Saint Callwen facts for kids

Saint Callwen was an early Welsh Christian saint. She was thought to be part of the famous Brychan family. There is some debate about whether she truly existed. A church in Defynnog, Brecknockshire, was once named after her.

About Saint Callwen

Saint Callwen was believed to be a member of the Brychan family in Wales. This family was known for having many saints. She chose to live a simple life and dedicated herself to serving God and helping others.

Her special day, or feast day, is celebrated on 1 November. She shares this day with her sister, Saint Gwenfyl. Some old lists of saints say she was Brychan's daughter. This would make her the sister of Cynog ap Brychan.

Historians are not completely sure about her name or how it is spelled. Early records do not clearly show Callwen as a saint. This is why some people wonder if she really existed.

Callwen's Legacy

A church once named after Saint Callwen.

In 1809, a historian named Theophilus Jones wrote about a chapel. This chapel was in the Tawe valley in the area of Defynnog, Brecknockshire. He said it was sometimes called "Cael Glyntawe" or "Capel Callwen." He thought "Capel Callwen" might be a changed version of "Cellwen," which means "Fairwood chapel." This name would describe the beautiful woods around it.

However, another writer, Rice Rees, said in 1836 that the chapel was indeed named after Saint Callwen. This chapel, also known as St Colwen's, was in Callwen, Glyntawe, Breconshire. It was a smaller church that belonged to the main Defynnog church until about 1868. After that, Glyntawe became its own separate church area.

On 1 July 1893, a new Church of Saint Callwen was built. It replaced the older building in Glyntawe. Basil Jones, who was the bishop of St David's, helped with this change. The bishop, along with Ellen Elizabeth Gwyn and Reverend David Hughes, agreed it was a good idea.

Later, in 1964–65, the church was renamed. It became the Church of St John the Baptist. Even so, the local people in the village of Callwen still call it Callwen Church.

In 1914, John Thomas Evans wrote about All Saints church in Cellan. He said "Cellan" means "a little cell." He also mentioned that the female saint, Callwen, to whom the church is often linked, might not be real. Her name does not appear in many old lists of saints. Edward Lhwyd, another writer, mentioned a spring near the church called Ffynnon Callwen. He thought Cellan might have gotten its name from this spring. But Sir Edward Anwyl believed that "Cellan" and "Callwen" were not the same word.