SS Mael and Sulien’s Church, is located in the town of Corwen in Denbighshire (formerly in the traditional county of Merionethshire) in northern Wales.
Architecture
The church itself dates from the twelfth century and is a single-chambered structure set within a rectangular churchyard, with walls of fourteenth or fifteenth century origin. Its baptismal font dates from the twelfth or thirteenth century and the churchyard includes a tomb from the seventeenth century.
Dedication
The church is dedicated to two Celtic saints of the sixth century, though it has been suggested that an earlier foundation stood on the hill above. Saints Mael and Sulien are said to have been companions of the Breton Saint Cadfan (ca. 530-ca. 590), who led a group of missionaries to Western Wales with Saint Tydecho, a cousin, and Saint Cynllo, a friend. There was a Saint Sulien or Sulian who was abbot of Luxulyan, in central Cornwall, during the sixth century. Sulien is a Welsh variant of the given name “Julian,” but has also been interpreted as being derived from the Welsh sul, meaning “sun” + geni, meaning “born,” Sulien being the name of a Celtic solar deity.
Services
SS Mael and Sulien’s offers services in both English and Welsh.
