The Origins of the Varela Family

The origins of the Varela family can be traced back to the descendants of Don Ramiro I of Aragon and his wife Doña Ermisinda from the French royal family. The Varela family established itself in Galicia in the houses of Quindimil and Ramil, in the province of Lugo, extending up to Pontevedra, where they lived in the houses of Casalnovo, Caldas de Reyes, and La Buzaca in Moraña.
The first Varela connected to Caldas was Don Jorge Varela, who married Doña Inés Vázquez. They were masters of the house and estate of Quindimil, and the parents of Don Pedro Varela de Dubra.

The Varela and La Buzaca

La Buzaca Manor House was both a farm and a fort. It was first registered as a property of Gómez García Varela, married to Dominga López de Villamoure, at the end of the 16th century. From that moment on, La Buzaca Manor House has remained in the Varela family, handed down from generation to generation, right up to the present day.
Don Gómez did not live at La Buzaca permanently. He was justice of the peace in Caldas from 1600 until 1627, and an important man in his time.

Time of Splendor

Don Pedro Varela de Dubra and Doña Inés Mariño de Lobeira were the first lords of the manor house. They married in 1627, and from then on, set about the alterations needed to make La Buzaca their home.
Construction of the hallway to the manor house was undertaken, as well as the balcony above the hallway that leads to the top floor, and construction of the chapel was also completed at that time.
The pace of life at La Buzaca was set by its inhabitants. Among them were men and women with artistic tastes such as María Antonia de Boceta, Juana Sarmiento, and Teresa Novoa who cultivated the arts in one way or another.
Don Diego Francisco Varela y Mariño and Doña Andrea Josefa Verea Fariña were the first to make La Buzaca their residence. They bought valuable pieces such as the 17th-century English clock in the entrance hall, and the blue English washbasin, and they also built the splendid pigeon loft.

The Manor House in the Region

The marriage between Don José Varela de Verea and Doña Rosalía Verea de Aguiar linked the family inheritance to the manor house and ancestral home of La Buzaca. At this time, major alterations to the old house were carried out, and the magnificent coat of arms at the main front door was put in place.
In the 19th century, La Buzaca became a centre of activity for the whole area. The first-born of the Varela Verea family, Don Benito, was a judge at Xeve. He had an important role during the Peninsular War, and along with his wife attended to the wounded in their own house. His brother, Don Jacobo, led his fellow countrymen, and was killed in action during the siege of Pontevedra.