Believed to be one of the oldest towns in Wales, Carmarthen lies along the River Towy in the country’s south-west. A timber motte-and-bailey castle was established here in the early 12th century and Carmarthen was where King Henry VII’s father died during the War of the Roses.
While exploring the town, you can’t miss the medieval gatehouse of Carmarthen Castle, which watches over Nott Square. Once a bustling marketplace, the square now features a statue of General Nott (famed for his 19th-century military exploits) that is said to have been cast from a cannon captured during a battle at Maharajpur.
Spanning the River Towy is the Grade II-listed Carmarthen Bridge, which was designed by the celebrated Welsh architect, Sir Bertram Clough Williams-Ellis. It can be admired from the cable-stayed pedestrian bridge of Pont King Morgan, a modern masterpiece that was recognised by the Structural Steel Design Awards.
Getting there
Carmarthen is around 40 minutes’ drive from Swansea and just over an hour from Cardiff. Cardiff Airport is 1.5 hours away and has flights to destinations across Europe. Regular trains connect to the Carmarthen railway station and the town is small enough to explore on foot.