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was to understand the extent of the surviving
medieval work and to evaluate the significance
of the more recent alterations.
Roch Castle – the story so far
Roch Castle was one of a number of defended
sites along the ‘Landsker line’, the boundary
between the English, Flemish and Norman
settlers of southwest Pembrokeshire and the
ousted native Welsh to the north and east.
Originally a simple stone tower perched on an
outcrop of igneous rock, its unusual D-shaped
plan-form (‘chapter 1’ in the diagram on the
facing page) was probably an engineering
solution to the shape of the rock rather than a
stylistic convention. It was constructed by the
descendants of a powerful family of Flemish
settlers in the 13th century, and the castle
remained in the hands of the descendants
of Godbert the Fleming (the de Rupe and de
la Roche families) until the 15th century.
The square tower and stair extension
on the south-east side of the castle were
added when the defensive role of the castle
diminished and it became a high status
residence (‘chapter 2’). By the latter part
of the 15th century the castle was in a
ruinous and deserted state. Between 1643
and 1645, during the English Civil War,
it changed hands between the Royalist
and Parliamentarian forces four times
and suffered cannon damage. It was not
extensively repaired and by the 19th century
(‘chapter 3’) it was a ruin.
The castle was purchased by Sir John
Wynford Philipps (later Viscount St Davids)
in 1899. He instigated extensive restoration
works in the first two decades of the 20th
century, including the addition of a three-
storey extension on the northern side of the
tower, and the installation of new floors,
stairs and internal divisions (‘chapter 4’).
In 1954 the castle was purchased by John
Whitfield and it was occupied by his father
Lord Kenswood and his family until 1965.
The castle was then sold to Hollis Baker,
an American furniture manufacturer. The
latter two owners, Kenswood and Baker,
were responsible for the ‘baronialisation’ of
the interiors. Photographs taken in the mid
1950s show a series of additions attributed to
Kenswood. These include, significantly, black
painted gothic doors with false strap hinges
(by Baldwin’s of America) and leaded light
internal screens.
The last phase of alterations was
carried out by David Berry who, between
1972 and 1985, closed off two stairways and
reorganised partitions to facilitate separate
holiday lettings of the annexe and tower.
Archaeological investigation
At the start of the project an initial desk-
based assessment and building appraisal was
undertaken by Dyfed Archaeological Trust
field services to support the planning and
listed building consent applications. The aims
of this work were to gain further information
on the present state of preservation of the
castle, provide an indication on the surviving
medieval fabric of the building and make an
assessment of its archaeological importance.
Some research was undertaken into the
castle’s date, ownership and historical
development, and the subsequent report also
provided further information on the known
archaeological and historical character of the
surrounding landscape.
Further works undertaken at the castle
have included a scheme of detailed historic
building recording, including survey and
photography. This has been supplemented
with information recorded during various
archaeological watching briefs and a
geophysical survey within the grounds.
The historic building recording work has
established that the majority of the exterior
castle walls is substantially of medieval
fabric, although many of the internal and
external wall facades were restored during
the early 20th century. The recording work
has confirmed that the original D-shaped
tower had at least two upper floors and a
basement area, which was partially occupied
by the rocky outcrop. It is likely that this
was first built in the early years of the 13th
century by Adam de Rupe. Access to the
original tower would have been at the first
floor level on the north side. Originally,
internal stairs were present within the
thickness of the walls on the apsidal end
of the building, although these were later
modified when the square tower addition and
stair extension were built on the south-east
side of the castle. These extensions contained
small bedchambers or solars (private
sitting rooms) and guardrobes (latrines).
The medieval floor arrangements differed
significantly from those inserted during the
early 20th century works with the first floor
hall having a much higher ceiling. By the 14th
century, large windows had been inserted
of which the stone corbelled arches survive,
although the actual windows have been
heavily modified and replaced. Similar arches
over windows and doorways survive on the
ground floor of the tower, although these are
probably late medieval additions, modified
in the early 20th century. The square tower is
likely to have been added in the 14th century.
The second storey of this tower retains an
original rib-vaulted ceiling.
During the early 20th century works, new
floors and room divisions were added. The
circulation routes and stairs that exist in the
building are a mix of medieval and early 20th
century additions.
The owner’s brief
Roch Castle was purchased in 2009 by the
Griffiths-Roch Foundation with the intention
of repairing the building and converting it
into one of a chain of retreats, all in historic
buildings, operated by the Retreats Group Ltd.
Raised in St Davids, the owner (a
commercial architect based in Hong Kong)
knew the building well and was keen to
preserve its history, architecture and
importance to the landscape of the St Davids
Peninsula. His plan was to introduce all
the facilities associated with five star
accommodation in the heart of the medieval
building using careful design to protect and
enhance its significance.
From the outset it was clear that there
were potential conflicts and challenges
Roch Castle: phases of use from the 13th century to the
present day
Photograph of Roch Castle from the south-east taken before
1900 (Haverfordwest Records Office)
Typical corrosion of floor slab reinforcement