St Peter's Church

St Peter’s Church stands on the site of Roman Moridinum in Carmarthen, the oldest surviving building in the town. The present structure dates mainly from the 14th century, though parts of the nave and chancel are older. It was once linked to Battle Abbey and later became a Crown property during the Tudor dissolution. The church served both the Welsh settlement and the Norman castle community. Bishop Robert Ferrar was tried here in 1555, and the satirist Sir Richard Steele is buried within its walls. The church is the largest in the Diocese of St Davids and claims the longest nave in Wales. Its tower holds eight bells, four cast in 1722 by Abraham Rudhall. The interior measures 52 metres from west door to east window, with hammerbeam roofs replaced in the 18th and 19th centuries. Decorative floor tiling from the 1860s lines the chancel and aisles. Important tombs include that of Rhys ap Thomas, said to have struck the fatal blow against King Richard III. Visitors enter through the tower door into a long nave and chancel, separated by five arched bays. The south porch now serves as a war memorial chapel, its door replaced with a pointed window. Outside, a neo-Gothic lychgate of 1879 marks the churchyard entrance. The churchyard itself contains the Grade II listed gate designed by Francis E. Jones. Inside, the stained glass and memorials recall centuries of local history.