Ffynion leinw Just past Y Dderwen-The Oak, and the old Sardis Chapel, (which was the home of 24-7 Roller Shutters Ltd ) and only a few feet from the edge of the A541 you will find Ffynnon leinw in the woods. (leinw comes from the Welsh word llanw meaning tide as it is reported that the water in the well rose and ebbed with the tides of the Dee estuary). The well has been listed as one of the holy wells of Wales on a par with the more famous St Winifred's Well in Holywell The well in Hendre is mentioned by Thomas Pennant in his 'A Tour in Wales'-written between 1778-1783 and also by Giraldus Cambrensis or Gerald of Wales in his 'Journey through Wales' written in 1188 - an itinerary of his journeys as he accompanied Archbishop Baldwin to enlist support for the 3rd Crusade Alongside the well is a fish pond which is possibly mediaeval Today the site is in somewhat of a sorry state but as the pictures below show, it is well worth a visit |
| Ffynnion leinw |
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| Funding has now been approved for a study of the well and the adjacent fish pond. Consultants will look at the well and advise at aspects of land ownership and access. £6000 has been allocated for this project but 20% of this money needs to come from donations- The Sunday night quiz at the Royal Oak at Hendre has donated £100, Y Dderwen-The Oak will contribute £200 and the rest must come from elsewhere-if you can help in any way please contact John les Tomas on 01352 741466 |
| In the October 2013 Parish magazine for the Bro Famau Group of Parishes , Mr John Foxlee has written an interesting article about the well which I reproduce here . 'Websites say the well is in Cilcain but after further research it is thought the well is in the parish of Rhydymwyn. It gets its name because at one time the water rose and fell with the tides in the River Dee, but it gave that up a long time ago. When visited recently it was dry but there is a deep well towards one end apparently lined with stone at the bottom of which is water. In winter the well is full of water. It is substantially built, about four feet deep with three stone steps into it . It is very similar to the well behind Llanrhaeadr Church near Denbigh where St Dyfnog used to baptise people and so for this reason it is thought that this well is a baptistry pool too. If it is a baptistry pool it was probably made in Celtic Christian times, possibly AD250-700. The well is grade 2 listed The well has been included in the diocesan pilgrimage map which may be seen on the Church in Wales website Here There are two historic comments about it though it is not certain that the first refers to Ffynnon leinw Giraldus Cambrensis 1188-There is a spring not far from Ruthlan in the province of Tegengel which not ony ebbs and flows like the sea twice in twenty four hours but at other times frequently rises and falls both day and night Thomas Pennant-Late 18th century-On the side of the turnpike road, not far from Kilken Hall is the noted FfynonLeinw or the flowing well a large oblong well with a double wall round it |
