GERALD DE WINDSOR & PRINCESS NEST
Princess Nest was the daughter of Rhys ap Tewdwr, a Welsh prince and was born around 1080. After her father's death in 1093 she spent much of her youth in the court of Henry I by whom she had her first son. In 1100 she married Gerald de Windsor, an Anglo-Norman baron who was much older than Nest. He was constable of Pembroke Castle at the time and was given the site of Carew Castle as a dowry. Together they built the first castle on the site in which to bring up their family of at least five children.
By now however Nest was the most beautiful woman in Wales and Owain ap Cadwgan, son of another Welsh Prince, was so overwhelmed by her beauty that one night in 1109 he is said to have scaled the walls of Carew Castle, started a fire and raised the alarm. In the confusion Gerald escaped while Nest remained - perhaps not unwillingly - to be taken prisoner by Owain. Gerald's honour was satisfied 6 years later when he retrieved his wife, along with two new children by Owain, and killed him in battle.
Gerald died the following year. Nest then married Stephen, Castellan of Cardigan and had yet more children by him. It is thought that Nest died around 1136 after a very colourful and eventful life.
Sir Nicholas was a high ranking officer and distinguished soldier in the time of Edward I and fought on behalf of the king in Ireland and on the continent. He was responsible for much of the medieval construction of Carew Castle between 1280 and 1310. He died in 1311 and was buried the parish church of Carew Cheriton, where an effigy of a knight believed to be that of Sir Nicholas remains today. He was succeeded by his son John. Sir Nicholas' ancestor William, son of Gerald de Windsor, was the first to adopt the title 'de Carew' in the tradition of the times.
Sir Rhys was born in 1449. On his father's death he inherited the wealth of the Dinefwr estates and he bought Carew Castle from Sir Nicholas De Carew's grandson Edmund in 1480. He vowed to King Richard III that Henry Tudor would only land in Wales 'over my belly'. However, when Henry landed in Dale, Pembrokeshire in 1485 it is said that Sir Rhys eased his conscience by hiding under Mullock Bridge as Henry rode over. Rhys then journeyed to Bosworth taking a large army of Welshmen with him. The battle of Bosworth on 22 August 1485 was a turning point in British History. King Richard III was killed in battle and for his support of the Tudor cause Rhys was knighted and made Governor of Wales by Henry. To celebrate he organised a Great Tournament to be held at Carew Castle in April 1507, spread over 5 days and was attended by 600 nobles. Rhys later also took part in Henry VIII's invasion of France in 1513 and both Henry VII and Henry VIII placed implicit trust in Rhys who ruled his corner of Wales like a king and died a natural death in February 1525.
Sir
John was born at Haroldston, Pembrokeshire in 1530, allegedly the illegitimate
son of Henry VIII by Mary Berkely, wife of Sir Thomas Perrot. Sir John
remained a court favourite during the reigns of Henry VIII and Edward
VI but spent much of Queen Mary's reign abroad. He was granted governorship
of Carew 
Castle
at the beginning of Queen Elizabeth's reign and embarked on the great
rebuilding of the North front of the castle in the Elizabethan style.
He was made Lord Deputy of Ireland in 1584 and a member of the Privy Council.
However, he had many enemies and rumours of treason circulated. Haverfordwest
merchants were angered by his allowing pirated contraband to land at his
ports and caused an investigation by the Privy Council to take place in
1591. Sir John was taken to the Tower of London, tried and convicted of
High Treason but it is said that Elizabeth was reluctant to sign his death
warrant and he died a natural death there in 1592.
Sir
George was the 3rd son of Sir John Carew (died 1637) and following in
his father's footsteps he became sheriff of Pembrokeshire in 1639. During
the Civil War, George declared for the king and prepared the castle for
defence. After the war George and his family continued to live at Carew
Castle until his death and burial in Carew Cheriton Church in 1685. His
widow Katherine then left Carew in 1686 and went to live in Somerset.
