St Winefride’s Well is a holy well and national shrine located in the town of Holywell in Flintshire, Wales. The patron saint of the well, St Winefride, was a 7th-century Christian martyr who according to legend was decapitated by a lustful prince and then miraculously restored to life. The well is said to have sprung up at the spot where her head hit the ground. This story is first recorded in the 12th century, and since then St Winefride’s Well has been a popular pilgrimage destination, known for its healing waters. The well is unique among Britain’s sacred sites in that it retained a continuous pilgrimage tradition throughout the English Reformation. It was visited by several English monarchs, including Richard II and Henry IV.
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