 A castle on this site was built by Gerald de Windsor who was constable of the castle on behalf of Henry I and was probably of earth and wood construction; this was not the first though as excavations have shown that there were signs of earlier settlements due to artefacts retrieved. It was replaced by the stone castle we see today by Sir Nicholas Carew, a high ranking officer and soldier who was particularly responsible for the east and west range. The castle was extended by Sir Rhys ap Thomas a soldier and was later knighted and made Governor of Wales, he brought the castle in 1480. Sir John Perrot was then granted governorship of the castle at the beginning of Queen Elizabeth’s rein; he was responsible for the north range which changed the medieval fortress into an Elizabethan manor. He did not see the completion though as he died of natural causes while imprisoned in The Tower of London for treason in 1592. Sir George Carew owned the castle during the Civil War, yet it was garrisoned by both royalist and parliamentarian forces during this time. It was occupied by different tenants until 1686 when it was abandoned. In 1983 the National Park Authority leased the castle and surrounding area with the aim to conserve and restore the building and settings for public use. Carew Castle is said to home too many ghosts, also people have noticed sudden smells, and strange noises.
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