Collen

For people named Collen, see Collen (surname).

St Collen's Church, Llangollen

Collen was a 7th-century monk who gave his name to Llangollen (from the Welsh llan meaning 'enclosure' and gollen being a mutation of "Collen").

Collen is said to have served for some time abroad as a soldier.[1] He later arrived in Llangollen by coracle and founded a church beside the river there. As there are no other churches in Wales dedicated to Collen, it is possible that this Saint Collen may also have connections in both Colan, Cornwall, where Colan Church is dedicated to him, and Langolen, Brittany. There are legendary Lives connecting him with Wales, Rome and Glastonbury, but nothing is known for certain about him, though from the dedication of a church to him in Brittany it may be conjectured that he resided for some time in that country.[2]

  1. ^ "The Story of St Collen", LLangollen Museum
  2. ^ Monks of Ramsgate. "Gollen". Book of Saints, 1921. CatholicSaints.Info. 16 July 2013Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.