It’s very easy to say this after every one of your uploads but I’ll say it anyway; this is one of your finest! What an incredible opportunity it would be to visit this in person. Thanks Dr.B!
I visited the well and took some water in a bottle which I poured over my mother’s head. She was suffering from Parkinson’s and was in her late 80s, and whilst I wouldn’t claim it to be a cure, I’m sure it helped her condition.
Your videos are as good as any historical documentaries I have ever seen on the BBC and have the advantage of sparing viewers from political spin or anachronistic parallels being made with today. Thank you so much for researching and making them so professionally. You bring a great deal of pleasure to many people.
Interesting to hear of the link to the Pool of Bethesda in Jerusalem - I'm not a religious person myself, but my family until around 80 years ago were Roman Catholics from the village of Ein Karem, within Jerusalem, from which we took our surname Karmy. No doubt my ancestors would have known of both places, and some may well have made a pilgrimage to one, and visited the ruins of the other. Every time I learn a bit more about the Catholic faith, I feel as if I know them ever so slightly better. And thanks to Mr Carew's penchant for graffiti, we all know just a bit about him too; Sir Terry Pratchett believed that a man is not dead while his name is still spoken, and in that vein, a certain 19th century Irishman may well live on for centuries yet.
I came across St Winefride's Well when I was visiting north Wales. I'd never heard of it before and was bemused at a Catholic shrine in an area I've always thought of as very Protestant. It was beautiful and very moving.
@@carolinegreenwell9086 the most Catholic pilgrimage to Britain, I would imagine, would be to Glastonbury. St. Joseph of Arimathea did not forget the burial of the body of Jesus nor would Catholic forget the burial of his . Glastonbury is the closest thing in Britain to Santiago de Compostela.
I have long loved the Brother Cadfael books by Ellis Peters (aka Edith Pargerter). Saint Winnifred is the central figure in book one, A Morbid Taste for Bones, and she shows up as a presence and influence on Cadfael and many other monks in the long story arc of the twenty novels in the series. I so appreciated seeing the video of your visit to the well, and hearing about the long history of this Saint. Many thanks.
It's probably older than Christianity! A lot of saints' wells have pre-Christian offerings at the bottom when they've come under archaeological investigation, often bronze: a testament that old holy places usually do have some kind of vibes going on that makes absorbing them into new traditions and associating them with local saints worthwhile (no shade to St. Winifrid). It's such a context that makes me dislike the false crenellations on top, which are almost always an aggressive sign of a place being claimed by centralised power (as opposed to real fortified churches with invader-killing capacity, which are for the people: the first nearby chapel building may have actually been one).
@@CrowSkeleton the false crenellations are merely decorative elements, rather odd to read much into them. Very common in perpendicular churches, which were detailed to the extreme.
@@CrowSkeleton a lot of saints'wells do not have pre-Christian offerings at the bottom. Only a handful perhaps but the overwhelming majority of them do not. There is not much evidence that pagans offered to wells. only a few tiny shreds. The idea that all Christian wells have a pagan origin usually stems from protestant fierce anti-Catholic propaganda just to destroy peoples devotion. And a lot of ideas about paganism simply stems from Victorian era fantasy novels. Also a lot of wells do not pre-date Christian era. Even to this day wells pop up and wells dry up. Not all wells were there since the dawn of time.
Two of us from the United States made a pilgrimage from Holywell to Bardsey Island in 2014. A very ancient Catholic pilgrimage trail. It was wonderful. St Winifred’s well was a highlight of the experience. Thank you for making this video
Another very interesting video as usual. And one of my favorite mystery novel series is centered on Shrewsbury Abbey. Brother Cadfael, a Welshman with a history. Edit: I didn't watch long enough to see you mention Cadfael. 🙂
Like the the beheading of Thomas More and Bishop John Fisher. Telling truth to power has proven to be very dangerous in the UK. Nowadays the beheadings are committed by Muslim extremists.
@@estebancorral5151 Like all the history before 1534. There is also pagan history as well and more. Also, the COE is both Catholic and Protestant. Elizabeth I made some amendments to the reformed church (Elizabethan Settlement), so there are still Catholic elements within The Church of England; however, it is not Roman Catholic in that it does not hold the Bishop of Rome as the supreme authority and Vicar of Christ and neither does The Orthodox Church.
This shrine should be restored, it’s part of British history and anti-Catholic mania is long gone. It’s that sense of deep history and tradition that we Americans love about Britain. As such a new country, we lack those. When I saw your channel name, I thought of your many British antiquarian predecessors and the great contributions they made to documenting that history.🙂
I was especially interested in this video having grown up in Flint, down the road, and went to school in Holywell (pronounced Holly-well, btw). Yet I never visited or even knew of this wonderful place - presumably because we were staunch Non-conformists! Thank you for this mix of fact and legend, beautifully woven together as ever.
