Pembroke Castle
“Above the rocky banks of the River Cleddau, Pembroke Castle dominates the town that shares its name. Its great round keep casts a long shadow.”
Not just across the courtyard but across centuries of conflict, diplomacy and ambition. This is a fortress that stood through history and helped make it.
The Castle’s Story
Pembroke Castle began as a Norman timber structure in 1093. It was raised by Roger de Montgomery, one of William the Conqueror’s chief lieutenants. He had already founded the town of Shrewsbury and had been granted broad lands across the Welsh border. Pembroke was a frontier post. Its job was to pin down newly conquered territory in south-west Wales and block access to the wilder lands beyond.
At first it was a simple motte-and-bailey. Earth ramparts. A wooden palisade. A clear view down to the estuary. But its strategic importance demanded something stronger. In the early 13th century, under William Marshal, the castle was rebuilt in stone. Marshal had married Isabel de Clare, daughter of Richard “Strongbow” de Clare. That marriage brought Pembroke into his hands and he invested heavily in it. The stone walls, towers, and the great round keep all date from this phase. Marshal’s Pembroke was a fortress built to hold firm, even under siege.
The castle passed through some of the most powerful hands in medieval Britain. The de Valence family held it next. By the late 14th century, it had become part of the earldom of Huntingdon. Eventually it was inherited by Jasper Tudor, uncle of Henry Tudor. Henry was born here in 1457, during the Wars of the Roses. That alone secures Pembroke Castle’s place in the national story.
Key Moments / Turning Points
One of Pembroke Castle’s most dramatic episodes came during the English Civil War. In 1648 it was held by Parliamentarian soldiers who had turned against the Parliament they once fought for. They backed the king now. Cromwell led the siege himself. His men battered the walls with cannon fire. Rubble filled the inner ward. When the defenders surrendered, Cromwell ordered the castle to be slighted. Demolished just enough to prevent its reuse. Even so, much of it survived. The strength of its stonework kept the skeleton standing.
Another key moment came much earlier, in the 12th century. The castle held out during the Anarchy, the civil war between King Stephen and Empress Matilda. This part of Wales saw fierce fighting, but Pembroke stood firm under Gilbert de Clare. Holding it meant controlling access to the south-west. It was never taken in open battle.
And of course, the most important moment in the long run was the birth of Henry Tudor. When he defeated Richard III at Bosworth Field in 1485, he founded a new dynasty. The Tudors ruled for over a century. Pembroke was where it began.
Legends and Lore
Pembroke Castle has seen centuries of bloodshed, politics and power. But it has also gathered stories that slip outside the historical record. These tales cling to the stone like moss. Some are whispered. Others are shouted on ghost tours. All of them feed the sense that this place holds more than bricks and dates.
The most famous tale links directly to Henry VII. His birth at Pembroke during the Wars of the Roses is a matter of record. But over time, it’s taken on the feel of prophecy. According to one local tradition, a star blazed over the town on the night of his birth in 1457. This omen was said to foretell the rise of a great Welsh king who would unite the land and restore peace. It echoes older myths tied to figures like Owain Glyndŵr and even King Arthur. While the comet or “blazing star” cannot be proved, the belief in destiny shaped how the Tudors presented themselves. And Pembroke stood at the start of it.
Another legend surrounds the Wogan Cavern. This vast natural cave lies beneath the castle and opens out onto the river. In Norman times, it served as a storehouse and landing point. During siege, it could also be a secret route in or out. Local stories speak of smugglers using it during later centuries. One tale claims a hidden tunnel runs from the cavern beneath the river, all the way to Monkton Priory. No physical trace has ever confirmed it, but the story survives.
The most common ghost story is the White Lady, a pale figure seen drifting near the battlements at dusk. Some say she is the spirit of a woman imprisoned and starved during a medieval siege. Others link her to a 15th-century noblewoman who lost her child and flung herself from the tower. She’s said to appear when storms gather over the estuary. Always silent. Always alone.
There are also tales of shadowy monks moving through the grounds at night, linked to the nearby priory. Visitors and staff have reported cold spots, doors closing without cause, and the sound of voices in the round keep’s upper levels. Though sceptics dismiss it, the atmosphere inside helps these stories take hold.
Even the castle’s stones tell stories. Look closely and you’ll see masons’ marks scratched into the walls. Symbols left by the medieval craftsmen who shaped and placed them. Most are practical, ways to track work or pay. But some verge on the occult. Circles, spirals, and signs that might be wards against bad luck or attack. They’re barely visible now, but once held meaning for the people who lived and worked inside these walls.
The line between history and story blurs at Pembroke. And that’s part of its grip. The facts are powerful enough. But the whispers add another layer. One made of memory, fear, hope and invention.
