Hausfreden Castle

The castle was built on a small mountain plateau. The ring wall enclosed a rectangular area of 65 x 30 m. The layout is still clearly recognizable today, as wall remnants protrude from the ground or form a rampart-like elevation. Two depressions on the castle grounds suggest the former presence of a round and a square tower; they could also have been cisterns. The castle plateau was protected by a moat, which still has considerable dimensions today. A deep section ditch, hewn into the stony subsoil, secured the castle plateau from the adjoining mountain ridge.

In 1962, the castle grounds were archaeologically investigated during a limited excavation. It unearthed ceramic remains and individual iron parts, such as a ring and an iron spur. The finds corresponded to the age of the complex from the 14th century, known from tradition.

The builders of the castle were the Lords of Freden. They managed a domain, still existing today, a few hundred meters southeast of the castle site. In 1344, they were enfeoffed with the town of Freden by the Bishop of Hildesheim and received permission to build a fortification. The subsequently built Hausfreden Castle was half sold by the builders to the Welfs in 1382. The Welfs then left the complex to the Lords of Wettberg as a pledge. Their successors from 1400 were the Lords of Reden, who acted as robber knights from the castle. As a result, the Bishop of Hildesheim, several Welf dukes, individual cities, and other nobles formed an alliance. The goal was the expulsion of the Lords of Reden. In May 1402, the allies, with 2,000 men, lay before the castle and, in a week-long siege, made it ready for storming with a large-caliber cannon. During a barrel burst, the defenders are said to have made a sally and escaped. After its capture, the castle was razed and not rebuilt. In the following centuries, the structural remains served the surrounding population as a quarry, which explains the few stone remains present today.