Studdolph Farm is located approximately two miles north of Milford Haven town centre. According to heritage consultancy Trysor, 'the early history of Studdolph Hall is not easy to piece together. The property is not included in Francis Jones' Historic Houses of Pembrokeshire. The earliest reference to the place dates as far back as 1296, when documentary sources refer to a place called "Stodheye." This seems to be the source of the present name Studdolph, which is often referred to as Studda in historic sources.'
'The Ordnance Survey's Original Surveyors Drawings of 1809 and the subsequent First Series Ordnance Survey map of 1819 both appear to show buildings at Studdolph but that accuracy of detail in the depiction of the layout on these maps cannot be guaranteed.'
'The earliest available census is that of 1841. It is difficult to ascertain which of three properties listed as Studdolph corresponds with Studdolph Hall. It may have been the hone of a foreign born resident, Urial Bunker, who is recorded as living at Studdolf and being of Independent means, employing three female servants and three male agricultural labourers. The two other properties named Studdolph in this census list were occupied by farming families and may well have been North and South Studdolph.'
'The Steynton parish tithe map and schedule (dated to 1842) are too poor in condition to assist greatly with regard to field names and property ownership details. The tithe map does however confirm that the field system was essentially as found today. It also appears to show that there was no building located in the position where the house at Studdolph Hall stands at present. It clearly shows buildings where North Studdolph and South Studdolph are shown on later 19th century Ordnance Survey maps.'
'In 1861 the census again records three properties under the Studdolph name. All were occupied by farming families: the Griffiths' family farming 100 acres, the Nuth family from Somerset farming 147 acres and the Russan family farming 57 acres. Which of these families occupied Studdolph Hall cannot be said with certainty, but it seems more than likely that the Nuth family, with the biggest share of the land, resided in the Hall. This is perhaps supported by the evidence of the 1871 census. In 1871 the Griffiths and Russan families continued to farm two of the three Studdolph properties, working 53 and 60 acres respectively. The largest portion of the land, 135 acres, was farmed by William Nicholas of Studdolph Hall.'
'The Ordnance Survey published the First Edition 1:2500 scale maps of this area in 1875-1876. The edition shows Studdolph Hall situated between the neighbouring farms of North and South Studdolph and, for the first time, it appears that the house is in its present position. To the east of the Hall are two ranges of farm buildings separated by a yard area. It therefore seems that Studdolph Hall and its outbuildings were built during the decades after the tithe map was surveyed in the 1840s, but before the First Series Ordnance Survey maps were surveyed.'
'The Second Edition 1:2500 scale Ordnance Survey map, published in 1908, shows the three properties of Studdolph Hall and North and South Studdolph in clearer detail. The house and core of the farmyard buildings are all in place at Studdolph Hall by this time, and these buildings and the yard are recognisable in the modern layout of the property.'
'There were new occupants at Studdolph Hall in 1911, the last available census. These were a dairy worker named William Sutton and his wife Elizabeth and five children aged between 1 and 16. Sutton's status as a "Labourer in charge" suggests that the Hall was no longer viewed as a country house.'
'Studdolph Hall has continued in use as a working farmstead throughout the past century and today is known for its herd of pedigree Hereford cattle. The house and historic core of the farmstead have been supplemented by a group of larger, modern agricultural buildings to the south of the farmyard. North Studdolph still stands to the north of the Hall, but the dwellings of South Studdolph no longer appears to be occupied and its buildings have been incorporated into the farm of Studdolph Hall. Two 20th century dwellings, Rosedale and The Glen, also now stand just to the east of the farmyard area.'
Source: Trysor report entitled 'Studdolph, Steynton Pembrokeshire Historic Environment Appraisal' by Jenny Hall and Paul Sambrook, published March 2014
M. Ryder, RCAHMW, 7th March 2019