Much as I've enjoyed all your previous videos of old and interesting churches I have to say that I greatly enjoy these more recent, in depth pieces. They're wonderful. Thanks
I think Preston and area had the biggest recusant population at the time of forcing upon them the new church of England service of Holy Communion and abolishing the Catholic Mass. In our own time the largest number of Catholics supporting the Society of St. Pius X and the Tridentine Mass in England are in Preston. I have visited their church and saw the numbers that they attract.
I first learned about St Winifred when I read the first book in Ellis Peters Brother Cadfael mystery series “A Morbid Taste for Bones” which tells about how the monks of Shrewsbury Abbey came to claim her bones and thus make their abbey a place of pilgrimage. Thanks for filling out the details of her life and her holy well.
There always has been a sense of the miraculous around water that unexpectedly springs from the earth. I immediately thought of St Bernadette of Lourdes, her story and the many crutches that have been left behind there as witnesses to cures. St Winefride's well is much older and has truly endured the ravages of time to still draw people to the mysteries and healing properties of submersion in water. Wales certainly had some strong women of faith! Thank you so much for this piece about the persistence of faith.
Upon reading your comment, I immediately thought of the movie Song of Bernadette. Vincent Price, better remembered for horror films, once stated the his this film had his favorite role. He played Vital, the fastidious, crafty, and cynical prosecutor. He liked the role because it had a great change in character. In the end, visiting her grave site, Vital implores, “Pray for me Bernadette!”
As someone who is both a History Fanatic and Watches Only Television that is Streamed from an App or Mostly here, You Tube, I can't Thank You enough for Your First Rate, Quality, Educational Material, everything from the Content thru to Delivery is nothing short of Brilliant, Please Allow Me to be but just One of Many Fans who is both Thankful and Grateful for Your Contribution to the Preservation and Awareness of such Important Periods, Persons and Basically Overall aspects of Our Past History, Bravo 🎉
What a wonderful place! It seems almost like the English equivalent of the shrine of St Bernadette of Lourdes. Hopefully it'll never become as commercialised! Many thanks for this video.
Wait, Prior Robert existed?! I thought he was just a Cadfael character! *edit:* ...wanted to add a thank you to the Lady From Norfolk, the illustration of modern pilgrimage in action brings a real human element.
Thank you, Allan. Miraculous or not, the history of St. Winifred's Well, and the cures associated with it are a testament to the faith of humanity in an Almighty Presence. This is a moving legend, and your telling of it most appreciated.
Absolutely beautiful. Blends history and faith. It was built, and still functions, to help pilgrims find peace. No wonder the barbarians hate history. Its more difficult to fight feelings when they're intensified by an historical building/statute of the era.
Thank you for this video. I live not far away on the Wirral and I knew the name Holywell, but didn't realise that there was still a shrine there. I see a road trip in my future!
Thank you so much for this absolutely wonderful presentation! I’ve always believed, despite the dissolution of the monasteries, and the sad events of the English reformation, the DNA of the English is still very much Catholic. It is obvious, that “the protestant reformed religion established by law” can never expunge Catholic sensibilities.
Very much the case, there has been infighting between the non-conformists (mostly Calvinist) and the crypto-catholics right back into the reformation within the Church of England, and it is the background of many of the political disputes that have shaped the country. Many of the non-conformists left for America, or transitioned over to liberalism as a faith derived largely from the non-conformist side of the debate, while many of the high church types have gone over to the Pope, especially given the degradation of the Anglican Church, while a mixture of both have in their rejection of both parties harkened back to pre-conquest with their conversion to Orthodoxy. Personally I have ancestors on both sides of the dispute, but I can't admit to many sympathies for the non-conformists, as I tend to have a dim view to those who would brawl over foundations rather than build them, and the Church Fathers are relevant to the context of Christian theology in a way that 16th century minds can't really make a claim to, especially with the more outrageous reinterpretations. These days it's mostly a moot point however as the Catholics are in a crisis of faith, let alone the protestants. The faith is alive only in the occasional corner, and many at the top of the hierarchy are actively hostile to these signs of life, as they are overly Christian for comfort.
Maybe because the COE is both Catholic and Protestant. See the Elizabethan Settlement. I believe that the Anglican Church has more Catholic elements in it than other Protestant churches because of that Settlement. But being a church which does not recognize the Bishop of Rome as a supreme authority and the Vicar of Christ, it is Protestant. Even the Orthodox Church, which is considered more connected to the Catholic Church and which Catholics expect to unify again one day with, is not considered Catholic in the respect of the Roman Catholic Papal supremacy belief. These differences keep the churches separated even though both churches were born of the Roman Catholic Church, and you can see it in liturgical practices.
