Havichhorst Manor

The name "Gut Havichhorst" is easy to decipher even for non-Westphalians: "Horst" is a dense forest with undergrowth, "Havich" is the old word for hawk and can still be found in the estate's coat of arms today.

The first written traces of the settlement date back to the 11th century! Even then, the convenient location with the nearby Werse river was a real site advantage. As early as 1318, documents speak of a mill on the estate. Later, the Sudmühle, which is still intact today, was added. Water was therefore not only a means of transport, but also an important source of energy.

At the beginning of the 19th century, Franz Joseph Hovestadt initially leased the estate until he acquired it in 1831. In the following years, the family invested in various new buildings and extensions. In 1841, the main manor house, as we know it today, was built. In 1890, the head building followed. The farm, as well as the two mills and the surrounding land, is still owned by the family.

For many decades, the estate was traditionally farmed. In 1987, owner Paul Hovestadt leased the residential and farm buildings as well as the areas close to the farm in hereditary lease to the "Stiftung Westfälische Landschaft", which is committed to the protection of agriculture and rural areas.
Today, the estate is used as the seat of the Westphalian Riding and Driving School and as a modern conference and seminar center. With the latter, Gut Havichhorst GmbH offers the foundation itself, institutions, companies and private individuals the appropriate setting for events of all kinds.