St Gwenfaen's Well

Last updated
Ffynnon Gwenfaen
St Gwenfaen's Well
St Gwenfaens Well (geograph 4585281).jpg
Remains of well building
Type holy well
Location Anglesey, Wales
Coordinates 53°14′49″N4°36′36″W / 53.247°N 4.610°W / 53.247; -4.610 Coordinates: 53°14′49″N4°36′36″W / 53.247°N 4.610°W / 53.247; -4.610
OS grid reference SH 2595 7544
Official nameFfynnon Gwenfaen
Designated16 July 1987
Reference no.AN055
Listed Building – Grade II
Official nameFfynnon Gwenfai
Designated5 April 1971
Reference no.5328
Isle of Anglesey UK relief location map.jpg
Red pog.svg
Location in Anglesey

St Gwenfaen's Well (also known as Welsh : Ffynnon Gwenfaen, Welsh : Ffynnon Wenfaen and Welsh : Ffynnon Gwenfai) is an early medieval holy well in the south west of Holy Island, Anglesey, named after St Gwenfaen, whose cloister was nearby. The site includes substantial remains of a building and is both a scheduled monument and a Grade II listed building. Traditionally, a gift of two white quartz pebbles thrown into the pool can cure mental health problems.

Contents

Location

St Gwenfaen's Well lies in an isolated position in a cleft in the rock in a dell overlooking the cliffs of Porth Gwalch (Welsh: Hawk Bay) in the community of Rhoscolyn in the south west of Holy Island, Anglesey. [1] [2] [3] The well is just under 1 km (0.6 miles) west by south west of the village of Rhoscolyn which is the location of St Gwenfaen's Church, part of the ministry area of Holy Island (Church in Wales). [1] [4] [5]

As with much of Holy Island, the well lies within the area of the Glannau Ynys Gybi (Welsh: Holy Island Coast) Site of Special Scientific Interest and the Anglesey Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. [6] [7]

Description

The remains of the drystone well house are 4.5 m (15 feet) east-west by (originally) 5.5 m (18 feet) north-south. Three steps descend into the building from the east into a 2.0 m (6.6 feet) square chamber with a flagstone floor and four diagonal stone seats in each corner. A narrow opening and steps lead into the rectangular well chamber, 1.2 m (3.9 feet) east-west by 0.6 m (2.0 feet) north-south, with recessed semi-circular seats at each side. [1] [2] [3] [8]

An outer external well chamber roughly 1.5 m (4.9 feet) square contains the well itself, and is separated from the internal well chamber by a drystone wall, which includes a stone slab with circular grooves cut in its upper and lower edges to allow water to flow between the two chambers. The external chamber can be reached by six descending stone steps on either side cut into the cleft in the rock. [1] [2] [3] [8]

At the western end a stone slab with a hole allows water to be retained in the chamber or be released into a 4.6 m (15 feet) long paved channel leading to a pool 35 m (115 feet) west of the well. [1] [2]

St Gwenfaen's Well has not been accurately dated but is assumed to be medieval. The nearby church dedicated to St Gwenfaen is on the site of an older church dating from 630 AD. [4] [2]

History and legend

Gwenfaen was the daughter of Paul Hen of Manaw (who also known as Old Paulinus), and sister of Peulan and Gwyngeneu, both saints who also lived on Holy Island. She was known for healing mental illness. While being chased by druids, Gwenfaen is said to have climbed a nearby rock stack and was carried away by angels when the tide came in. [4] [9]

An offering of two white quartz pebbles into the water of the well is said to cure mental problems. [4]

Recent history

St Gwenfaen's Well was designated as a Grade II listed building in 1971 and as a scheduled monument in 1987. [1] [10]

The well is blessed every year on, or near, Gwenfaen's Saint's day, 4 November, after Holy Communion in the nearby church. [4] [11]

Access

St Gwenfaen's Well can be reached by footpath, either by a circular route around Rhoscolyn or by following the Anglesey Coastal Path (part of the Wales Coast Path). [12] [13]

See also

Related Research Articles

Holy Island, Anglesey

Holy Island is an island on the western side of the larger Isle of Anglesey, Wales, from which it is separated by a narrow, winding channel. It is called "Holy" because of the high concentration of standing stones, burial chambers, and other religious sites on the small island. The alternative English name of the island is Holyhead Island. According to the 2011 UK Census, the population was 13,659, of which 11,431 (84%) lived in the largest town, Holyhead.

Menai Bridge Human settlement in Wales

Menai Bridge is a small town and community on the Isle of Anglesey in north-west Wales. It overlooks the Menai Strait and lies by the Menai Suspension Bridge, built in 1826 by Thomas Telford, just over the water from Bangor. With a population of 3,376, it is the fifth largest town on the island. The built-up area including Llandegfan had a population of 4,958.

