GWENFREWI, or WINIFRED (fl. early 7th century), saint

Traditions incorporated in 12th century 'vitae' are the only basis for an account of her life. Her father, Tevyth, is said to have been a native of Tegeingl (modern Flintshire), and according to late pedigrees, her mother, Gwenlo, was a sister of Saint Beuno. It is at least reasonably clear that she was closely associated with the spread of the Beuno cult in North-east Wales, and on the site of her sanctuary at Holywell, where she is supposed to have been miraculously restored to life by S. Beuno, there formerly stood, it was believed, a chapel founded by Beuno himself. That she was subsequently in close touch with Saint Eleri, spending her later years with the latter at Gwytherin (where she was in the first place interred), may also probably be regarded as fact. Her personal cult, however, appears to have been of comparatively late origin; it seems to have developed under the auspices of Shrewsbury abbey to which place her remains were translated in 1138, and where the principal record of her life was compiled by prior Robert between 1140 and 1167. Even then the cult continued to be local in character, until, in the later middle ages, her fame and that of her sanctuaries of Holywell, Gwytherin, and Shrewsbury spread far afield, and the saint attracted the interest of the native bard and hagiologist. Twice in this later period, her principal festival on 3 November was declared a holy day by archiepiscopal decree.

Author

• Professor Thomas Jones Pierce, (1905 - 1964)

Sources

• Baring-Gould and John Fisher, The Lives of the British Saints: the saints of Wales and Cornwall and such Irish saints as have dedications in Britain, iii, 185-96

Further Reading

• Robert, prior of Shrewsbury, John Falconer (trnsl.), The admirable life of Saint VVenefride virgin, martyr, abbesse (Saint-Omer 1635)
• Robert, prior of Shrewsbury, The life and miracles of Saint Wenefride, virgin, martyr, and abbess, patroness of Wales (London 1817)
• John Dalton, Life of St. Winefride. Translated from a manuscript life of Saint in the British Museum. With an account of some miraculous cures effected at St. Winefride's Well (London 1857)
• Thomas Meyrick, Life of St. Wenefred: virgin martyr and abbess, patroness of North Wales and Shrewsbury (London 1878)
• Theophilus George Owens, The worship of St. Wenefride, "The Patroness of Wales" or Holywell and its pilgrims (Holywell 1882)
• Wikipedia Article: Winefred

Additional Links

• Wikidata: Q2575112

Published date: 1959

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