Llangollen Memories: St Collen

By Sarah Griffiths on Dec 28, 09 12:09 PM in Before 1500

This seventh-century saint gave his name to the town of Llangollen, which is Welsh for Collen's enclosure.

St Collen's full name was Collen ap Gwynnawg ap Clydawg ap Cowdra ap Caradog Freichfras ap Lleyr Merim ap Einion Yrth ap Cunedda Wledig. He came from a well-connected Welsh family and served abroad as a soldier against Julian the Apostate. On his return to Britain, he dedicated his life to the church and became Abbot of Glastonbury, before becoming a hermit in the surrounding countryside.

St Collen is believed to have travelled to North Wales by coracle and established a cell by the river in what became the town of Llangollen. Because of the rarity of his name, there is speculation as to whether he also had connections with Colan in Cornwall and Langolen in Brittany. His varied experiences became the stuff of legend and these were recorded in the Welsh Buchedd Collen (Life of St Collen).

Stone from the original St Collen's church were incorporated into the current Llangollen church tower in 1750.

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