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The First Printing Press in Wales was set up by Isaac Carter in 1718 at Trehedyn (The old name for Adpar), Newcastle Emlyn.

The commemorative plaque, made by Messrs D Nicholas & Sons, situated on the wall facing the bridge, near to the site of the printing press, was erected by The Happy Winter Entertainment Committee in 1912. It was unveiled by John Phillips the then Headteacher of Emlyn Grammar School.

Isaac Carter came to this corner of West Wales from Shrewsbury in 1717. Why, it is not known.

Different authorities claim different books as the first one printed.

One says it was a translation into Welsh of a book by The Rev Thomas Vincent of London “Eglurhad o Gatechism Byraf y Gymanfa” (An Explanation of the Shorter Catechism) This was a commissioned book and sponsored by five local people. The other that it was “Can o senn i’w hen feiftr - Tobacco”, (his master the tobacco.) On the frontspiece of that book is written the following, “A gyfanfoddodd gwafaneithwr amodol iddo gynt pan dorodd ar ei amod ac ef, yn hghyd ar shefymay paham y dffyiodd yn gwafanaeth y conquerwr beunyddiol hwnw. Ar hen don ac oedd dryganol tn y deyrnaf lon lawer blwyddyn faith cyn Tirio’r Crwydryn ynthi, ac a elwyd y fowyer las neu dan y coed a than y gwydd. Ma’r 8 fylaf gyntadf o’r breichiau yn groes rowiog o’r draws gyhydedd, ar berreu’n amlaf yn cyfachori.” There is a copy of this in the National Library in Aberystwyth and is the only one known. Imprinted on it is “Argraffwyd yn Nhre Hedyn gan Isaac Carter yn y flwyddyn 1718”. They give the author as Alban Thomas who it is thought died in 1740. Carter didn’t stay very long at Adpar but moved to Carmarthen where he is credited with another first, the printing of the first two colour page, a frontspiece in black and red, in Wales. Nothing is known of Isaaac Carter after 1730

Printing Press

Commemorative Stone unveiled by John Phillips, the then Headmaster of the Grammar School.