148 THE rilANCISCAN FRIERY, READING.

his name, Gothic Architecture having worked itself free from the trammels of the Norman, and the somewhat stiff though still elegant characteristics of the Early Enghsh, attained a degree of beauty and splendour unrivalled either before or since. After existing for rather more than two hundred years, the Eriery, in connnon with the possessions of the monks of this place, fell in the general wreck of this kind of property under Henry VIII., to whom, according to the deed of surrender, bearing the date of September 13th, 1539, the friers gave up the house with all its advantages, and finally relinquished their order. ST. WINEFREDE'S WELL AT HOLYWELL, FLINTSHIRE. St. Winefrede was a noble British vii-gin, who suffered martyrdom in the seventh century. Her head was smitten off by a Welsh Tarquin, named Caradoc, who instantly met with his reward in being swallowed ip by the earth. The lady's head bounded down the hill on which the catastrophe occm'red, and, stopping near the clnu'ch, a copious spring of Avater burst from the place where it rested. Her blood sprinkled the stones ineffaceably, and a fragrant odour was imparted to the moss growing on the spot. All these, how- ever, are but the more trifling circumstances of the miracle. A holy man, one St. Benno, took up the head and fitted it so cleverly on the body, that the parts re-united, and St. Wine- frede survived this remarkable adventure fifteen years. This veracious history — for the hill, the fountain, the blood and the moss, remain as triumphant evidences of its truth — has been commemorated by a most elegant Gothic structm'e in the Perpendicular style, tlie date of which may be placed on heraldic evidence ante 1495. The l)uil(ling inclosing the well is erected against the side of the hill from which the water issues, and forms a crypt under a small chapel contiguous to the parisli church, and on a level with it, the entrance to the well lieing by a descent of about