Built in the 13th century by Sir Nicholas de Carew, whose family had made money in their forays into Ireland. He probably built Carew's three towers, the chapel and the massive west front.
By the late 15th century Carew Casle was inherited by Sir Rhys ap Thomas, (1449-1525), the controversial Welsh military leader, who inherited the estates of Dinefwr, including Carew, on his father's death. As a result of his support of Henry Tudor at the Battle of Bosworth in 1485, Rhys was knighted on the battlefield and made Governor of Wales, by the now King Henry VII.
Carew is also the site of the ancient Carew Cross. This is a Celtic cross dating
back to pre-Norman times in Wales. The cross is inlaid with fine Celtic knot-work
and interlaced ribbon pattern. The inscription on the cross was finally
translated in the 1940s, and shows it to be a royal memorial commemorating Maredudd
ap Edwin, who became joint ruler with his brother of Duheubarth, the kingdom
of Southwest Wales, in 1033, only to be killed in battle two years later. A
11th century Carew Cross is one of three fine early Christian monuments found
in Wales - the others being at Nevern and Maen Achwyfan.
There was extensive re-modeling of Carew in Tudor times by Sir John Parrot (an
illegitemite son of Henry VII). Sir John moved the caslte from a fortress to
a stately house. It was he who created the north front, including the Long Gallery,
with its Tudor windows. It is this feature that is nowdays mst often associated
with photos of the CastleHenry Tudor's crest can be seen carved above a fireplace,
with a number of Tudor coats of arms in the Halls
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Land of Castles - Wales