@@vorynrosethorn903 Calvinism is also what the Presbyterians' church is based on as well from what I read, and they reject episcopal authority and governance altogether. I see that you have not covered that. America is largely Protestant. The issue in the Roman Catholic church is also its insistence of it being between the Christian and his God as the only path to God as it proclaims The Pope as the "key" as interpreted by it from scripture rather than a direct connection between the Christian and God through his faith in Jesus Christ, of course the beliefs differ between the Protestants and the Catholics, but the Catholic clergy have used this ideology historically and some to this day to abuse their power and victimize people as well as to assert power and control over them. Whenever people are given power over others, be it a church or otherwise, there is usually a lot of abuse of that power. The Catholic Church rose into a very powerful institution, at one time being a government which persecuted people. With great wealth and power comes corruption, so this is a major part of the issues besides the differences in Christian ideologies that I think needs to be mentioned as well. The Church vs. Just differences in doctrine or beliefs. Many popes were also from very wealthy families and some selected for political reasons, etc because the seat held a lot of power as what used to be a government and a judiciary, much like any government and respective judicial system today. This cannot be ignored with respect to the Protestant movement.
8:25 Apparently, the future Henry V. had an arrow penetrate into his face about 6 inches. The channel 'History Hit' has a fascinating account of its protracted and ultimately successful extraction.
I have family who live in Little Crosby, a small village near Liverpool which also maintained its Catholicism through the Reformation. The family name is Pope. Not a coincidence I'm thinking. BTW, about St. Winifred's story--"Seduce" is an interesting description of attempted rape and murder.
Reminds me of a Catholic shrine in northern New Mexico I visited once called the Sanctuario de Chimayo. Many people who have travelled there have reported miraculous healings, and the side room of the little church is absolutely STUFFED with crutches and old casts from grateful pilgrims.
Allan: "In 1686, King James II was still without any heir to succeed him..." Mary, James' elder daughter: "Um, hello." Forgive the petty pedantry, I couldn't help myself ;) Another engaging video, Allan, and your video footage and the historical images add immensely to the narration. Bravo!
I'm extremely grateful to you, Dr Barton, for discovering and showing us these 'hidden gems', like your other accounts, this is fascinating and the Well House vaulted ceiling is particularly beautiful! I was also interested so see a portrait of King Henry IV; I'm sure I've never come across his likeness before.
This is wonderful! I am so happy I found your work. You go into these unique space and places, and I’m never not fascinated and surprised by what you bring to us. I absolutely love and adore brother Cadfel series. And I was so happy to see the history of Saint Winifred shrine and sacred well! Thank you! ❤
Perhaps you could revisit and ask to see the collection in the locked building on the right as you walk from the museum to the bathing pool. This is occasionally open and includes more material relating to the well including the somewhat gruesome skulls punctured from being impaled on the walls of Chester.
10:50 "There was a crisis as the water dried up and a new source had top be found" It never ceases to amaze me that people will ascribe supernatural powers to some naturally existing thing like a well, and then when it dries up they simply build some other source of water and pretend that it will have the same powers as the original. Ofcourse the fact that you had to go there three consecutive days is convenient for whoever ran the local inn/hotel. It's amazing how many of these rituals can be traced back to commerce.
Interestingly, I wondered if you would mention that there is an Episode from Cadfiel that actually covers this. The book and the video episode are good copies of each other.
This story is quite a happy discovery! The atmosphere there must be remarkable. Your presentation, with the help of those beautiful engravings, conveyed a tangible feeling of the place. I rank this with the most interesting of your episodes. Thank you for taking us there!
Thanks for another outstanding video. Didn't know anything about this saint or shrine and i was raised Catholic. Lourdes was always the more famous spring for miracles. ❤
Were there ever doors on the well house or was the place designed to be open to the elements from the beginning? I am impressed at how well the building has aged. What were the saint’s actual relics that were rehomed? Are these her bones and remains or something else like a rosary?
It's an interesting place but I don't think it's the only place of uninterrupted pilgrimage. There's also the little shrine of St. Wite at Whitchurch Canonicorum in Dorset. You might look into that sometime, if you haven't already.
