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
5328
Building Number
Grade
II
Status
Designated
Date of Designation
05/04/1971
Date of Amendment
03/06/1998
Name of Property
Ffynnon Gwenfai
Address
Location
Unitary Authority
Isle of Anglesey
Community
Rhoscolyn
Town
Locality
Rhoscolyn
Easting
225951
Northing
375437
Street Side
Location
In an isolated location on the coast overlooking Porth Gwalch, c 0.9km WSW of the Church of St. Gwenfaen in Rhoscolyn.
Description
Broad Class
Water Supply and Drainage
Period
History
An early Christian, Medieval, holy well, dedicated to St. Gwenfaen, daughter of Pawl Hen of Manaw (Isle of Man) and sister to Peulan (Llanbeulan, near Rhosneigr), who built her cloister here in AD630.
Exterior
A rectangular drystone structure of 3 chambers set almost completely below the level of the surrounding moorland and lying in an E-W orientation. The square eastern chamber is entered by 3 descending steps at the E end and has stone seats across each corner. To the west end is the rectangular well chamber, divided from the eastern chamber by a drystone wall with a narrow opening at the centre. The well chamber has a stone seat either side contrived in small 'apsidal' recesses; the well itself a rectangular trough with a single step down into the well and below the level of the water. Both chambers have stone flag floors. The outer chamber to the W end is divided from the well chamber by a thick drystone wall; reached by 6 descending stone steps either side, the well itself divided from the inner well by a thick stone slab with circular grooves cut into its upper and lower edges to allow water to flow from the inner to outer wells. At the W end a stone slab pierced with a hole allows water to be contained in the outer well; outflow is along a paved channel to the W leading to the cliff edge.
Scheduled Ancient Monument Ref. AN055.
Interior
Reason for designation
Listed as an early holy well with unusually substantial structure.
Cadw : Full Report for Listed Buildings [ Records 1 of 1 ]
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