History of the Well and a House for Pilgrims
St Winefride's Well
St Winefride's Well is the oldest continuously operating pilgrimage site in Great Britain, located in Holywell, Flintshire in North Wales.
According to legend, St Winefride's Well first sprung up on the spot where the Saint was assaulted and struck down by the sword of a certain Caradog. Restored to life as a result of the prayers of her uncle St Beuno, Winefride lived as a nun thereafter for another 22 years. The extraordinary and enduring personality of this 7th-century Welsh lady has meant that she has been venerated as a saint ever since the moment of her death. Since that time, too, her Well at Holywell has been a place of pilgrimage and healing - known as the "Lourdes of Wales". It is the only such place in Britain with a continuous history of public pilgrimage for over 13 centuries.
To read about the history of the Well, please visit www.saintwinefrideswell.com
History of Hospitality - House for Pilgrims
Historically, pilgrims, including the sick, would stay at whatever accommodation they could find in the vicinity of the well, usually at one of the numerous inns in and around the town of Holywell. It was long recognised , however, that a special place of welcome should be made available for the sick. In more modern times a hospice for the sick and poor was opened in 1870 and was run by the Sisters of Charity of St Paul the Apostle (whose main house was in Birmingham). In still more recent times it transformed into a Catholic guest house, and became known as "St Winefride's Pilgrims Rest". When the Sisters of Charity could no longer provide the personnel to run the house, it was given to the Bridgettine sisters after the house had been modernised and made suitable for 21st century pilgrims. It was opened for guests in 2008.