I have been to Whitchurch Canonicorum, and have written an article on it published in my magazine. My view is that it is a cult that was established in the 13th century and then flopped. There is little evidence beyond the bizarre 13th century shrine, that there was ever a cultic or pilgrimage activity here in the Middle Ages. When I say little, I mean zero evidence. She doesn't even appear in any liturgical calendars. Even the identity of the saint is dubious, she has a generic name, that is more or less aking to calling someone St John Doe. The more interesting story behind that shrine is that it is likely a speculation by the chapter of Salisbury Cathedral, who like the monks of Shrewsbury were scouting around for possible saint's relics to translate to the cathedral. They held the advowson of the church and constructed the transept and shrine around 1220, in the hope that it might take off as a cult and they would have a homegrown saint. Sadly it flopped. It is because it flopped that it still remains intact - it wasn't worth removing by the reformers as it had long ceased to be a focus of meaningful devotion.
I doubt the mines are still open, they should probably revert back to the original source of water, it's more than a bit cheeky that they changed it in the first place. Same with blocking up the original entrance, and personally I have an abiding dislike of folding chairs in churches, either keep the pews or have people stand like the orthodox do, it's a Church, the function is worship, if the priest wants a community space to rent out he can build one himself, preferably as part of a ministry to Iran or North Korea.
Hey Allan! Do you plan to make a video on Henry VII's death, burial, tomb and current state of the remains if theres any report of it? I'd love to see, Henry gets so little attention
Whether St. Winefride’s story is accurate or no, it shows how women being prey, and killed by men’s evil responses to rejection by women, has a long, continuous history that we still are still experiencing today.
In the beginning of the video, don't you mean a "male heir". James had Mary and Anne. He wasn't without heirs. A bit confused by that part of the video aside from the fact that he had no male heir. Haven't watched the rest yet, but I'm sure it will as great as most all your informative videos. 👍💟💟
How wonderful. Brother Cadfael, anyone?
I thought the same thing!
A Morbid Taste for bones, have all the books, and the tv series with Derek Jacobi as Cadfael
@@freedpeeb Loved that series.
That's what I associate with Saint Winifred. It was interesting to see the real place. And another thing. So Robert finally got to be abbot?
@@AmynAL Me too1
It’s very easy to say this after every one of your uploads but I’ll say it anyway; this is one of your finest! What an incredible opportunity it would be to visit this in person. Thanks Dr.B!
Glad you’re enjoying my channel ☺️
I always say...this was my favorite so far. EVERY SINGLE TIME 😂😂😂😂
@@jilltagmorris that’s kind Jill.
I visited the well and took some water in a bottle which I poured over my mother’s head. She was suffering from Parkinson’s and was in her late 80s, and whilst I wouldn’t claim it to be a cure, I’m sure it helped her condition.
Your videos are as good as any historical documentaries I have ever seen on the BBC and have the advantage of sparing viewers from political spin or anachronistic parallels being made with today. Thank you so much for researching and making them so professionally. You bring a great deal of pleasure to many people.
Interesting to hear of the link to the Pool of Bethesda in Jerusalem - I'm not a religious person myself, but my family until around 80 years ago were Roman Catholics from the village of Ein Karem, within Jerusalem, from which we took our surname Karmy. No doubt my ancestors would have known of both places, and some may well have made a pilgrimage to one, and visited the ruins of the other. Every time I learn a bit more about the Catholic faith, I feel as if I know them ever so slightly better. And thanks to Mr Carew's penchant for graffiti, we all know just a bit about him too; Sir Terry Pratchett believed that a man is not dead while his name is still spoken, and in that vein, a certain 19th century Irishman may well live on for centuries yet.
I came across St Winefride's Well when I was visiting north Wales. I'd never heard of it before and was bemused at a Catholic shrine in an area I've always thought of as very Protestant. It was beautiful and very moving.
I went there on a catholic pilgrimage in the 1980's. Some of us went into the water.
@@carolinegreenwell9086 the most Catholic pilgrimage to Britain, I would imagine, would be to Glastonbury. St. Joseph of Arimathea did not forget the burial of the body of Jesus nor would Catholic forget the burial of his . Glastonbury is the closest thing in Britain to Santiago de Compostela.
I have long loved the Brother Cadfael books by Ellis Peters (aka Edith Pargerter). Saint Winnifred is the central figure in book one, A Morbid Taste for Bones, and she shows up as a presence and influence on Cadfael and many other monks in the long story arc of the twenty novels in the series. I so appreciated seeing the video of your visit to the well, and hearing about the long history of this Saint. Many thanks.
Shrewsbury Abbey, very close to home. Literally the view from my front windows.
The persistence of the faith is remarkable
It's probably older than Christianity! A lot of saints' wells have pre-Christian offerings at the bottom when they've come under archaeological investigation, often bronze: a testament that old holy places usually do have some kind of vibes going on that makes absorbing them into new traditions and associating them with local saints worthwhile (no shade to St. Winifrid).
