Cuffern Manor, Pembrokeshire
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Cuffern Manor in Roch, Pembrokeshire is a house of historical significance and is listed on the Wales Heritage Register.[1] It was built in 1770 by John Rees Stokes shortly after he inherited a fortune from his cousin. It remained in the Stokes family for the next 150 years. Today it provides bed and breakfast accommodation and caters for special events, particularly weddings.[2]
John Rees Stokes, who built Cuffern Manor in 1770, was born John Rees. He added the additional name of Stokes when he inherited a fortune from his cousin John Stokes of Roch Castle.[3] John Stokes and his wife Elizabeth had no children and therefore to continue the Stokes name it was a condition of the Will that the next male heir adopt the name. As part of his inheritance John Rees (sometimes spelt Rhys) Stokes also became the owner of Roch Castle which remained in his family for many years.[4]
In 1775 he married Frances Warren[5] who was the daughter of John Warren, Mayor of Haverfordwest and Elizabeth Picton.[6] The couple had three children – two sons and a daughter.
In 1813 George Nicholson who wrote travel guides described Cuffern Manor in the following terms.
Cuffern is a handsome modern mansion upon rising ground commanding in front views of Haverfordwest, Picton Castle and some reaches of Milford Haven. To the west can be seen Brides Bay and Roch Castle.[7]
The eldest son was John Stokes Stokes, and when John Rees Stokes died in 1817 he inherited the house. In about 1812 he married Martha Bowen who was the daughter of Reverend James Bowen of Rosecrowther.[8] The couple had four children – one son and three daughters. He became the coroner for the lower division of Pembrokeshire and the Deputy-Lieutenant.[9] He died in 1844 and his son John Stokes inherited his property.
John Stokes was born in 1818 at Cuffern. He succeeded his father as coroner of the district in 1842.[10] In 1847 at Bloomsbury he married Sophia Elizabeth Gray, daughter of Francis Edward Gray of Elliot Vale Blackheath, Surrey.[11] The couple had only one daughter. When John died in 1888 Sophia his wife continued to live at Cuffern until her death in 1907 at the age of 95. After her death her daughter Emma Stokes who had married Arthur Massy inherited the house thereby bringing it into the Massy family.
