I returned to Carew Castle, where 23 years ago I stood and did a painting of it in watercolor. Today I spent a couple of hours in the glorious Welsh sun and sketched it in ink on watercolor paper. My cousin Simon dropped me off there in late morning and his dad Paul picked me up  at 2:00pm so I had limited time. But I got enough down to finish it up later.

Carew Castle has a long and fascinating history. When the Normans conquered England Carew Castle changed from the seat of a Celtic prince, with defensive ditches, to an earth and timber Norman fortification at the end of the 11th century. Over the following five centuries various colorful characters added their touches to the castle, developing it from a Norman fortification, to a stone castle to an elaborate Elizabethan mansion. It is believed that the last jousting tournament in Great Britain was held here.