It's such a context that makes me dislike the false crenellations on top, which are almost always an aggressive sign of a place being claimed by centralised power (as opposed to real fortified churches with invader-killing capacity, which are for the people: the first nearby chapel building may have actually been one).
@@CrowSkeleton the false crenellations are merely decorative elements, rather odd to read much into them. Very common in perpendicular churches, which were detailed to the extreme.
@@CrowSkeleton. Probably….
@@CrowSkeleton a lot of saints'wells do not have pre-Christian offerings at the bottom. Only a handful perhaps but the overwhelming majority of them do not. There is not much evidence that pagans offered to wells. only a few tiny shreds. The idea that all Christian wells have a pagan origin usually stems from protestant fierce anti-Catholic propaganda just to destroy peoples devotion. And a lot of ideas about paganism simply stems from Victorian era fantasy novels.
Also a lot of wells do not pre-date Christian era. Even to this day wells pop up and wells dry up. Not all wells were there since the dawn of time.
Two of us from the United States made a pilgrimage from Holywell to Bardsey Island in 2014. A very ancient Catholic pilgrimage trail. It was wonderful. St Winifred’s well was a highlight of the experience. Thank you for making this video
Another very interesting video as usual. And one of my favorite mystery novel series is centered on Shrewsbury Abbey. Brother Cadfael, a Welshman with a history.
Edit: I didn't watch long enough to see you mention Cadfael. 🙂
As soon as Alan mentioned the story of moving St. Winifride's relics, I thought of Brother Cadfael.
@@suzzannegabel1636 A Morbid Taste for Bones...
Fascinating. I think I would have a dip
🙏🙏🙏St.Winifride pray for us.🌟
There is so much Catholic history in the UK,
Like the the beheading of Thomas More and Bishop John Fisher. Telling truth to power has proven to be very dangerous in the UK. Nowadays the beheadings are committed by Muslim extremists.
@@estebancorral5151 Like all the history before 1534. There is also pagan history as well and more. Also, the COE is both Catholic and Protestant. Elizabeth I made some amendments to the reformed church (Elizabethan Settlement), so there are still Catholic elements within The Church of England; however, it is not Roman Catholic in that it does not hold the Bishop of Rome as the supreme authority and Vicar of Christ and neither does The Orthodox Church.
Wow, I hope to visit it.
Would love to see the missing tracery restored.
This shrine should be restored, it’s part of British history and anti-Catholic mania is long gone. It’s that sense of deep history and tradition that we Americans love about Britain. As such a new country, we lack those. When I saw your channel name, I thought of your many British antiquarian predecessors and the great contributions they made to documenting that history.🙂
I was especially interested in this video having grown up in Flint, down the road, and went to school in Holywell (pronounced Holly-well, btw). Yet I never visited or even knew of this wonderful place - presumably because we were staunch Non-conformists! Thank you for this mix of fact and legend, beautifully woven together as ever.
Thank you. I have never knowingly heard the name pronounced. I think it is often the way that we don’t visit the places in our doorstep.
I remember this story from the Cadfael TV series!
Much as I've enjoyed all your previous videos of old and interesting churches I have to say that I greatly enjoy these more recent, in depth pieces. They're wonderful. Thanks
Very interesting.
Pre-schism so basically an Orthodox Saint.
Saint Winefride, please pray for us.
Yes, a saint from when the Church was one.
@@allanbarton There is an annual Orthodox pilgrimage to the Well every first Saturday in October! :)
There is, I think it is led by the parish in Shrewsbury.
The Liverpool area had the highest Catholic recusant population in England in the early 18thC, over 20%.
I think Preston and area had the biggest recusant population at the time of forcing upon them the new church of England service of Holy Communion and abolishing the Catholic Mass. In our own time the largest number of Catholics supporting the Society of St. Pius X and the Tridentine Mass in England are in Preston. I have visited their church and saw the numbers that they attract.
@@redmi9834 yes I couldn't think of an elegant way to say Lancs, Cheshire and Flintshire
I first learned about St Winifred when I read the first book in Ellis Peters Brother Cadfael mystery series “A Morbid Taste for Bones” which tells about how the monks of Shrewsbury Abbey came to claim her bones and thus make their abbey a place of pilgrimage. Thanks for filling out the details of her life and her holy well.
There always has been a sense of the miraculous around water that unexpectedly springs from the earth. I immediately thought of St Bernadette of Lourdes, her story and the many crutches that have been left behind there as witnesses to cures. St Winefride's well is much older and has truly endured the ravages of time to still draw people to the mysteries and healing properties of submersion in water. Wales certainly had some strong women of faith! Thank you so much for this piece about the persistence of faith.
