Lochem, Vorden, Almen

It is hard to imagine nowadays, but in the Middle Ages, the stretch of Achterhoek to which Lochem and Vorden belong was an impassable swampy area. It was strategically the ideal place, amid the swamps, to own a fortified castle. Useful when a robber knight like Sweder Rodebaert van Wisch returned from a raid. Castle de Wildenborch was then the ideal hiding place to hide the collected treasures and also to stay out of reach of vengeful men himself. These were usually the rightful owners of the looted goods. The lords of Wisch held regular raids in the county of Zutphen and Overijssel around 1372. Enraged citizens regularly besieged the fortified castle, but to no avail. Yet 150 years later, the then lord of the castle ─ Johan van Wisch ─ forcibly surrendered to Duke Charles of Gelre. Today, when you pass by the imposing and restored castle, there is little evidence of its illustrious past. The estate is accessible, but the building itself is not.

As a castle, De Wildenborch does not stand alone in this beautiful area. The village of Vorden is known as the castle village because it has no fewer than eight castles. Vorden itself originated as a ford in the strategically located stream that flowed there. Castles were built near the stream. Owning a castle was of great importance to the person who could afford to have such a castle built. That person could then become a knight, get a noble title and hold important positions in public administration. The downside, however, was that your fortress became the target of looters or conquerors. The castles around Lochem and Vorden were spared, but during the disaster year 1672, many castles in southern Gelderland were wholly or partly destroyed by the French occupiers. Castle lords were given a choice; pay a few Reichsthalers or see half your castle pulverised. But even after payment, the noble man or woman often became the victim of ruthless violence. After all, there was something to gain. Standards of decency were set aside when one smelled money.

The Eighty Years' War, which had ended shortly before (1648), did leave its mark on the castles around Lochem and Vorden. The Spanish troops besieged, plundered and destroyed Den Bramel castle in 1645. Den Bramel remained a ruin until 1720. In the six years that followed, the castle was restored to its former glory. Vorden Castle was besieged and plundered in 1580 and restored thirty years later. Huis Medler, too, is suspected to have fallen prey to war crimes.

Because the Achterhoek was at the time a buffer zone between enemy forces in the east and Holland in the west, it is rumoured today that William of Orange wanted to destroy and depopulate the county of Zutphen. The Spanish armies would then no longer find food in the area and be weakened. Further marching to Leiden, Amsterdam and Delft would then be out of the question. This is also evident from an anguished letter from the city council of Zutphen in 1581, which has been preserved to this day.

This plan of destruction succeeded only partially. The fortified castles around Vorden were in hard-to-reach areas and survived the various wars. The periods that followed were relatively peaceful until the Second World War. During that period, numerous Dutch castles were severely damaged, but the castles and country estates in the Achterhoek escaped this dance.

Often by succession, the castles came into the hands of the children and grandchildren from the noble lineage. By now, it is quite a job to keep the historical buildings in good condition. Today, De Wildenborch, Vorden Castle, Den Bramel and many other castles are located in woody natural beauty and have (limited) access. Castle Vorden in particular catches the eye if you want to taste the atmosphere of a castle up close. The originally military structure has been inhabited since 1315. The Lords of Vorden were powerful knights in the Duchy of Gelre. Their coat of arms still adorns the shutters of the castle. Since then, several noble families have inhabited the castle, where they enjoyed the privileges their noble status gave them. Anno 2024, Ms Karin de Rouw lives at the castle. Karin provides maintenance of the building and conducts guided tours and audio tours. It is possible to stay overnight there via an Airbnb construction.




This Premium cycling route was compiled by our editor: Martin van Rhee.