LAMPETER...

Lampeter is the home of the oldest University College in Wales. Although it is now part of the federal structure of the University of Wales, Saint David's University College is the oldest degree-awarding institution in Wales and England after Oxford and Cambridge.

A long history of learning...

Saint David's University College and the University of Wales Aberystwyth both underline the long history of learning and culture within Ceredigion, stemming from the olden time of the Age of Saints, through the ecclesiastical centres of learning at Llanbadarn Fawr and the abbeys of Strata Florida and Saint Dogmael's.

Other riches too...

The Romans once mined for gold near Lampeter, at Pumpsaint. The site of the old gold mine is now managed by the National Trust and visitors may obtain a first hand glimpse of the conditions in which gold miners worked in those bygone times. The Romans also established a camp at Pont Llanio. Remains of the Roman road can not only be seen here and there, in many places their road is the base for the modern one!

A market town....

In the eighteenth century Lampeter was an important gathering place for the Drovers. These people gathered huge herds of livestock to be walked all the way to the markets of southeast England. The Drovers established some of Wales' oldest banking institutions - all of which have now been assimilated into UK banks - but the sign of the rearing horse maintained by Lloyds remains to remind present generations of these merchants of long ago as the horse is, indeed, a Welsh mountain pony.

There is splendid countryside scenery to be enjoyed in the Lampeter area - and wonderful angling on the river Teifi.

Accommodation

To view holiday accommodation in this area, visit the accommodation page or download a PDF of 2010 accommodation in the Lampeter & Tregaron area.