Bodedern Human settlement in Wales

Bodedern is a village and community in the west of Anglesey, Wales. At the 2001 census, it had a population of 1,074, decreasing slightly to 1,051 at the 2011 census. The village has a bilingual primary school, Ysgol Gynradd Bodedern, and a secondary school, Ysgol Uwchradd Bodedern. The village's football team, Bodedern Athletic F.C. play in the Welsh Alliance League. Bodedern was the site of the National Eisteddfod of Wales in 2017.

Ynys Llanddwyn A small tidal island off the west coast of Anglesey, northwest Wales

Ynys Llanddwyn is a small tidal island off the west coast of Anglesey, northwest Wales. The nearest town is Newborough.

Moelfre, Anglesey Human settlement in Wales

Moelfre is a village, a community and until 2012 an electoral ward on the north-east coast of the Isle of Anglesey in Wales. The community area covers the village and harbour, and several smaller, dispersed settlements. It includes six scheduled Iron Age hut groups and many other sites of archaeological interest. The harbour was formerly a local fishing port; a lifeboat station has been based here since 1854. Among many shipwrecks off the coast was that of the Royal Charter in 1859. Near the modernised lifeboat station is the RNLI Seawatch Centre. The coastline includes a rocky headland north of the village and a large sandy beach at Lligwy Bay, both traversed by the Anglesey Coastal Path. The 2011 census measured the village population as 710. It was estimated at 614 in 2019.

Trearddur Human settlement in Wales

Trearddur or Trearddur Bay is a village, seaside resort and community south of Holyhead on the west coast of Holy Island off the north-west coast of Anglesey in Wales. The community includes the small settlement of Penrhosfeilw.

Seiriol

Seiriol was an early 6th-century saint, who created a cell at Penmon Priory on Anglesey, off the coast of north Wales. He later moved to Ynys Seiriol. He was a son of King Owain Danwyn of Rhos.

Cwmavon, Torfaen Human settlement in Wales

Cwmavon is a hamlet about 2 miles south of Blaenavon and 4 miles north of Pontypool. The hamlet is part of the community of Abersychan in the county borough of Torfaen in south east Wales, and is within the boundaries of the historic county of Monmouthshire.

Rhoscolyn

Rhoscolyn is a village and community located on Holy Island, Anglesey, Wales. It is just over five miles south of Holyhead and is the most southerly settlement on the island. The name Rhoscolyn is said to mean "The Moor" (Rhos) of The Column (colyn), referring to a pillar which the Romans put up to mark the edge of their territories. The community population taken from the 2011 census was 542.

Anglesey Island in Wales

Anglesey is an island off the north-west coast of Wales. It forms the principal area and historic county of that name, which includes Holy Island to the west and some islets and skerries. Anglesey island, at 260 square miles (673 km2), is by far the largest island in Wales, the seventh largest in the British Isles, largest in the Irish Sea and second most populous after the Isle of Man. The local government area of Isle of Anglesey County Council measures 276 square miles (715 km2), with a 2011 census population of 69,751, of whom 13,659 live on Holy Island, which is separated from the main island by the very narrow Cymyran Strait. The Menai Strait between Anglesey and mainland Wales is spanned by the Menai Suspension Bridge, designed by Thomas Telford in 1826, and the Britannia Bridge, built in 1850 and replaced in 1980. The largest town is Holyhead on Holy Island, whose port handles over 2 million passengers a year to and from Ireland. The next largest is Llangefni, seat of the county council. From 1974 to 1996 Anglesey was run as part of Gwynedd. Most Anglesey inhabitants are Welsh speakers. The name Ynys Môn is used for the UK Parliament and Senedd constituencies. The island is part of the LL postcode area (LL58–LL78).

St Ffinans Church, Llanffinan Church in Wales

St Ffinan's Church, Llanffinan is a small 19th-century parish church built in the Romanesque revival style, in Anglesey, north Wales. There has been a church in this area, even if not on this precise location, since at least 1254, and 19th-century writers state that St Ffinan established the first church here in the 7th century. The church was rebuilt in 1841, reusing a 12th-century font and 18th-century memorials, as well as the cross at the eastern end of the roof.

Llaneilian Human settlement in Wales

Llaneilian is a village and community in the Welsh county of Anglesey. It is located in the north east of the island, 2.2 miles (3.5 km) east of Amlwch, 16.5 miles (26.6 km) north west of Menai Bridge and 12.5 miles (20.1 km) north of Llangefni. The community includes the villages and hamlets of Dulas, Llaneilian, Pengorffwysfa, Cerrig Man and Penysarn, Gadfa and Nebo, and at the 2001 census had a population of 1,192, decreasing slightly to 1,186 at the 2011 Census. The parish is crowned by its hill, Mynydd Eilian, a HuMP, popular with walkers and ramblers, and its beach, Traeth Eilian, which is popular with holidaymakers and for watersport activities. At the north easternmost point is Point Lynas,, while Ynys Dulas lies off the North East coast of the island, east of Dulas Bay.