Architecture & Features
Pembroke Castle is a textbook in stone. Its layout, towers and underground passages each speak to a time when the fortress had to be both a home and a shield. Set on a rocky promontory above the River Cleddau, it uses the land itself as part of its defence. The steep slopes form a natural barrier on three sides. Only the landward side needed heavy curtain walls and they were built thick enough to stop siege engines and battering rams.
The most striking feature is the great round keep. Over 23 metres high, it rises five storeys and dominates the inner ward. Its curved form made it more resistant to missiles. The walls are 6 metres thick at the base. Inside, a single circular chamber runs up through the centre, lit by arrow loops and topped with a domed stone roof. A spiral stair runs inside the wall itself, allowing access to each level and the battlements above. Unlike many keeps of the time, there is no internal division. This was built for strength and sight. From the top, the view stretches across the estuary and the town below. It is one of the best surviving examples of a Norman great tower in Britain.
The outer curtain walls enclose the whole site. These were reinforced with towers at key points, the Henry VII Tower among them. This smaller tower, now restored, is said to mark the room where the future king was born. Just inside the main gate lies the gatehouse, flanked by two round towers. It once housed a portcullis and murder holes, designed to rain missiles or boiling oil on attackers below.
One of the most unusual features is the Wogan Cavern. A vast natural limestone cave beneath the castle, it was modified during the medieval period. A stone vault was added and a doorway built to connect it with the inner ward. The cavern opened directly onto the river and may have been used as a postern gate. In wartime it offered escape. In peacetime, a way to bring in goods unseen.
The castle also has two baileys, the inner and the outer. The inner bailey contains the keep and principal lodgings. The outer bailey held stables, workshops and barracks. Their foundations remain, and some walls still stand to chest height or more. Walking the grounds today, you can trace their outlines and see the layered growth of the castle across centuries.
Despite Cromwell’s order to slight the walls in 1648, much of Pembroke survived. The sheer quality of the stonework made demolition hard. Cracks, fallen arches and gaps in the wall show where the damage was done. But the structure held. What remains today is not a ruin in the full sense. It’s a partial skeleton, yes, but a strong one. Visitors don’t just see outlines. They walk through chambers, climb towers and stand inside history.
Modern Access / Preservation
Pembroke Castle might have its roots in conquest, but its survival owes more to conservation than battle. After centuries of decline, partial collapse and neglect, the 20th century brought serious effort to secure what was left. Today, it is managed by the Pembroke Town Council and supported by the Pembroke Castle Trust. These groups oversee its care, plan restoration, and manage public access. Without their work, the place would be little more than scattered stone.
The first serious attempt to restore the castle came in the late 1800s, led by local landowners and historians who saw its value not just as a ruin but as a symbol. At that time, ivy strangled the stonework. Walls had slumped. Children played in the keep’s shadow unaware of what it meant. It took decades of steady rebuilding, clearance and archaeological work to make the castle safe to enter and worth the visit.
After the Second World War, interest in heritage grew. More of the site was cleared, mapped and rebuilt. Some towers were stabilised. Missing floors and access stairs were replaced. The work was done carefully, mostly with original stone where possible. Modern interventions were marked so the line between new and old would not be lost.
Today, the castle is in strong condition. It is not pristine, nor should it be. Its wounds are part of its story. But its main walls, gatehouse, and great keep all stand. Visitors can climb the towers, walk the walls and explore the rooms. Some of the buildings that once served soldiers and staff have been recreated as exhibition spaces. These include displays on the Norman invasion, Tudor history and the Civil War siege.
Maintenance is ongoing. Rain, frost and roots are constant threats. The limestone is hard-wearing but not immune. The Trust runs a regular programme of inspection and repair. This includes pointing, drainage and vegetation control. The keep, because of its height and exposed position, needs particular care. Scaffolding is still sometimes seen; not because it’s falling, but because they won’t let it.
Education plays a central part in preservation. School visits, guided tours and living history days all help connect the public with the site. Income from tickets and events goes directly back into upkeep. Without that link between visitor and stone, the work would stall.
The castle today is more than a relic. It is a working site, actively cared for. Its strength lies not just in its walls but in the effort made to keep them standing.
References
Pembroke Castle official site: https://pembrokecastle.co.uk
Cadw: Heritage and conservation notes on Pembroke Castle
John Kenyon, The Medieval Castles of Wales (University of Wales Press, 2010)
R. A. Griffiths, The Reign of Henry VII (Routledge, 2004)
J. Gillingham, The Angevin Empire (Arnold, 2000)
David Stephenson, Medieval Powys: Kingdom, Principality and Lordships, 1132–1293 (Boydell, 2016)
W. H. Howse, A History of Pembroke (local pamphlet, reprint from 1930s)
On-site interpretation panels and historical displays at Pembroke Castle
BBC Wales History – Henry VII and his Welsh roots
Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales (Coflein database)
Its imposing stone walls and towers have witnessed centuries of conflict and change. Built in the 12th century, the castle has been a focal point in the struggle between the Normans and the Welsh.