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 D sseldorf.
Ossenbruch
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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.
Till castle
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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.
Land next to the cloister of Bedburg, near Cleves
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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
Kranenburg
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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.
Neuenhoven
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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
St. Gertrudis Chapel and a Ossenbroich's tomb.
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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
The Kalflack
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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
Morsbroich
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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.
Huis te Leeuwen
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The van Ossenbroeck family had many estates and lands (Güter) in and around Kalkar.
In 1416 Gerit van Ossenbroeck gave much to his sons.
Click gray arrow on the right for next slide
Kalkar
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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.
Haus Horst
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Castle Huyssen was situated west of the river Rhine, 8 km west of Zevenaar. Huissen was part of the Cleves Duchy.
Johan v. Ossenbroich (Schenk in Cleves) gave it as a dowry in the 1550 wedding of his daughter Genefeva with Degenhartt Hoese (Hase), bailiff at Linne (near Roermond).
The castle was demolished in 1723. The town of Huissen became Netherlandish territory in 1816.
Slot Huissen
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Hohkeppel is situated in Nordrhein-Westfalen near the town of Lindlar. Since the Middle Ages the place was a Knight's Manor estate (German: Freiadligen Rittersitz). It consisted of extensive lands, a castel, farm and mill (in Lennefetal) and a castle keep (German: Bergfried). In the 16th Century it was aquired by the Ossenbroich family. Over the next centuries it was owned by various families. Part of the church tower is from the 12th Century, but the oldest homes still standing date from 1612 and later.
Hohkeppler Hof
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Haus Dönhof is situated in a region, which is now incorporated in the town of Wetter (on the river Ruhr) in Nordrhein-Westfalen. The original estate was a Knight's Residence.
It was a large U-shaped building complex, consisting of a mansion and an annex with wings, all surrounded by a moat.
The House was first mentioned in 1303 as the property of Herbord de D nehove. In the 16th Century it was acquired by the von Ossenbroich family. In 1661 the property was registered as
a Knight's manor (German: Rittersitz) in the name of Johann von und zu Ossenbroich und D nhof.
In 1841 the dilapidated buildings were torn down and a new half-timbered house was built.
Haus Dönhof
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In 1587 Johan von Ossenbroich acquired Schloss Laufenberg in Wilhelmstein (D ren), together with its arable land, meadows and forests from the Duke of Berg.
Schloss Laufenburg
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Haus Hain was a Knight's residence (German: Rittergut) and was first owned by Johann von Ossenbroech in ~1500. It went down from father to son and 3 generation later belonged to Johan van Ossenbroek (†1615), Lord of Blitterswijck. It was part of the royal court. Johan and then his widow did a lot of remodeling from 1611-1623.
In 1869 the property was acquired by the Carthusian monks and converted and extended into the Maria Hain monastery. The mansion was converted into a church. It was the first new branch of the Carthusian charter on German soil.
Haus Hain
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Castle Blitterswijck was situated near the river Maas, east of Venray in the province of Limburg.
In 1594 Lord Johan van Ossenbroek acquired Blitterswijck through his marriage with Johanna van Lynden.
After his death in 1615 it went back to the van Lynden family. In November 1944 it was destroyed by German soldiers.
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Blitterswijck and Johan van O's tomb
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View large map with the various van O-s estates
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Possible Ossenbruch connection to:
- Castle Moyland
- Haus Hönnepel
- Slot Grubbenvorst
Other Ossenbruch estates:
- Genekin van O. obtains Windmill near Weeze in 1282
- Johan acquires Raderbroich in 1353
- Gerit van Ossenbroeck owns the Ludichhoven estate near Kalkar in 1416
- Johan van Ossenbruyck feoffed with Court Nedenoye near Bedburg in 1437
- Johan gives his son Gerrit the Hers Hoeffte estate near Kalkar in 1440
- 1441 Rauwenhof in Gertbochum (Köln)
- 1446. Bastard Gerrit Hof Hoeckenhorst in Anholt
- Gerrit: Nonninckhof estate in Mehr in 1469
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Other Ossenbruch estates, continued:
- 1482 Heinrich van O.: dat Hewersche Slag im Kirchspiel Elten
- Heinrich in 1482: Hagen's estate in Mehr.
- In 1484 brothers Johan, Gerit and Herman own various manors (Höfe) at Till, Qualborg, Huisberden and Warbeien
- 1484. Herman: die Sende near Etwich Nijmegen
- Otto 1502: Huis Ten Tye (Thiebrincke) in Nede, Eijbergen, Borculo
- Brothers Nevelynck and Vincentius own a "landgoed" in Buren (de Betuwe)
- 1593 Johan: Hof Gruwell bei Till
- Look here for a list of the v. Ossenbroich Lordships (Heerlijkheden).
Land:
In addition, they had land in and around:
Cleves, Emmerich, Anholt, Beuningen, Aerdt, Doetichem, Doesburg, D sseldorf, Bochum, M nster, Venlo, Gennep, Zutphen, Culemborg to name a few. |
Kalkar
