Gwytherin
Coordinates: 53°08′20″N 3°40′52″W / 53.139°N 3.681°W
Gwytherin is a village in Conwy county borough, Wales. The church is dedicated to Saint Winefrid (Welsh: Gwenffrewi; Medieval Latin: Winefrida).
Gwytherin is a peaceful and picturesque little village in a small valley through which the River Cledwen flows. It has been the winner of 'Best Kept Village' on four occasions.
In the centre of the village opposite the Lion Inn is the Church of St Winifred which was built and dedicated to her in 1869. The church is believed to have originated in the mid 600’s AD up by Prince Eleri who then went on to set up a double monastery in the village. He was the Abbot to the monks, and his cousin’s daughter, St. Gwenffrewi was the Abbess to the nuns.
According to legend, St Winifred had her head severed by an enraged chieftain after she spurned his advances. A spring arose where her head landed and she was later restored to life by her uncle St Beuno. Even today, pilgrims today visit the healing waters at Holywell in Flintshire. St Winefride died and was buried in the churchyard in November 660AD. Her bones were removed by Benedictine monks in the 12th century and taken to their abbey in Shrewsbury.
In the peaceful churchyard at St Winefride's are three ancient yew trees. You will also find a row of four ancient standing stones approximately one metre high and aligned roughly east to west. A close look at the first stone reveals carving and what appears to be a 'W'.
In Literature
Gwytherin is the setting for much of the action in the novel A Morbid Taste for Bones, first published in 1977 by Ellis Peters. It was the first book in a series of twenty to introduce the fictional Brother Cadfael, the real Prior Robert Pennant, and the rest of the monks at Shrewsbury Abbey in the 12th century.
Gallery
Moonrise over Aled valley.
Ruin near Pant-y-fotty
References
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