Castle-firm of Fernelmont

The castle-firm of Fernelmont , located in Wallonia in the village of Noville-the-Wood, section of the commune of Fernelmont, Province of Namur, is a Belgian castle of plain whose origin goes back to second half of the XIIIe century. It belongs to the major Patrimoine of Wallonia

In the beginning one finds on the site only one farm gathering some woodens building covered with cob. This farm or Basse-cour is judiciously built on an island located in the middle of a marsh, but it is defended only by one simple palisade out of wooden.

Towards 1300, Godesalc de Noville, a Vassal of the Count de Namur, pressed by the constant danger that the bands of plunderers constitute, makes raise powerful a limestone hardcore turn-porch to defend the farmyard with more effectiveness. This austere Keep which gathers all the elements of defense known at the time (Assommoir, Fosse, harrow, Pont-levis, removable floor,…), less one subtle interior installation distributed on two stages does not hide any. He perfectly played besides his part until the end of the XVe century.

At the beginning of the XVIe century, the strengthened field passes to the Longchamps family. It is it which undertakes the construction of the castle itself (the wing is and the interior brick walls).

By marriage, the Marbais family enters in possession of the castle in 1537 and it sells it in 1619 in Barwitz. This last family continues installations which confer on the castle its current aspect. It is as at that time as the new agricultural buildings are built outside the perimeter controlled by the keep-porch.

In 1709, the field is repurchased by Harscamp and those make various alterations there to make castle a comfortable residence of pleasure.

Given up since the beginning of the XIXe century, the castle is literally emptied of its interior furniture and in spite of its classification with the major inheritance of Belgium as of on May 29th 1939, plundering will cease only at the end of the Second world war.

Fortunately today, a handle of impassioned is invested to the maximum to make revive this remarkable monument and make it available to the public.

See too

List of Belgian castles
Seen sky with other castles of Wallonia

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