Upon reading your comment, I immediately thought of the movie Song of Bernadette. Vincent Price, better remembered for horror films, once stated the his this film had his favorite role. He played Vital, the fastidious, crafty, and cynical prosecutor. He liked the role because it had a great change in character. In the end, visiting her grave site, Vital implores, “Pray for me Bernadette!”
As someone who is both a History Fanatic and Watches Only Television that is Streamed from an App or Mostly here, You Tube, I can't Thank You enough for Your First Rate, Quality, Educational Material, everything from the Content thru to Delivery is nothing short of Brilliant, Please Allow Me to be but just One of Many Fans who is both Thankful and Grateful for Your Contribution to the Preservation and Awareness of such Important Periods, Persons and Basically Overall aspects of Our Past History, Bravo 🎉
Fascinating history as usual, led me down a rabbit hole, again. Thank you Dr. Barton!❤
This is an amazing place to visit - and a deep rabbit hole. Thanks Ellen.
Amazing place.
Extraordinary!
well that was fascinating
Another interesting vlog showing such a beautiful magic place. Well worth visiting.
What a wonderful place! It seems almost like the English equivalent of the shrine of St Bernadette of Lourdes. Hopefully it'll never become as commercialised! Many thanks for this video.
Love your work Allan, always interesting.
Many thanks
Wait, Prior Robert existed?! I thought he was just a Cadfael character!
*edit:* ...wanted to add a thank you to the Lady From Norfolk, the illustration of modern pilgrimage in action brings a real human element.
I want more Cadfael stories to tell how he managed to become abbot!
Really interesting. I have a bit of a fetish for holy wells,and Yorkshire has quite a number. My nearest is St Hilda's just a stones throw away.
I went to St John of Beverley’s well at Harpham a few weeks ago. Really lovely, but bone dry.
Thank you, Allan. Miraculous or not, the history of St. Winifred's Well, and the cures associated with it are a testament to the faith of humanity in an Almighty Presence. This is a moving legend, and your telling of it most appreciated.
Absolutely beautiful.
Blends history and faith.
It was built, and still functions, to help pilgrims find peace.
No wonder the barbarians hate history.
Its more difficult to fight feelings when they're intensified by an historical building/statute of the era.
Thank you for this video. I live not far away on the Wirral and I knew the name Holywell, but didn't realise that there was still a shrine there. I see a road trip in my future!
Thank you so much for this absolutely wonderful presentation! I’ve always believed, despite the dissolution of the monasteries, and the sad events of the English reformation, the DNA of the English is still very much Catholic. It is obvious, that “the protestant reformed religion established by law” can never expunge Catholic sensibilities.
My ancestors would be very surprised to hear this, as am I.
Very much the case, there has been infighting between the non-conformists (mostly Calvinist) and the crypto-catholics right back into the reformation within the Church of England, and it is the background of many of the political disputes that have shaped the country. Many of the non-conformists left for America, or transitioned over to liberalism as a faith derived largely from the non-conformist side of the debate, while many of the high church types have gone over to the Pope, especially given the degradation of the Anglican Church, while a mixture of both have in their rejection of both parties harkened back to pre-conquest with their conversion to Orthodoxy.
Personally I have ancestors on both sides of the dispute, but I can't admit to many sympathies for the non-conformists, as I tend to have a dim view to those who would brawl over foundations rather than build them, and the Church Fathers are relevant to the context of Christian theology in a way that 16th century minds can't really make a claim to, especially with the more outrageous reinterpretations. These days it's mostly a moot point however as the Catholics are in a crisis of faith, let alone the protestants. The faith is alive only in the occasional corner, and many at the top of the hierarchy are actively hostile to these signs of life, as they are overly Christian for comfort.
Maybe because the COE is both Catholic and Protestant. See the Elizabethan Settlement. I believe that the Anglican Church has more Catholic elements in it than other Protestant churches because of that Settlement. But being a church which does not recognize the Bishop of Rome as a supreme authority and the Vicar of Christ, it is Protestant. Even the Orthodox Church, which is considered more connected to the Catholic Church and which Catholics expect to unify again one day with, is not considered Catholic in the respect of the Roman Catholic Papal supremacy belief. These differences keep the churches separated even though both churches were born of the Roman Catholic Church, and you can see it in liturgical practices.
