of devotees who have paid their homage at her holy shrine, standing up to their chins in the water, and pouring forth their prayers for hours together.
Putting aside all superstitious notions, the waters of the well possess many sanative properties. Katherine of Arragon, the wife of Henry the Eighth, was a benefactress to this building, and here her arms appear, viz.: three pomegranates in a shield surmounted by a crown, the badge of the House of Grenada. Isabel, Countess of Warwick, left to St. Winefred, in 1439, her gown of russet velvet. In the church there is a bell which was christened in honour of the saint, and at the ceremony a string of virgins took hold of the rope, bestowed a name upon the bell, whilst the priest sprinkling holy water baptised it, and put it into petticoats; after which the ladies gave a grand feast, and made great presents, which the priests received on behalf of the bell.
There are several good inns in the town, the principal ones are the White Horse, the King’s Arms, the King’s Head, and the Red Lion. About a mile eastward of Holywell, situated in a beautiful meadow, are the ruins of Basingwerk Abbey, formerly a building of considerable importance. It is surrounded by groves of tall trees, and commands a fine view of the Cheshire shore. The next place on the Chester line of railway, to which the traveller should direct his attention, is