Wildenborch was once a notoriouscastle owned by robber barons, the Lords ofWisch. These robber baronswere a constant annoyance to the Dukes of Guelders. The castle subsequently passed into the hands of the Staring family, one of whom, Antoni, gained particular fame as a poet. His descendants still live in the former castle.
Robber barons
The earliest mention of Wildenborch Castle was in 1372, when it was owned by Sweder Rodebaert van Wisch. The Lords of Wisch also owned Wisch Castle in Terborg. They gained a dubiousreputation as robber barons and in 1490, the citizens of Deventer had had enough. They laid siege to Wildenborch Castle while the people of Zutphen stormed Wisch Castle in Terborg. Their efforts however, were in vain. Charles, Duke of Guelders made three attempts of his own to capture the castle, but Johan van Wisch did not surrender until 1512.
Staring
By the 18th century the castle had fallen into disrepair and it was sold in that state to Damiaan Hugo Staring (1736-1783) in 1781. Staring had been shipwrecked as a 15-year-old midshipman and forced to live in slavery for a yearin Algeria. He subsequently rose to the rank of captain and provisions master for the Dutch East India Company on the Cape in South Africa. He bought Wildenborch Castle with thefortune he had amassed and extended the gatehouse – the only part of the castle still inhabitable– with two new wings.
Poet
Damiaan’s son, Antoni Staring (1767-1840), filled and planted most of the surrounding marshland with deciduous trees. An agricultural innovator and Mayor of Laren, Antoni Staring actually became more famous for his poetry. His son, Winand, was the founding father of geology and agriculturein the Netherlands whilst his daughter, Constancia, built the celebrated Staring Pavilion.
Only 300 ha of the once 600 ha estate remain. One of Staring’s descendants still lives in Wildenborch House and the woods on the estate are open to the public on certain days, as are the gardens.
