This is the history of the Stokes Family of Roch Castle, Cuffern Manor and Scotchwell, Haverfordwest. (as of 2nd January 2005)

What we know about members of the family indicate strong connections with the sea and the law.  Roch church is full of memorials to the family which provide rich sources of information. However one memorial not found is to Pringle Stokes.  He had been Captain of the Beagle during a voyage of South America when in 1826* loneliness and the strain of running the ship led him to shoot himself at Port Famine in Terra del Fuego.  Roch church is naturally silent about this so we decided his memorial should be in the walled garden in the form of a scarecrow, made by Maggie Owen, to ward off the pigeons.
(* Darwin's biographers say 1826 but other sources suggest 1828 - Adrian Desmond and James Moore Darwin Penguin 1991)

John Lort Stokes was just 19 when the Beagle went on its long voyage around the world under the captaincy of Robert Fitzroy, later Admiral and Governor of New Zealand.  The ship contained a passenger whose passion for collecting the flora and fauna, not to mention geological specimens was to earn him fame, fortune and controversy.  It was Charles Darwin.  John shared Darwin's cabin and many adventures with the great man in the five years between 1831-36 that they were away in South America, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa.  How were Pringle and John related?  What did John know about Pringle's death?  Whatever the links John Lort commanded the Beagle himself during its voyage to New Zealand and Timor in 1841- 1843, surveyed New Zealand from 1847-51, wrote an account of the Beagle's journeys in 1846 and became an Admiral in 1877.  It is very likely that he would have been entertained by his old Captain, Fitzroy who was Governor in New Zealand from 1843-45.

How Pringle and John Lort are connected to each other and to the other Stokes in Roch Church we have not yet established.

There were Stokes living in Pembrokeshire before Cuffern Manor was built, by John Rees Stokes, in about 1770.  They may have lived in the nearby Roch Castle.  John Rees Stokes died on the 14th March 1817 and his wife Francis (daughter of William and Jane Warren of Trewern) on 16th March 1800.  Cuffern Manor had been their home.  In 1811 he entertained Richard Fenton, the historian, who referred in his book of 1814 to: 'here under this hospitable roof I lose the fatigues of the day and next morning pursue my route.'  It passed to their son who was known for as yet unexplained reasons as John Stokes Stokes.  The property in 1837 consisted of 240 acres of 'demesene', Cuffern Farm (94 acres), the mountain (114 acres) and Start (95 acres).  John Stokes Stokes was the County coroner and after he petitioned the Lord Chancellor, the Quarter sessions allowed him to retire 'owing to age and infirmity' on 18th October 1842.  He died very shortly afterwards on 29th March 1843 aged 67, having been pre-diseased by his wife Martha, daughter of Rev. James Bowen Rector of Rhoscrowther, on 26th July 1828, aged 51.  (The sea connection continues as John Stokes Stokes's daughter Ellen Sophia's son William Stokes Rees became a rear admiral from 1907.)  His only son John Stokes was born on 28th March 1818 and died on 1st January 1888 and became a JP and deputy Lieutenant for Pembrokeshire.  His wife Sophia Elizabeth lived until she was 95 dying on the 9th September 1907. Perhaps they had no sons for their daughter Emma Elizabeth was living at Cuffern with her husband Arthur Wellington Massey.  She died aged 69 on 6th May 1916 and he lived for another 16 years until 22nd July 1932, aged 82.  But did he live at Cuffern after his wife died? Tragedy struck when their nine month old son, Edward Warren Stokes Massey died.  Their daughter Bridget married Benjamin Stokes of Haverfordwest who purchased Roch Castle - from whom is not clear.

The Stokes connection certainly continued until at least 1919 when the estate was broken up and sold in several lots at Haverfordwest.  But did they carry on living here after this?  Was Emma Massey the last resident until her death, aged 82 in 1932?  In 1936 Colonel Higgon, a brother of the Higgon of Scolton Manor, is said to have purchased the house and lived here until the 1960s.

Where are the Stokes now?