- Holywell
infobox UK place
country= Wales
welsh_name= Treffynnon
constituency_welsh_assembly=
official_name= Holywell
population= 7,530 (2001 Census)
unitary_wales=Flintshire
lieutenancy_wales=Clwyd
constituency_westminster= Delyn
post_town= HOLYWELL
postcode_district= CH8
postcode_area= CH
dial_code= 01352
os_grid_reference= SJ185755
latitude= 53.27020
longitude= -3.22351
static_
static_image_caption= The Well Head, Holywell. Holywell ( _cy. Treffynnon) is the fifth largesttown inFlintshire , NorthWales , lying to the west of the estuary of the River Dee.History
The town is known for
St Winefride's Well , aholy well surrounded by achapel . The well has been known since at least the Roman period, and has been a site ofpilgrimage since about660 whenSaint Winefride was beheaded there by Caradog who attempted to rape her. [citeweb|url=http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/07438a.htm|title=Holywell|work=Catholic Encyclopedia |accessdate=3 March|accessyear=2007] The well is one of theSeven Wonders of Wales and the town bills itself as "TheLourdes of Wales".From the 18th century, the town grew around the
lead mining andcotton mill ing industries.Holywell hosted an unofficial
National Eisteddfod event in 1869.Demographics
Administratively, Holywell consists of three wards of the
Flintshire County Council local authority. At the 2001 Census, the total population of the town was:Community
Holywell is split into four distinct areas — Pen-y-Maes, The Strand, The Holway and the town centre. Pen-y-Maes is the richer of the areas in Holywell in the north east side of the town (based on land prices)Fact|date=June 2007. The old cottage hospital was located here until it closed. A new one has been built near the football pitch of the local team. The Holway, located on the west side of the town, is the largest of the residential areas of Holywell.Fact|date=June 2007 The town centre contains many small businesses, a Somerfield and a Woolworths. A
Lidl has just opened its doors as has the newTesco store in Holywell which also has Tesco Direct. The village ofGreenfield is effectively a suburb of Holywell, as are many other villages that surround the town.The town contains a secondary school with over 500 pupils and a leisure centre.
Holywell also has a local football team, Holywell Town who play in the
Welsh Alliance League .In 2007, a group of locals proposed a circular walk way, the "St Beuno's Circular Walk", joining all of the historical and religious locations of the town. [citeweb|url=http://www.holywellwalk.bravehost.com/ |title=Proposed St Bueno's Circular Walk|accessdate=10 May|accessyear=2007]
Notable people
* Actor
Jonathan Pryce was born in Holywell in 1947.
* Former Southampton and Wales footballer Ron Davies was born in Holywell in 1942.
*Dixie Dean the Everton football legend once had a near fatal motorbike accident in Holywell in the late 1920s. This almost ended his professional career.
* TV's Gareth Jones (Gaz Top) comes from HolywellReferences
External links
* [http://www.holywell-town.co.uk Holywell website]
* [http://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/northeast/sites/holywell_town/ BBC Wales: Holywell]
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