St. Aldegonde Castle

St. Aldegonde Castle is a former castle located in the village of West-Souburg, in the province of Zeeland, Netherlands.

The first castle on this site, Souburg Castle, was likely built in the early 13th century and served as the seat of the Lords of Souburg. In 1451, Adrian of Borselen married Maria van Cats at the castle. After her death, he remarried in 1457 to Anne of Burgundy, an illegitimate daughter of Philip the Good, Duke of Burgundy. When Adrian died childless in 1468, the castle passed to the Duke of Burgundy. In 1509, it became the residence of Philip of Burgundy, another illegitimate child of Philip the Good. When he became Bishop of Utrecht in 1517, the castle was sold to Jeronimus de Rollé, bailiff of Veere.

At the start of the Eighty Years' War, the castle was occupied by Sea Beggars, who burned it down to prevent it from falling into Spanish hands, leaving only some walls intact. Its remains were purchased by Philips of Marnix, Lord of St. Aldegonde, in 1578. He rebuilt the castle and moved in, and from then on, it was called St. Aldegonde Castle. Shortly after his death, his heirs sold the castle to the town of Middelburg.

In 1746, Adriaan Steengracht bought the castle and modernized it. After his death in 1770, his heirs allowed the castle to fall into disrepair. In 1783, it was finally sold for demolition and was torn down.

In 1971-1972, the foundations of St. Aldegonde Castle were discovered during the construction of a new residential area. An archaeological excavation revealed that it had been a moated rectangular castle with a rectangular bailey.

Currently, no remains of St. Aldegonde Castle exist.

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