Griffon du Bois Tower

Griffon du Bois Tower, locally known as Tour de Griffon du Bois or Tour de Griffon du Bos, stands in the village of Corbais, in the province of Walloon Brabant in the Wallonia region in Belgium.

The seigniory of Corbais depended on Walhain Castle and had connections with the nearby Alvaux Tower. The son of Jacques de Walhain, the knight Arnould de Corbais, held the seigniory in the 2nd quarter of the 13th century. He probably built this tower. The seigniory remained in the hands of the Walhain family until the middle of the 15th century.

In 1403 - 1404, a vassal of the Walhain family; a Griffon de Bos or du Bois held Corbais. Undoubtedly in his memory, the seigniory and the tower are called by his name from the 15th century on.

In 1458, Jean de Corbais sold the tower to the Heetvelde family. Later it passed to other families by alliance; the Hinckart, Hellin and finally the Vaernewijck family.

A sale contract of 1619 describes the tower as a beautiful, lately repaired, tower with a cellar, two rooms, an attic and three dovecotes.

In the 20th century it probably was used as a house, maybe that is when it got its roof which gives it its strange look. At present it seems to have no use and its interior can't be visited. There is a very small memorial garden in front.

Gallery