Haverfordwest, Roch Castle

The legends of Roch Castle. Six miles north west of the former county town of Pembrokeshire stands the thirteenth century Roch castle, from the time of Henry III. It was probably built by Adam de Rupe and legend has it that he erected it on a rock because of a prophecy that he would die from a viper's bite. AT the time of this writing, the castle has Tudor windows and is the residence of Lord Kenswood. Once it was the home of Lucy Walters, mistress of Charles II and the mother of the Duke of Monmouth. Despite de Rupe's careful plans and hard work, it seems that a viper was conveyed into the castle in a bundle of fagots; it duly bit him and the prophecy came true. Roch castle long had the reputation of being haunted by the ghost of Lucy Walters, first mistress of Charles II. Lucy was born at Roch Castle in 1630. When he was asked about the ghost some years ago, the Viscount St Davids replied: "I have never seen her but other people at the castle had other stories to tell: of a mysteriuos figure in white that floated through rooms where doors and windows were closed and locked and of strange running footsteps that awakened the heaviest sleepers at the dead of night.

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