The Castle was founded in 1093 when the Normans under Arnulf de Montgomery invaded and built a wooden fortress here. It was rebuilt in stone in the 13th Century by the then Earl of Pembroke, William Marshall and is famous as the birthplace of Henry VII. Its importance is demonstrated by the fact that Cromwell himself came to lay siege to it in 1648 and afterwards ordered its destruction. The Castle has been extensively restored: first in the late 19th century by the Antiquarian J R Cobb and then in the late1920s by Sir Ivor Philipps. Pembroke Castle is one of the great visitor attractions of Wales and hosts many events.
In front of the Castle is sited the Cenotaph. Built in 1924, it was modelled on the London Cenotaph. The carved, wooden seats were placed there by Pembroke Civic Trust to commemorate the birth of Prince Harry in 1985.