This is a scan of an original engraving we own.
The Ossenbruch family lived here from the first records in the 1300s until it was demolished in the 1800s. The first, still existing, document dates from 1378 and describes the castle, windmill and estate in the hands of Geryt van Ossenbroic. In addition there are, in chronological order, another 33 enfeoffs going into the 18th century. The last one is from 2 March 1756 to Conrad Friderich Stephan van Ossenbruch, lieutenant. The castle was in bad shape by then and was demolished in the early-mid 1800s
It is exceptional that all these documents have survived over all these centuries. They are kept in the Landesarchiv in Dusseldorf.

The Till castle was acquired (through marriage) by the Ossenbruch family in 1482. It was only a few miles from the Ossenbruch estate.
The Lordships (Heerlijkheden) Till and Moyland were merged by Alexander van Spaen, owner of Castle Moyland from 1662 - 1695.
Already at the time of this engraving in 1764 the castle was in bad shape; see the crumbling walls on the left, and the tiles missing from both roofs. The castle was bought by Adriaan Steengracht in 1766 and demolished not too long after.

In the early 1300s Knight Johan van Ossenbroic owned land next to the Bedebuer (now called Bedburg) cloister, which dates from 1130. In the 1440s his great-granddaughters Aleid and Margaretha were nuns there. After 25 years Aleid became subpriorin.
Only women (girls) from the most prominent noble families would be admitted. Aufgenommen in diese Gemeinschaft wurden nur die edelsten und vornehmsten Frauen des Landes. Ins Kloster aufgenommen werden durften wie bisher nur adelige T chter, die ihren Adel von v terlicher und m tterlicher Seite in acht Quartieren aufschw ren konnten.
Drawing is from 1749.

Drawing above: Cranenburg in 1563.
Kranenburg is situated between Nijmegen and Cleves. Johannes van Ossenbroeck acquired it from the Duke of Cleves in 1394. The first castle was built in 1270 and the first church a few years later. In 1294, the village raised to the status of town. At around 1370 the town got its first fortifications. At the end of the 15th century, a new castle, substantial stone fortifications with 2 gates and several towers were erected. The most southern of these towers acted as the town windmill. Click gray arrow on the right for next slide

The manor was situated in Krefeld (Nordrhein-Westfalen). It came into the family in 1416 when Knight Gerhard van Ossenbroeck married Maria v. Nyenhoven.
The estate comprised of 70 Morgen farmland, 30 Morgen meadows, two forests in Bockumer Bush and the tithes of 576 Morgen Bockumer, Glindholzer and Oppumer fields.
The mansion is now privately owned.

Part of the Neuenhoven estate was the St. Gertrudis Church (Patronat) in Bockum. It served as the "Haus-kapelle" (family chapel)
for the Neuenhovens and later the Ossenbroichs. Click gray arrow on the right for next slide

The Kalflack is a tributary of the river Rhine, running from Emmerich to Kalkar. Much of the land around Till and Kalkar belonged to the Ossenbruch family. In 1454 The Duke of Cleves and Gerit van Ossenbrueck jointly owned a large area around Till.
Much of the land (9 kilometers) along the banks now belong to the State and are Flora-Fauna-Habitat (FFH) protected.
Painting: View of the Kalflack river near Till by Otto Karl Welbers

In 1520 werd Herman van Ossenbroeck, als erfgenaam van Derick van Buren en als momber van de kinderen van Otto van Buren, beleend met de molen van Offenbeek, de laten en erven van de Hof te Leeuwen en met de visserij in de Maas onder Beesel die tot deze hof behoort.

Haus Horst is situated in (Old) Kalkar, a few kilometers from the Ossenbruch estate. Herman v. Ossenbruch bought the mansion in 1523. It is now a retirement home.

Morsbroich is situated in Leverkusen. It was aquired by Henrick von Ossenbroich in 1491.
In the next century it was sold to the Deutscher Order (a religious Knights Order). Click gray arrow on the right for next slide