Giesking Castle

Haus Giesking was first mentioned as "domus Gysekinch" at the beginning of the 14th century in the tax registers of Nottuln Abbey.

History of Ownership

Even before the mid-15th century, Giesking was in the hands of the Münster patrician family Warendorp, who took over the estate from the farmers Johann and Else Gysekinck. The final transfer to Bernd Warendorp took place on June 20, 1494. The Warendorp family had their main residence at Haus Nevinghoff. The estate was managed by serfs.

Heinrich von Warendorp died childless on May 1, 1575, although he was married 3 times in total. In his will, drawn up on March 12, 1572, he appointed his nephew Lubbert Travelmann zu Ebeling and Mathias von Kerckering as his heirs. The former received, among other things, Haus Nevinghoff. Matthias von Kerkering zu Stapel received Haus Giesking. He had been married since 1550 to Margreth Travelmann zu Ebbeling, a sister of Lubbert Travelmann zu Ebeling. After his death on February 15, 1591, his possessions were divided between his two sons. Bernhard von Kerckerinck zu Stapel received Haus Stapel. His younger brother, Barthold, born in 1554, received Haus Giesking. Both houses were declared fideicommissary estates. This division of inheritance created the Kerckering zu Giesking line, which took its main residence at Haus Giesking, alongside the Kerckering zu Stapel line. Under Barthold, several construction measures were initiated. This was also made possible by his marriage to Christine Kerckering zu Borg on November 1, 1593, as she brought a large dowry into the marriage. In the course of these construction measures, for example, the moats were improved.

In 1626, Bernhard Kerckering, Lord of Giesking, married Richmond von Bock, heiress of Sentmaring, Soest, and Grevinghoff. Bernhard had previously bought Haus Getter near Amelsbüren, so he adopted the name von Kerckering zu Giesking und Getter.

In 1632, Bernhard initiated the most significant building campaign at Haus Giesking. After Bernhard's death in 1657, his second son Mathias inherited the estate. Since Mathias Kerckering zu Stapel left only 5 illegitimate and thus non-inheriting sons, he appointed his godchild Mathias von Kerckering zu Giesking as his heir in his will drawn up in 1651. The inheritance took effect in the same year, thus reuniting the previously separate lines.

At the beginning of the 18th century, Stapel, not Giesking, was the main residence of the Kerckering family. Haus Stapel was listed as the primary part of the name. Haus Giesking declined to a secondary residence. Since this time, Giesking has been managed by tenants.

After the extinction of the male line of the von Kerckering zu Stapel family towards the end of the 18th century, the daughter Theresia inherited Haus Stapel, Haus Giesking, and the remaining possessions. In his will, her father Franz Herman Ludwig Freiherr von Kerckering stipulated that Theresia's future husband must bear the name Kerckering, adopt the family coat of arms, and furthermore be elevated to the status of Imperial Baron. On May 12, 1801, Theresia finally married Ernst Constantin von Droste-Hülshoff, and in 1802, he received the title from Emperor Franz I: Imperial Baron von Droste, called Freiherr von Kerckering zu Stapel, Brock, Giesking, Greivinghoff, Soest, Buxfort, Landegge. This line also died out in 1880, so the property passed to the younger line of the von Droste-Hülshoff family.

In 1956, Haus Giesking became the property of the Schürholz family, as the wife, née von Droste-Hülshoff, brought it into the marriage. The family used the estate personally, so management by tenants was discontinued. Numerous smaller alterations followed.

In 1988, Haus Giesking was finally sold to Marianne and Rudolph Tecklenborg from Werne, in whose possession it remains today. They initiated extensive renovation and new construction measures.

Giesking was developed into a stud farm and is still used in this capacity today. Parts are leased to the Swedish world-class dressage rider Patrick Kittel.

Building History

Originally, the manor house and farm buildings were located on two separate islands until the separating, 5-meter-wide moat was filled in around the mid-16th century. At this time, Haus Giesking was also expanded into a manor by Heinrich Warendorp. Haus Giesking was an estate not eligible for the Landtag (state parliament).

Manor House

Parts of the manor house, built in the mid-16th century, are still preserved today. Especially in the cellar rooms, roughly broken sandstone blocks are still present.

The old manor house largely burned down. On the preserved remains, the manor house was rebuilt in 1680, incorporating the surviving building fabric. This was a two-story brick building, the upper floor of which was demolished in the first half of the 19th century. Furthermore, the roof truss was altered, creating a rafter roof. Essentially, Haus Giesking received its current appearance during these renovations.

At the beginning of the 20th century, the existing front door, which was previously in the center of the manor house, was shifted one axis to the left. Since then, there have been 3 axes to the left of the front door and 5 to the right.

Further parts of the moats were filled in at the beginning and in the 1950s of the 20th century.

At a right angle to the rear of the manor house, a newer horseshoe-shaped building, containing bedrooms and ancillary rooms, has been attached to the east since 1948/1950. Subsequently, the southern part of the old manor house was rebuilt. Further alterations were carried out in 1956.

Farmhouse

The old farmhouse from the mid-16th century no longer exists today. Instead, the farmhouse still present today was built in several construction phases. In the middle of the west side is a coat of arms stone made of Baumberg sandstone, bearing the year 1632 and the alliance coat of arms of the builder couple Kerckering zu Giesking and Bock zu Sentmaring. In this phase, the main part of the farmhouse still existing today was built. On the outer facade facing the moat, 0.5 x 0.5 meter large sandstone loopholes are arranged. The farmhouse is equipped with three-tiered gables with shell finials. Furthermore, the entire outer bailey has been surrounded by a thick wall since 1632.

Presumably in the 18th century, extensive repair and modernization measures were carried out on the farmhouse. Nevertheless, in the 19th century, the southern end of the west wall of the farmhouse collapsed. Between 1870 and 1900, the damage was repaired in a simpler – still preserved – manner. Further measures followed between 1913 and 1918.

Granary

At a right angle to the farmhouse, a two-story half-timbered granary, built in 1637, adjoins to the northeast.

Bakehouse

Next to the entrance gate in the south, to the east, lies a simple single-story half-timbered building from the 17th/18th century. It was used as a bakehouse until it was converted into a horse stable after the mid-20th century.

Other Farm Buildings

Stables and a riding hall outside the moats were built after the acquisition by the Tecklenborg family in 1988.

Garden

The large, rectangular garden was laid out in the first half of the 17th century.