During the final period of the Kandy era, the Sabaragamuwa region was divided into six cantons: The Pelmadulla Divisional Secretariat belongs to the upper and middle parishes of Nawadun Korale.

The boundaries of the Pelmadulla Divisional Secretariat are: P.E.P Deraniyagala discovered remains of homo sapiens balangodensis (Balangoda Man) in Bulathwatta, providing evidence that the region of the present-day Pelmadulla secretariat has been inhabited since prehistoric times.

The temple on the Denawaka and Kehelbaddala river basin was called Dronawakka Viharaya during the reign of King Vijayabahu I.

The Nampotha (a book written in the Kandy period about important Buddhist centres) mentions this temple in its 203rd entry as Denawaka Viharaya, now known as Aramanapola Raja Maha Vihara.

The Pelmadulla divisional secretariat was established according to the sixth chapter of the Boundary Determination Act (no 22/1955) which was issued in 1955, as an assistant government agent division.