This booklet tells the story of Carmarthen Castle, from its origins as an earthwork castle founded as a springboard for the Norman invasion of southwest Wales, through to the massive stone fortress whose remains can be seen today. As the headquarters of the Norman kings in south Wales, it was one of the most important castles in the country. It was the hub around which the medieval walled town of Carmarthen developed, and it still dominates the townscape. After the Middle Ages the castle became ruinous but continued to be used as a gaol until the 1920s. The site returned to being an administrative centre with the demolition of the gaol in 1938 and the construction of County Hall in 1939-55, and in this sense the castle continues to flourish.
