The current Kernhem House was built in 1803 on the ruins of a medieval castle and belongs to one of the oldest country estates of the Netherlands. Kernhem was a stronghold for the counts and dukes of Guelders in their perpetual battle against the Diocese of Utrecht.
War against Utrecht
In 1410, Duke Reinald IV of Guelders built a fortified manor on the grounds at Kernhem. In the previous centuries, the counts and dukes of Guelders had captured the Veluwe region from the Diocese of Utrecht, and added it to their duchy. Yet the areas on the edge of the Veluwe remained turbulent. The troops from the Duchy of Guelders and those from the Diocese of Utrecht continued to invade, plunder and destroy one another’s territories. Subsequently, castles like Kernhem were built as a means of defending the borders of the duchy.
The White Lady
There is also a legend that stems from these times about the lord of the manor’s beautiful daughter who had fallen in love with a dashing knight. The knight was not an easy catch, and left on his horse, promising to marry her on his return. So she waited, and waited, year after year. She drifted around the estate, always on the look-out when horsemen rode by, but the knight never returned. After she died, her spirit could not find peace, and her white ghost is still said to be haunting the estate to this day.
House built on ruins
After the Middle Ages, the domain was expanded to include scores of farmsteads and manor houses. However, as time passed, the mighty castle fell into disrepair, and was eventually pulled down at the end of the 18th century. The current Kernhem House was built on top of the ruins in 1803, in a classical style. It served as a boarding school for girls from upper-class families for a long time during the 19th century, but fell to ruins again in the 1970’s. At this point, the owner, Sophie, Countess of Bentinck, bestowed the house to the municipality of Ede who carried out an extensive restoration. Now Kernhem House is a popular venue for weddings and cultural events.
