Wendlinghausen Castle

Hilmar the Younger von Münchhausen, who built the Münchhausenhof in Rinteln and the wings of Schwöbber Castle, had Wendlinghausen built in 1613-16 for his son Heinrich Hilmar. Because of its stylistic affinity with Barntrup, the castle is attributed to Eberhard Wilkening. Today it presents itself as a long wing with a staircase tower at the side. Originally a second wing was added behind the stair tower. The missing cornices at the back of the tower bear witness to the disappearance of the wing, as does a map from 1756 which shows both wings. 

Since 1731, the castle and estate have been owned by the von Reden family. The building is two storeys above a plinth, with three dormers on each long side and a single-storey bay on the courtyard side. The original roof truss, covered with reddish Solling sandstone slabs, survives, as does a row of garderobes projecting over the moat at the rear. On the parapet of the dormer, which is covered with notched ornaments and fittings, a cartouche contains the abbreviation V.D.M.I.ET, which stands for the Protestant motto Verbum Domini Manet In Eternum (Eternal is the Word of God). Above the doorway of the tower are the coats of arms of the couple who owned the building and the date 1614.