Abstract We searched for shocked carbon chain chemistry (SCCC) sources with C 3 S abundances surpassing those of HC 5 N toward the dark cloud L1251, using the Effelsberg telescope at the K band (18–26 GHz). L1251-1 and L1251-3 are identified as the most promising SCCC sources. The two sources harbor young stellar objects. We conducted mapping observations toward L1251-A, the western tail of L1251, at λ ∼ 3 mm with the Purple Mountain Observatory 13.7 m and the Nobeyama Radio Observatory 45 m telescopes in lines of C 2 H, N 2 H + , CS, HCO + , SO, HC 3 N, and C 18 O as well as in CO 3–2 using the James Clerk Maxwell Telescope (JCMT). The spectral data were combined with archival data including Spitzer and Herschel continuum maps for further analysis. Filamentary substructures labeled as F1–F6 were extracted in L1251, with F1 being associated with L1251-A hosting L1251-1. The peak positions of dense gas traced by HCO + are misaligned relative to those of the dust clumps. Episodic outflows are common in this region. The twisted morphology of F1 and velocity distribution along L1251-A may originate from stellar feedback. SCCC in L1251-1 may have been caused by outflow activities originated from the infrared source IRS1. The signposts of ongoing SCCC and the broadened line widths of C 3 S and C 4 H in L1251-1 as well as the distribution of HC 3 N are also related to outflow activities in this region. L1251-1 (IRS1) together with the previously identified SCCC source IRS3 demonstrate that L1251-A is an excellent region to study SCCC.