St Mary
Pencader, Pembrokeshire
The present church was built in 1881 on the site of a chapel, Capel Mair, which dated from Norman times.
St Tysul was the first cousin of St David, the patron saint of Wales, and was the grandson of Ceredig, the ruler who gave his name to the kingdom, now the county, of Ceredigion. Llandysul translates into English as the parish of Tysul and so is named after this ancient Saint.
The tower of the church dates back to the 13th century, and there are stones in the tower and the Lady Chapel altar which date back even further, including a famous 'Velvor' stone with ancient writing. Owain Glyndwr's family had links to the building, and in Llandysul the annual Calan Hen festival is held every year. This celebrates the old new year, January 12, and has been celebrated for almost 200 years.
The church is in a beautiful setting alongside the river Teifi, close to the town car park and the memorial park. Why not pop into town for a stroll by the river, a look at the ancient grave stones and a bit of shopping.