raft.
Pop. (1901) 10,025. It is the terminal station of a branch of the London
& North-Western railway coming southward from Shrewsbury, and is a
station on the main line of the Great Western running to Fishguard; it
is also the terminus of a branch-line of the Great Western running to
Newcastle-Emlyn. The station buildings lie on the left bank of the
river, which is here spanned by a fine old stone bridge. There are works
for the manufacture of woollens and ropes, also tanneries, but it is as
the central market of a large and fertile district that Carmarthen is
most important. The weekly Saturday market is well attended, and affords
interesting scenes of modern Welsh agricultural life. From the
convenient and accessible position of the town, the gaol and lunatic
asylum serving for the three south-western counties of Wales--Cardigan,
Pembroke and Carmarthen--have been fixed here. Although historically one
of the most important towns in South Wales, Carmarthen can boast of very
few ancient buildings, and the general aspect of the town is modern. A
well-preserved gateway of red sandstone and portions of two towers of
the castle are included in the buildings of the present gaol, and the
old parish church of St Peter contains some interesting monuments,
amongst them being the altar tomb (of the 16th century) of Sir Rhys ap
Thomas, K.G., and his wife, which was removed hither for safety at the
Reformation from the desecrated church of the neighbouring Priory of St
John. Some vestiges of this celebrated monastic house, which formerly
owned the famous Welsh MS. known as the "Black Book of Carmarthen," are
visible between the present Priory Street and the river. Of the more
recent erections in the town, mention may be made of the granite obelisk
in memory of General Sir Thomas Picton (1758-1815) and the bronze statue
of General Sir William Nott (1784-1846).

Carmarthen is commonly reputed to occupy the site of the Roman station
of Maridunum, and its present name is popularly associated with the
wizard-statesman Merlin, or Merddyn, whose memory and prophecies are
well remembered in these parts of Wales and whose home is popularly
believed to have been the conspicuous hill above Abergwili, known as
Merlin's Hill. Another derivation of the name is to be found in
_Caer-mor-din_, signifying "a fortified place near the sea." In any
case, the antiquity of the town is undisputed, and it served as the seat
of government for Ystrad Tywi