Our Collection
Page updated on: 15/02/2024
Carmarthenshire’s archives are full of fascinating stories of people and places.
Our holdings, which include parish registers, diaries, letters, court records, photographs, records of local government, education records, estate records and school records, take up nearly 4km of shelving.
This wealth of material is available for researchers to use and enjoy, whether you are tracing your family history, house history, local history, or other areas of interest.
Finding aids
- Search room: our records are discoverable by use of the catalogues and indexes held in the public search room. If you are visiting the service for the first time, our staff are available to demonstrate how to use our finding aids.
- Online: we are currently embarking on a major project to make item level descriptions of our records available on the Archives Hub. Some preliminary work has been carried out but further catalogues will be added soon.
We are currently embarking on a major project to make items level descriptions of our records available on the Archives Hub. Some preliminary work has been carried out but further catalogues will be added soon.
You may already have looked at websites such as Ancestry and Find My Past. Here at Carmarthenshire Archives, we have many other types of records and documents that can add to your knowledge about your ancestors. So, whether you are just starting out, or are looking for an elusive detail, our huge range of documents could be exactly what you are looking for.
Some of the records and documents we hold in the archives include:
- Parish records
- Electoral rolls
- Records from family estates
- Court records
- Directories and records from local businesses
- Hospital, workhouse and asylum records
- Personal letters and accounts
- School records
Carmarthenshire Library Service also holds a large collection of local and family history resources.
If you believe you live in a house with history, you might like to carry out some research and discover a little more.
Sources available at Carmarthenshire Archives which may help with your investigations include:
- Title deeds
- Maps and plans
- Directories and Voters' Lists
- Census Returns
- Sale Particulars
- Land Tax Returns
- Rate Books
- Inland Revenue Land Valuation Records 1911
- Probate Records
Please contact us for any further available information regarding properties and their occupants/owners.
If you have documents or photographs of historic value relating to Carmarthenshire and its people, that you wish to be preserved and made available publicly, then you may be able to donate them to us. We will work to preserve any donations and ensure they’re accessible for years to come.
Documents of interest include:
- Records of Carmarthenshire organisations such as businesses, schools, churches and charities
- Documentation relating to an individual or family within the county, such as correspondence, diaries, deeds, and estate records
- Books, maps, pamphlets and other printed materials relating to the county
- Photographs and postcards of Carmarthenshire
For further information please see our Collection Development Policy.
A copy of our Depositor’s Agreement form along with our terms and conditions can be found here.