@@vorynrosethorn903 Calvinism is also what the Presbyterians' church is based on as well from what I read, and they reject episcopal authority and governance altogether. I see that you have not covered that. America is largely Protestant. The issue in the Roman Catholic church is also its insistence of it being between the Christian and his God as the only path to God as it proclaims The Pope as the "key" as interpreted by it from scripture rather than a direct connection between the Christian and God through his faith in Jesus Christ, of course the beliefs differ between the Protestants and the Catholics, but the Catholic clergy have used this ideology historically and some to this day to abuse their power and victimize people as well as to assert power and control over them. Whenever people are given power over others, be it a church or otherwise, there is usually a lot of abuse of that power. The Catholic Church rose into a very powerful institution, at one time being a government which persecuted people. With great wealth and power comes corruption, so this is a major part of the issues besides the differences in Christian ideologies that I think needs to be mentioned as well. The Church vs. Just differences in doctrine or beliefs. Many popes were also from very wealthy families and some selected for political reasons, etc because the seat held a lot of power as what used to be a government and a judiciary, much like any government and respective judicial system today. This cannot be ignored with respect to the Protestant movement.
8:25 Apparently, the future Henry V. had an arrow penetrate into his face about 6 inches. The channel 'History Hit' has a fascinating account of its protracted and ultimately successful extraction.
That's why he's the only monach with a portrait in profile. I believe the right side of his face was quite badly scarred.
I have family who live in Little Crosby, a small village near Liverpool which also maintained its Catholicism through the Reformation. The family name is Pope. Not a coincidence I'm thinking. BTW, about St. Winifred's story--"Seduce" is an interesting description of attempted rape and murder.
I was faithful to the text of the vita, which refers to seduction and murder.
Attempted assault and murder…it’s sad that the tale is written otherwise. :/ thank you for being as by the text as possible.
Reminds me of a Catholic shrine in northern New Mexico I visited once called the Sanctuario de Chimayo. Many people who have travelled there have reported miraculous healings, and the side room of the little church is absolutely STUFFED with crutches and old casts from grateful pilgrims.
Surprisingly, perhaps, his "St Winifred's Well" was Gerard Manley Hopkins's favourite among all his works.
Typo : Winefred's
Allan: "In 1686, King James II was still without any heir to succeed him..."
Mary, James' elder daughter: "Um, hello."
Forgive the petty pedantry, I couldn't help myself ;) Another engaging video, Allan, and your video footage and the historical images add immensely to the narration. Bravo!
To be fair to Allan he said that James and Mary were seeking an end to their childlessness, James's daughters were from his first wife Anne Hyde.
Another very interesting video. Thank you for uploading it :)
I'm extremely grateful to you, Dr Barton, for discovering and showing us these 'hidden gems', like your other accounts, this is fascinating and the Well House vaulted ceiling is particularly beautiful! I was also interested so see a portrait of King Henry IV; I'm sure I've never come across his likeness before.
The Rev. John Milner was a very important source in my MA dissertation on a particular medieval Irish treasure!
This is wonderful! I am so happy I found your work. You go into these unique space and places, and I’m never not fascinated and surprised by what you bring to us. I absolutely love and adore brother Cadfel series. And I was so happy to see the history of Saint Winifred shrine and sacred well! Thank you! ❤
Thank you so much..
You're most welcome
What a beautiful place. It's miraculous in itself. Thank you for revealing this enduring treasure, I would never have heard of it otherwise.
Perhaps you could revisit and ask to see the collection in the locked building on the right as you walk from the museum to the bathing pool. This is occasionally open and includes more material relating to the well including the somewhat gruesome skulls punctured from being impaled on the walls of Chester.
I’m happy to see from the comments that I’m not the only Cadfael fan!
As usual interesting and entertaining I think it's a place to visit.
I think this is a fantastic place to have to see if I ever get a chance to travel there.
What a fantastic place that I had never heard of and is now in my bucket list to visit. Thanks for sharing 😊
Just wonderful, thank you so much 🙏🙏👵🇦🇺
Thank you for another splendid video. I’m going to reread A Morbid Taste for Bones with this new found knowledge.❤❤❤
I suspect St. Winifred's Well was sacred long before Christianity claimed it.
It absolutely was a pagan well.
Hi Allan! A lovely telling indeed.
Thanks Terry, I hope all is well with you.
10:50 "There was a crisis as the water dried up and a new source had top be found"
It never ceases to amaze me that people will ascribe supernatural powers to some naturally existing thing like a well, and then when it dries up they simply build some other source of water and pretend that it will have the same powers as the original.
Ofcourse the fact that you had to go there three consecutive days is convenient for whoever ran the local inn/hotel.
It's amazing how many of these rituals can be traced back to commerce.
Interestingly, I wondered if you would mention that there is an Episode from Cadfiel that actually covers this. The book and the video episode are good copies of each other.
Thank you for this fascinating video
A fascinating account, thanks.
Glad you enjoyed it
Marvellous video. Thank you. G Ire
My pleasure, thanks for watching!
Allan, your voice is so calming. It's a breath of fresh air and a respite from the world of today.
