The New International Encyclopædia/Winifred, Saint

1438308The New International Encyclopædia — Winifred, Saint

WINIFRED, win'i-frĕd, Saint. A British maiden of noble family, who lived in the seventh century. According to the legend which in later times grew up round her history. Prince Caradog Ap Alan cut off her head because she would not accept his addresses. Her head, so the legend says, rolled down the hill and into Saint Bueno's Church, where immediately a spring appeared. The head was replaced by Saint Bueno, after which she lived fifteen years. This spring, called Holywell, is one of the most famous in England. The flow of water has never ceased. The spring was leased in 1870 to the corporation of Holywell by the Duke of Westminster for a thousand years at a sovereign a year. See Holywell.