Pencader can be explored through its different historical periods and the landscape surrounding the village. St Mary’s Church was built in 1881 on the site of a Norman chapel; the Hill Fort is an Iron Age hill fort overlooking the village. The Pencader Loop Walk starts in the village, while the surrounding area includes fields, valleys, woods, forest areas and streams. The history of the village and the landscape therefore offer different focal points for a stay.
Church, chapel and religious history
Today’s St Mary’s Church was built in 1881 on the site of Capel Mair, a chapel dating from Norman times. After the Norman Conquest, Capel Mair was a chapel with burial rights and belonged to Llanfihangel-ar-Arth in the Deanery of Carmarthen. The history of the present church building and the site’s earlier ecclesiastical role therefore belong to different periods. Another detail is the limestone font in St Mary’s Church: its cylindrical shaft was carved from a single stone; the basin probably dates from the 13th or 14th century. Pencader’s religious history also extends beyond its church buildings: in the 17th century, the village developed into an important centre of Nonconformity.
Hill fort, hills and walking routes
Pencader’s Hill Fort is an Iron Age hill fort overlooking the village. It was probably inhabited even after the Roman occupation. Its Iron Age origins and possible later use therefore sit alongside one another, without presenting the later settlement as certain.
The landscape around Pencader includes fields, valleys, woods, forest areas and streams. Crossing the hills from one valley to another offers views of the villages around Pencader. For a specific walking route, the Pencader Loop Walk starts in the village. Its named starting point and the views from the hill crossings offer different ways to make walking part of a stay.
The story of the Old Man of Pencader
The “Old Man of Pencader” plaque is located opposite the Pavilion in Pencader. It commemorates the story that Henry II of England asked an old man from Pencader about his prospects of victory over the Welsh. The story comes from Gerald of Wales’ 12th-century book “The Journey Through Wales.” This example links a precisely located memorial with a tale from medieval literature. Anyone interested in the stories behind a place name will find a distinct way to explore Pencader’s past here: the plaque refers to a traditional account of an encounter, and also identifies its literary source.
Pencader holds a carnival every year. If you would like to plan your stay around it, check the event dates in advance.
Pencader’s former railway connections
The railway is also part of the village’s history. Pencader had a large station and marshalling yard south of a junction. From the junction, the line ran west to Newcastle Emlyn and north via Lampeter to Aberystwyth. This route describes the former railway connection; the station is no longer an operating passenger station. It should therefore not be regarded as a current train connection for getting there today. As a historical reference, the route shows the directions in which the railway lines of the time continued from Pencader.
Discover more destinations: Burry Port, Newcastle Emlyn, Ferryside, Llandybie, Garnant, Myddfai, Rhandirmwyn, Whitland.
For the wider travel overview: Carmarthenshire.
