Holywell

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Holywell
Welsh Treffynnon
Treffynnon
Treffynnon.JPG
Coordinates 53 ° 16 ′  N , 3 ° 13 ′  W Coordinates: 53 ° 16 ′  N , 3 ° 13 ′  W
Holywell (Wales)
Holywell
Holywell
Residents 8886 (as of 2011)
language Welsh (16.3%)
administration
ZIP code section CH8
prefix 01352
Part of the country Wales
region South wales

Holywell ( Welsh Treffynnon ) is the fifth largest city in Flintshire , Wales . It is located west of the Dee Estuary ( estuary ) on the River Dee .

history

The Market Town Holywell takes its name from the St Winefride's Well , a holy source was taken and today in one chapel rises. The source has been known at least since Roman times. It has been visited by Christian pilgrims since around 660 AD - and to this day . The spring is dedicated to Saint Winefride , who, according to legend, was beheaded there by Caradog. The source is one of the Seven Wonders of Wales . The town of Holywell calls itself The Lourdes of Wales .

Since the 18th century, the town grew up around lead - mining and cotton spinning (cotton milling). The flow of water from the surrounding mountains, which comes evenly and at constant temperatures, forms the source and also provides sufficient hydropower for many factories in the Greenfield Valley. In addition to lead and cotton, copper processing was also more important. Thomas Williams , an Anglesey lawyer , had copper factories and foundries built in the Greenfield Valley and had copper brought from Anglesey to St. Helens and later to the Greenfield Valley, where it was converted into equipment for the slave trade. These items were, for example, so-called “manilas” (copper bracelets), “Neptunes” (large shallow kettles to boil seawater to salt) and copper cladding for ships. The copper cladding was used to make the hulls of merchant ships more durable in the warm Caribbean waters . This is where the term copper bottomed investment comes from . The fairing was also used on Royal Navy ships and played a crucial role in Nelson's victories. Two of these copper plates from HMS Victory can therefore be viewed in the Greenfield Valley Heritage Park museum . There was also a Holywell Junction Railway Station in Greenfield which was in operation between 1848 and 1966. The station buildings, built by Francis Thompson for the Chester and Holyhead Railway in 1848, are listed as Grade II * listed buildings. The London and North Western Railway maintained a branch line from this station to Holywell Town between 1912 and 1957.

The prosperity created by these industries led to the development of the city and the high street (main street) is still lined with Georgian buildings. Greenfield Valley is known for its wealth of birds and butterflies and a number of mills and buildings from the heyday can be visited there.

St James parish church

St James Parish Church is Grade II * listed.

Holywell hosted an unofficial National Eisteddfod in 1869 .

geography

Administratively, Holywell is divided into three districts ( ward ) which are subordinate to the Flintshire County Council : Holywell Central, Holywell East and Holywell West. Geographically, one can distinguish four closed areas: Pen-y-Maes , the Strand , the Holway and the city center. The Holway, on the west side of town, is the largest of the residential areas of Holywell. The almost immediately adjacent village of Greenfield is located in the northeast of the city on the B5121.

Other villages in the Holywell catchment area are: Bagillt , Brynford , Carmel , Gorsedd , Halkyn , Licswm , Lloc , Mostyn , Pantasaph , Pentre Halkyn , Rhes-y-Cae , Trelawnyd , Whitford and Ysceifiog . There are also other small hamlets in the area. They are all within six miles of Holywell. They are connected to Holywell by bus services.

Holywell Junction station

society

There are many small shops in the city center, which are also an important meeting point for the residents of the surrounding villages. Part of the historic market square has been designated as a protected area.

The city has a secondary school with more than 500 students and a leisure center , as well as four primary schools.

The local soccer team, Holywell Town FC , plays in the Welsh Alliance League .

The old Cottage Hospital in Pen-y-Maes was closed and a new hospital built.

Holywell itself does not have its own cricket team, but many players are in the Carmel & District Cricket Club , whose grounds are between the nearby towns of Carmel and Lloc.

In 2007 volunteers opened the St Beuno's Circular Walk , which leads to all historical and religious sites in the city.

Personalities

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Town population 2011 . Retrieved May 25, 2015.
  2. ^ PJ Chandlery:  Holywell . In: Catholic Encyclopedia , Volume 7, Robert Appleton Company, New York 1910.
  3. ^ PJ Chandlery:  St. Winefride . In: Catholic Encyclopedia , Volume 15, Robert Appleton Company, New York 1912.
  4. ↑ Parish Church of St.james, greenfield Street, Holywell . British Listed Buildings. Retrieved January 9, 2014.
  5. ^ Business Profile of Holywell , March 28, 2009.
  6. ^ Flintshire Conservation Areas . Flintshire County Council, August 3, 2009.
  7. ↑ Proposed St Bueno's Circular Walk ( Memento of the original from October 2, 2011 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. . May 10, 2007. @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.holywellwalk.bravehost.com

Web links

Commons : Holywell  - collection of images, videos and audio files