Holy Well

St Dyfnog’s Well, Llanrhaeadr

St Dyfnog’s Church, Llanrhaeadr LL16 4NL

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St Dyfnog’s Well, Llanrhaeadr

A large stone chamber indicates the extent of pilgrimage at this holy well dedicated to St Dyfnog, the spring and nearby church visited by the Welsh Cistercian Way

Highlights

  • Holy well of St Dyfnog
  • Tree of Jesse window

This is one of the most active wells in North Wales, thanks to the imaginative support of the local church and an ongoing restoration project. An immersion baptism even took place here in November in recent years. The work of St Dyfnog, a 6th-century missionary monk, has endured. Regular services are also held at the pool, including pilgrimage gatherings where water is freely sprinkled on worshippers.

It is only a short walk uphill from the church to the well. A major archaeological investigation was completed at the end of 2019, in advance of a three-year project costing £300,000 to restore the well, church, and access between the two. The dig revealed that the site was in use 6,000 years ago, following the discovery of Neolithic tools and an ancient quarry.

The well is said to be effective for deafness, dumbness, and arthritis, in addition to a host of illnesses and skin diseases that antibiotics can now tackle. The bathing pool is huge and deep enough for immersion, the bottom strewn with uneven boulders when I visited. The discarded stones are no doubt remnants of the well building that used to enclose this lovely place. Fortunately, the steps in one corner lead into the deepest part of the pool, which also has the most even bottom.

An effigy of the saint was kept by the well in medieval times, which was famous for its miracles. There is definite evidence that the well continued to be used after the Reformation. Records from the 17th and 18th centuries describe an arched roof, changing rooms, and even a marble lining to the pool. The current pool structure is still said to be of marble, its full glory soon to be revealed again.

Although little is known about St Dyfnog, he used to stand in the freezing water as penance for his sins, a common Celtic well tradition. I did use the pool for immersion, keeping a towel within reach in case anyone turned up. Baptisms are done clothed, needless to say, which would make a candidate very cold after emerging on a November day.

The well is technically just a pool in the middle of a fast-flowing stream because it is a few metres away from the actual source itself. The well’s presence has certainly shaped the area from the earliest Christian times: the ‘-rhaeadr’ part of the name means ‘waterfall’. Llan simply means a church settlement, which is why it is so common in Welsh place names.

The blessing of St Dyfnog has been kind to the local church in many ways. A gorgeous Tree of Jesse stained glass window from 1533 was paid for by pilgrims’ donations and takes pride of place at the east end. The church was unlocked on my visit, with information leaflets available.

Directions

Footpath to well starts at: St Dyfnog’s Church, Llanrhaeadr LL16 4NL

www.stdyfnog.org.uk

W3W: totally.large.pleaser

GPS: 53.1589N 3.3774W

As you enter the churchyard gate from the road, the path to the well starts in the far right-hand corner, beyond the yew trees. The path leads out of the churchyard and takes you uphill, alongside the river. It crosses the water a few times on some little stone bridges before leading to the pool. Basically just follow the stream uphill from the church and you can’t miss it. Llanrhaeadr church itself sits in the middle of the village. It is open during the daytime.

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Key facts

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Britain’s Pilgrim Places

This listing is an extract from Britain’s Pilgrim Places, written by Nick Mayhew-Smith and Guy Hayward and featuring hundreds of similar spiritually charged sites and landscapes from across Britain.

Proceeds from sale of the book directly support the British Pilgrimage Trust, a non-profit UK charity. Thank you.

Location

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Holy Well

St Dyfnog’s Well, Llanrhaeadr

St Dyfnog’s Church, Llanrhaeadr LL16 4NL

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