Full Report for Listed Buildings
The list description is not intended to be a complete inventory of what is listed: it is principally intended to aid identification. By law, the definition of a listed building includes the entire building (i) and any structure or object that is fixed to the said building and ancillary to it and (ii) any other structure or object that forms part of the land and has done so since before 1 July 1948, and was within the curtilage of the building, and ancillary to it, on the date on which said building was first included in the list, or on 1 January 1969, whichever was later.
Summary Description
Reference Number
427
Building Number
Grade
II
Status
Designated
Date of Designation
19/08/1991
Date of Amendment
19/08/1991
Name of Property
Gatehouse to St. Winefride's Chapel & Well
Address
Location
Unitary Authority
Flintshire
Community
Holywell
Town
Locality
Easting
318498
Northing
376295
Street Side
Location
Set in the clope on the corner to N of St Winefride's Chapel and Well.
Description
Broad Class
Domestic
Period
History
Builtin later C19 as the gatehouse to St Winefride's Well which became a major place of pilgrimage in medieval times and is the onlt shrine in Britain to have survived the Reformation. Architecturally the chapel and well is of exeptional interest. This gatehouse probably ceased to be the main entrance, for pilgrims wishing to bathe in the curative waters of the plunge bath, when the gardens were laid out and the modern custodian's house was built.
A gatehouse building is shown on this site in mid C19 views. John Welch is known to have produced designs for improvements in 1837 and later T H Wyatt designed Ladies and Gentlemen's Baths beyond and a castellated lodge. THis building, however, is likely to relate to further work in the later C19 and is shown on the 1871 OS map. Gothic, 3-storey rubble structure with freestone parapet and dressings and mostly slate roof; stone chimney stack with ballflower neck band. 3-bay elevation to Greenfield Street - gabled 'oriel' window rising through parapet contains transomed 2-light cusped windows. Square porch on uphill side with pierced parapet, Tudor arches and imitation carved gargoyles to corners; includes turnstile.
Rubble wall slopes down to meet present shrine entrance on E side of plunge bath; railings along road-side link the Garehouse and the Well Chapel.
Exterior
Partly boarded-up and in poor condition at time of inspection (May 1990).
Interior
Reason for designation
Included for group value with St Winefride's Chapel and Well (Grade I).
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