Uentrop Castle

Haus Uentrop is a two-story, simple brick building with a narrow central risalit and a hip roof. Above the main portal, one finds a double coat of arms of the von Reck-Baer family from 1720. The room layout follows the scheme of the appartement double. In the entrance hall, there is an elaborate wooden staircase with intermediate posts and balusters.

The estate also has three two-story residential and farm buildings made of field-fired brick: the servant's house from 1849 with a central risalit; a barn from 1860 with a stepped gable; and horse stables with original fittings inside. These include a crafted pillar for the stalls, tiles on the walls, and a coffered ceiling.

The monument protection results from the significance of the estate for the history of the people of the region and for scientific reasons in the sense of § 2 of the Monument Protection Act. The monument status covers the area between the Lippe and the moat (inclusive), the main house, the surrounding park, the servant's house, the barn, and the horse stables. The interior of the servant's house, the barn (cow shed), and the horse stable are not protected, with the exception of the room behind the central risalit. This is where the horse stalls are located.

An external viewing of the property from the street is possible, but not a courtyard or even interior viewing. Although the building is uninhabited, entry is prohibited. The farm buildings are used for agricultural purposes.

As early as 1198, Haus Uentrop, together with Haus Heidemühlen, served the Counts of Berg-Altena to secure their territorial borders against the Prince-Bishopric of Münster.

In 1226, Count Adolf I of the Mark founded the city of Hamm. His castle garrison at Burg Mark included, among others, the Lords von der Recke, who inhabited a castle in the city area of Hamm and later came into possession of the Uentrop estate.

Members of a knightly family von Uentrop are documented for the years 1325 and 1380. A direct connection to Haus Uentrop cannot be proven. According to von Steinen, the house was in the possession of a certain Dietrich von Grimberg in 1328.

According to a document from 1393, Count Dietrich II of the Mark gave the property in the same year to a Hermann von der Recke from Kamen as a hereditary castle fief for 10 Mark in money.

In the 15th century, the Lords von der Recke shared ownership of the estate with the Lords von der Mark.

Hermann's son Alef von der Recke combined his share of Haus Uentrop with a share of the neighboring Haus Haaren in 1427. He bequeathed both, through his son Goddert, to Goddert's nephew, Alef's grandson Johann von der Recke. Johann married Rorich von der Mark in 1478. Against the payment of 1,000 guilders, which was otherwise transferred to him as a dowry, his father-in-law Everd von der Mark transferred to him the larger half of Haus Uentrop that was in his possession. His brother-in-law, the younger Everd von der Mark, waived the right of repurchase in 1494. Since Johann acquired sole ownership in 1504, Haus Uentrop has been firmly in the possession of the family.

Johann had several sons; the heir of Haus Uentrop was Evert, Droste zu Hamm. In 1541, Emperor Charles V granted him a mill privilege for services rendered to the Emperor and the Empire. Evert had a son of the same name, who died in 1560. The estate was already so heavily indebted that his widow Gertrud von Münchhausen had to sell it in the mid-sixties (alternative date: 1579). The buyer was the Cleves Marshal Dietrich XV von der Recke, on behalf and in representation of his brother Mathias, Komtur zu Doblen and Lord of Neuenburg in Courland. His second son Dietrich founded the younger line of the family at Haus Uentrop:

• Konrad von der Recke zu Haaren und Uentrop (1630 – 1630), Rittmeister, married Gerberga von Wylich
• Dietrich von der Recke zu Haaren und Uentrop (1632 – 1656) married Elisabeth von der Recke
• Dietrich von der Recke zu Haaren und Uentrop (1664 – 1693)

Dietrich, grandson of the founder of the line, was elevated to the status of Imperial Baron in 1677 (alternative date: 1688) together with his brother Johann. His widow Anna Magdalena von Bar had the current manor house built between 1713 and 1720; the old castle and the farm buildings had burned down in 1679. The new estate is a two-story, simple brick building with a central risalit and a hip roof. The master builder was Lubbert Hagen from Bentheim/Gildehaus.

The residential and farm buildings, built of field-fired bricks, were added during the 18th century.

In 1763, the Recke zu Haaren family died out in the male line. Anna Magdalena's daughter-in-law, Engel Luise von der Recke zu Haaren, inherited her parents' Haus Haaren after the death of her only brother, as well as the jurisdiction of the same name, created in 1716, over the parish of Uentrop, Mundloh, and the three Dinker farming communities located in the Mark. Through marriage into the Uentrop branch of the von der Recke family, the possessions came into the hands of the Recke zu Uentrop. In 1764, Johann Matthias Dietrich von der Recke was enfeoffed with the estates by the King.

The patrimonial jurisdiction over the parish of Uentrop and the Norddinker farming community, granted to Haus Haaren in 1716, was transferred to Haus Uentrop.

The Recke family and their descendants have been traceable at Haus Uentrop for over 600 years. Haus Uentrop is thus the only knight's seat of the old Märkisch Amt Hamm that is still managed by the resident noble family. As late as 1976, members of the family lived on the estate, which is now uninhabited. The owner was Friedrich-Wilhelm Freiherr von der Recke.