Castle Blue House

Pleasure garden or playhouse, formerly "Castle Blauwhuys", later "Lammens castle" named after one of the 19th-century owners. Originally probably a medieval farm on the Schelde with a vanished field road to the Hundelgemsesteenweg. Possibly evolved in the 16th century into a moated pleasure house. The oldest ownership document of "Castle Blauwhuys" would date from 1586. From before 1615 until 1768 (according to preserved sales deeds) it was owned by the Triest family, also owner of the now vanished castle of "Hof Ter Wallen" in Kerkstraat. Both castles were connected by an avenue and reportedly "Castle Blauwhuys" was a kind of hunting lodge where the guests of "Hof Ter Wallen" stayed. By inheritance from 1768 to 1806 it was in the possession of the Piers family. In the first half of the 19th century it was sold several times. In 1874 it was purchased by notary Jules Lammens from Ghent, whose daughter married engineer-architect Baron A. Verhaegen in 1872, a proponent of the neo-Gothic Sint-Lucas school and co-founder of a Sint-Lucas workshop in Merelbeke. Since 1886, "Castle Blauwhuys" has remained in the possession of the Verhaegen family. The current castle park to the east of the Melsenbeek dug in 1759; pond and partly preserved moat to the north at the mouth of the Melsenbeek into the Schelde and at the former unloading dock of the municipality. The foundations of the former moated pleasure house are reportedly preserved at the height of the remains of the moats at the Schelde. The current castle is located to the south of this, more or less centrally in the park. At the street at the beginning of the avenue to the castle: neo-Gothic iron gate between brick pillars. The current castle has three floors, formed by various modifications and the expansion of a possibly initially rectangular building, likely from the mid-18th century, to which the simple plastered brick north facade of five bays may still recall. Neoclassical facade (mid-19th century) of three bays with a central door projection; on the right traces of an (older?) arch with sandstone keystone. On the left, window bay and roof shape altered in the 20th century. Several small extensions against the rear facade. The existing rectangular castle was significantly enlarged in 1884-85 according to the design of Baron A. Verhaegen by adding a dominant high brick structure in the typical neo-Gothic style of the Ghent Sint-Lucas school to the southeast. A similar wing was reportedly planned on the other side of the castle (not executed). A basement rectangular wing of three floors under a steep tiled gable roof with ridge turret. List facade of three bays with verticalizing Bruges bays. Projecting square corner tower of five and a half stories with tower stair, under a tiled spire. The house chapel on the first upper floor is recognizable by the three-part pointed arch window. Cross-framed windows with colored stained glass (coat of arms and mottos). Polychrome statue of Saint Martin on a console under a sculpted baldachin against the shoulder gable on the front of the castle. Neo-Gothic furniture reportedly made in the Sint-Lucas workshop in Merelbeke (Hundelgemsesteenweg). Colored stained glass windows with mottos (some restored) in the large salon. Dilapidated garden pavilion planted on a hill in the eastern corner of the park at Gaversesteenweg. Octagonal wooden skeleton construction with yellow plastered brick fillings and tiled tent roof. Former outbuildings adjoining the Schelde side and Waterstraat adapted and renovated into residences.

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