Ophemert Castle - Ophemert

Besides Ophemert, there is talk of the village of Nederhemert. Hemert is said to come from hemer, which means as much as stone or rock. But in the river area, not far from the Waal, this does not make sense, so there is no obvious explanation.

The oldest part of Ophemert Castle comes from 1265. The house was then presumably inhabited by Rudolf de Cock. The rectangular house has a moat around it. On the same island is a forecourt with retaining walls and octagonal towers. On a second island is a coach house. In the same year, De Cock exchanged his possessions with Count Otto II of Gelre for his possessions north of the bank of the river Waal.

In 1550, the castle came into the possession of the Van Haeften family. They occupy the castle the longest: no less than 350 years. After that, the Mackay family inherits the house. Aenas Simon Mackay, 15th Lord of Reay, from Scotland, is now Lord of Ophemert. The Baron Van Dedem, together with his wife, has the castle on long lease and uses it as a Bed & Breakfast and house for private parties.