Ter Leyen Castle

Ter Leyen Castle, locally known as Kasteel ter Leyen, lies in the village of Boekhoute, in the province of East Flanders in the Flemish region in Belgium.

The first recorded residence at this site dates back to the early 15th century, when it was owned by Jan Sloeven and Kateline Sersander, both prominent landowners from Ghent families. The earliest mention of a castle here is from 1511, owned by master Roeland Soete, who inherited the estate in 1490 from his father, Jan Zoete van Lake, Lord of Ter Leyen. It’s likely that Roeland just converted his inherited mansion into a castle.

In 1627, Ter Leyen was sold by the descendants of Zoete van Lake to Guido Laurijn. Later, the castle changed hands among local dignitaries until the mid-19th century, when it was acquired by J.W. de Block, mayor of Boekhoute. He had the castle renovated, demolishing part of the west wing and filling in part of the moat. Additionally, the park surrounding the castle was redesigned in the English landscape style. The De Block family lived in the castle until 1912.

During World War I, German troops occupied Ter Leyen Castle. In 1931, it was sold to the Ingels family, brewers by profession, who restored the castle.

Today, Ter Leyen Castle is no longer a residence; it is used as a venue for weddings and groups. Visitors can only tour the castle as guests or view it easily from the village. A lovely castle.

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