This story is quite a happy discovery! The atmosphere there must be remarkable. Your presentation, with the help of those beautiful engravings, conveyed a tangible feeling of the place. I rank this with the most interesting of your episodes. Thank you for taking us there!
Thank you so much for covering this topic. Pilgrimmaging to Holywell is one of my life goals. Any chance you could do a video on St. Edmund martyr??
those metal railings are the real iconoclasm
Thank you, Allan, for the wonderful video. Especially since I recently finished reading the Brother Cadfael book series. 😊
What a beautiful structure! It's absolutely a gorgeous setting. I can see why people would feel it is holy.
Never forgot about St Winifred and her head reattachment... who is to say it didn't happen? Faith comes in all forms for all people.
Thanks for another outstanding video. Didn't know anything about this saint or shrine and i was raised Catholic. Lourdes was always the more famous spring for miracles. ❤
Beautiful place
I don't think i'm the only Cadfael fan here 😂
Definitely not!
Decidedly not!
So moving-many thanks.
lovely
Very interesting and beautifully narrated. As usual. Thank you for sharing this! 👍
I look forward to every new video. This channel is a treasure.
Very cool. I want to go!
Allan another great video. Thanks
Very interesting
Well done. Thank you.
So good, as always. Cheers
Excellent.
Never thought Cadfael took that bit from history.
I’ve said Mass in the Chapel.
❤😊❤😊❤😊❤
❤ this channel ❤
0:11 maybe a small error, but he wasn't King of Great Britain, he was King of England and Scotland (and Ireland), the Act of Union was in 1707.
Thanks for pointing that out.
Were there ever doors on the well house or was the place designed to be open to the elements from the beginning? I am impressed at how well the building has aged. What were the saint’s actual relics that were rehomed? Are these her bones and remains or something else like a rosary?
It's an interesting place but I don't think it's the only place of uninterrupted pilgrimage. There's also the little shrine of St. Wite at Whitchurch Canonicorum in Dorset. You might look into that sometime, if you haven't already.
I have been to Whitchurch Canonicorum, and have written an article on it published in my magazine. My view is that it is a cult that was established in the 13th century and then flopped. There is little evidence beyond the bizarre 13th century shrine, that there was ever a cultic or pilgrimage activity here in the Middle Ages. When I say little, I mean zero evidence. She doesn't even appear in any liturgical calendars. Even the identity of the saint is dubious, she has a generic name, that is more or less aking to calling someone St John Doe. The more interesting story behind that shrine is that it is likely a speculation by the chapter of Salisbury Cathedral, who like the monks of Shrewsbury were scouting around for possible saint's relics to translate to the cathedral. They held the advowson of the church and constructed the transept and shrine around 1220, in the hope that it might take off as a cult and they would have a homegrown saint. Sadly it flopped. It is because it flopped that it still remains intact - it wasn't worth removing by the reformers as it had long ceased to be a focus of meaningful devotion.
I doubt the mines are still open, they should probably revert back to the original source of water, it's more than a bit cheeky that they changed it in the first place. Same with blocking up the original entrance, and personally I have an abiding dislike of folding chairs in churches, either keep the pews or have people stand like the orthodox do, it's a Church, the function is worship, if the priest wants a community space to rent out he can build one himself, preferably as part of a ministry to Iran or North Korea.
⛲️
Hope it survives Islam
Hey Allan! Do you plan to make a video on Henry VII's death, burial, tomb and current state of the remains if theres any report of it? I'd love to see, Henry gets so little attention
I do, it is a most complex subject so will likely tackle it this winter.
@@allanbarton That would be fantastic!
Readers of the Brother Cadfael books will know all about St Winefride and her history.
Was Winefriede one of the Celtic Church's "saints" appropriated by the Latin rite ? I know the Synod of Whitby dates to 664.
Does the chapel still hold Catholic mass ?
I doubt very much if the local Bishop would allow a Tridentine Mass these days but the SSPX offers one in their annual pilgrimage to Walsingham Abbey.
Whether St. Winefride’s story is accurate or no, it shows how women being prey, and killed by men’s evil responses to rejection by women, has a long, continuous history that we still are still experiencing today.
Except these days none of them get up alive afterwards.
Is that your boy featuring in the film?
Yes, my youngest. We are blessed with two sons and two daughters.
In the beginning of the video, don't you mean a "male heir". James had Mary and Anne. He wasn't without heirs. A bit confused by that part of the video aside from the fact that he had no male heir. Haven't watched the rest yet, but I'm sure it will as great as most all your informative videos. 👍💟💟
Yes, I meant male heir.
@@allanbarton Thanks!
there is a sense, to me, that
"tried to seduce" is a euphemism
for attempted ravishing...