Ceredigion was one of a Royal counties established by Edward I after the kill of Llywelyn the Last (Llywelyn Ein Llyw Olaf) at Cilmeri in 1282 - Lampeter fell under direct Royal Control. This yet got little symptom on the culture of the town, as a Welsh language and culture have continued to thrive. A 1st Borough Charter was granted within 1284 & consecutive charters allowed numerous markets & fairs to exist as held in a wide High Street until the 1930's. One of these fairs was a Dalis Horse Fair.

A town is better known for the University of Wales, Lampeter (formerly St David's University College), originally founded inside 1822 as the theological college, and nowadays a college of the University of Wales, primarily awarding degrees in the liberal arts. Its central building, according to an Oxbridge quadrangle was completed in 1827, & was designed by C. R. Cockerell. Its construction is recorded when getting prices £16,204 6s 7d.

A earliest information to Lampeter is believed to exist as 1187, when Owain Gwynedd destroyed the King's castle of Pont Steffan ('Stephen's Bridge' within Welsh). A remains of this castle later became the foundations for C. R. Cockerell's college building, and still form part of the university campus.

Lampeter & its surroundings come personal to the theatre (Theatr Felinfach at Felinfach), a museum and a total of locally owned shops.

Lampeter hosted a National Eisteddfod in 1984.