Doddendael Castle is a castle located in the Dutch village of Ewijk, in the province of Gelderland. The castle, partially hidden in the woods, consists largely of a white-plastered main building.
The Nijmegen street Doddendaal was most likely named after this castle. The family associated with the castle also owned a mansion on that street for some time.
History
It is generally believed that Huis Doddendael was built around the 1330s. In 1332, ‘Sir Robert van Appeltern’ obtained a lease on the land. The name Doddendael dates back to 1379.
There are several theories about the origin of the name Doddendael. One suggests that the house was named after the bulrushes (lisdodden), which grew abundantly in the marshy surroundings.
Doddendael was first mentioned in connection with the Appeltern family. Later, the castle came into the possession of the Van Buren family and Jasper van Culemborg, who held it as a fief around 1474. At that time, Doddendael was described as a “castle, house, and courtyard in Ewijk.” In the 15th century, a surrounding wall was constructed, and the moat between the house and the wall was filled in.