Llanfachraeth Human settlement in Wales

Llanfachraeth is a village and community in the Welsh county of Anglesey. It is located near the west coast of the island, at the head of the Alaw estuary, 6.2 miles (10.0 km) east of Holyhead, 11.7 miles (18.8 km) south west of Amlwch and 11.3 miles (18.2 km) north west of Llangefni. The A5025 road runs through the village. A bus service operates along this road daily, except for Sundays, running between Cemaes, Llanfaethlu, Llanfachraeth and Holyhead. The Wales Coast Path is forced inland here to cross the Afon Alaw. The village has a pub and accommodation is provided by the Holland Hotel.

Glannau Rhoscolyn

Glannau Rhoscolyn is a Site of Special Scientific Interest in Anglesey, North Wales, and extends along the west coast of Holy Island, Anglesey for approximately 6.5 km. It has been designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest since January 1961 in an attempt to protect its fragile biological and geological elements. The site has an area of 145.49 hectares and is managed by Natural Resources Wales.

Trefignath

Trefignath is a Neolithic burial chamber near Trearddur, south of Holyhead on Holy Island, off Anglesey in Wales. In its most complete form it included a large cairn covering three stone tombs, set on a small knoll. It was excavated between 1977 and 1979, revealing several phases of occupation with three separate burial chambers built in succession. It is a scheduled ancient monument, maintained by Cadw.

Porth Wen Brickworks

Porth Wen Brickworks is a now disused Victorian brickworks which produced fire bricks, made from quartzite (silica) used to line steel-making furnaces. The substantial remains include a number of buildings and the remains of some of the machinery, but has some damage from sea erosion. The site is a scheduled monument.

Llanddona fish weir

Llanddona fish weir is a post medieval fish trap sited in Llanddona, on the Isle of Anglesey. The fish weir is a scheduled monument.

Ynys Gybi is the name of an electoral ward in the west of Anglesey, Wales, created in 2012. It covers the most part of Holy Island, whose name is Ynys Gybi in Welsh.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Ffynnon Gwenfai". Statutory List of Buildings . Cadw. 3 June 1998 [Listed 5 April 1971]. Cadw Building ID 5328. Retrieved 24 June 2017– via Historic Wales.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Wiles, John (3 August 2007). "St Gwenfaens Well; Ffynnon Wenfaen". National Monuments Record of Wales (NMRW). Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales (RCAHMW). NPRN 32172. Retrieved 14 May 2016– via coflein (online database of the NMRW).
  3. 1 2 3 "Ffynnon Gwenfaen Holy Well, Rhoscolyn". Historic Environment Record (HER) . Gwynedd Archaeological Trust (GAT). GAT PRN 2004. Retrieved 14 May 2016– via archwilio (online database of the four Welsh Archaeological Trusts).
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 "Welcome to St Gwenfaen's Church". stgwenfaen.org. Retrieved 14 May 2016.
  5. ↑ "St Gwenfaen, Rhoscolyn". Church in Wales. Retrieved 15 May 2016.
  6. ↑ Grant, Maria; Parker, Sally (April 2014). State of the AONB Report for Anglesey (PDF). Isle of Anglesey County Council (Report). Land Use Consultants. p. 11. Retrieved 14 May 2016.
  7. ↑ Ratcliffe, John. "Glannau Ynys Gybi – Holyhead Coast SSSI". Anglesey Nature: Natur Môn. Retrieved 14 May 2016.
  8. 1 2 Royal Commission on Ancient and Historical Monuments in Wales and Monmouthshire (1960) [1937]. 76 Rhoscolyn. An Inventory of the Ancient Monuments in Anglesey. London: HMSO. p. 146. OCLC   631587260 – via google play.
  9. ↑ Maddern, Eric (October 2015). Snowdonia Folk Tales. Illustrated by Sue Mynall. Stroud, Gloucester: The History Press. pp. 35–6. ISBN   9780750966429. OCLC   948249400 . Retrieved 15 May 2016.
  10. ↑ Ffynnon Gwenfaen. National Monuments Record of Wales (NMRW) (Report). Cadw. 16 July 1987 [Scheduled 1987]. Cadw Id: AN055.
  11. ↑ "Rhoscolyn". Snowdonia Guide. Retrieved 15 May 2016.
  12. ↑ "Circular Walk – Rhoscolyn (SH271751)" (PDF). visitanglesey.co.uk. Isle of Anglesey County Council. Retrieved 15 May 2016.
  13. ↑ Dillon, Paddy (2015). "Stage 11 South Stack to Fourmilebridge". The Wales Coast Path: Llwybr Arfordir Cymru. Milnthorpe, Cumbria: Cicerone Press. ISBN   978-1-85284-742-5. OCLC   897884010 . Retrieved 15 May 2016.

Further reading

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.