COLLEN
(
fl.
600?
),
saint
.
The account of his life in ‘
Buchedd Collen
’ is late and quite untrustworthy. But he merits notice as the traditional founder of the ancient church of
Llangollen
, the mother church of the whole of the commote of
Nanheudwy
. He is not commemorated outside this area, save in the neighbouring parish of
Ruabon
, where there was once a
Capel Collen
. It is unlikely that the
Deeside
saint is commemorated in
Trallwng Gollen
, a township of
Welshpool
, or in
Castell Collen
, the
Roman fort
near
Llandrindod
. His festival was held on
21 May
; hence the
fair of Llangollen
on that day (31 May after the change of style).
Sources:
-
The Lives of the British Saints
, ii, 157-61.
Author:
Sir John Edward Lloyd, D.Litt., F.B.A., F.S.A. (1861-1947), Bangor
