municipal and parliamentary borough, and market-town of Flintshire, North Wales, 15 miles N.W. of Chester. It is pleasantly situated on an eminence near the left bank of the estuary of the Dee. The streets are irregular but spacious and well paved, while many of the buildings are substantial and elegant, and give the town an air of prosperity and opulence. Until the commencement of the present century the town was inconsiderable, but owing to the extension of its mines, and the successful establishment of several manufactories, it has become the largest in the county. The church, erected in 1769, but retaining some columns of a more ancient structure, is a plain edifice, with a strong embattled tower, dedicated to Gwenfrewi or St Winefrid. Holywell has manufactures of cottons and galloons, besides smelting houses and foundries. In the vicinity are collieries, and valuable mines of lead, copper, and zinc. It has a station on the Chester and Holyhead railway. It takes its name from the celebrated well of St Winefrid, long reckoned one of the seven wonders of Wales. The spring is estimated by Pennant to discharge 21 tons of water in a minute; and its temperature is at all seasons several degrees higher than the mean temperature of the district. The well is covered by a beautiful Gothic building, said to have been erected by Margaret, Countess of Richmond, mother of Henry VII. It is a contributory borough to Flint in returning a member to parliament. Pop. (1851) 5740.