Neandertal (valley) most of the limestone and dramatically changed the shape of the valley. It was during such a quarrying operation that the bones of the original Neanderthal man were found in a cave known as Kleine Feldhofer Grotte. Neither the cave nor the cliff in which the bones were located still exists. During the 19th century the valley was called "Neandershöhle" (Neander's Cave), and, after 1850, "Neanderthal". It was named after Joachim Neander, a 17th-century German pastor. "Neander" is the Greek translation of his family name "Neumann"; both names mean "new man". Neumann lived in nearby Düsseldorf and loved the valley
Stokes Valley greater Wellington area have experienced major tectonic uplifting it is possible that the valley was formed through major earthquakes and erosion. According to tradition, Māori arrived in the Hutt Valley in about 1250 AD when the two sons of Whatonga, a Hawke's Bay chief, settled in the area and named the Hutt River "Heretaunga", after their old home. Although Māori had lived in the Hutt Valley for almost 600 years prior to Europeans, there has been no evidence of Māori habitation in Stokes Valley and the closest iwi (tribe), located at Waiwhetu, say they never used the valley for any