Oudaen Castle

The main house of the complex historic country estate Oudaen, originally dating from the late 13th century, is located on an island surrounded by a moat. Canal, island and main house are quite close to the Vecht. The court entrance to the house is located on the south side where there is a wooden bridge over the canal. A second, minor bridge is located on the north side. The house fills almost the entire island, on which there is no further construction nor is there any historically valuable construction. The exterior of the house still shows the medieval condition of two parallel wings consisting of an above-ground vaulted cellar, three storeys above and each a tiled gable roof between gables. The west facades are executed as stepped gables, ending in a chimney. Against these facades are originally the boiler rooms. Since the late 16th century, a six-sided arkel turret on a heavy console connects the two wings from the third storey. The turret has a bell-shaped lead-covered roof. The east facades are executed as spout facades. These facades are virtually blind and are further hidden from view as a result of the extension. On this side rests a wooden construction on both ridges on which a bell is fitted. The north façade shows a more or less regular façade layout with four windows at the level of the two floors and two windows at the level of the first floor. The windows of the first floor are still cross frames with shutters. Of the other two storeys, these sliding windows have been renewed into rods. On the roof surface is a dormer window with a lifting beam. The west façade has respectively two windows on the first floor, four on the first floor and two windows on the second and some small windows in the top. The windows of the first floor plus the southernmost window of the first floor have been enlarged into rod-divided sliding windows. The other windows are a cross frame and two cloisters. The façade shows the necessary construction traces of, among other things, older windows. The south façade has three windows on the first floor and two on each subsequent one; All windows here have been enlarged into rod-divided sliding windows. In the masonry, closed old window openings can be seen. The façade is terminated by a masonry tooth frame. There is a dormer window on the roof surface. The entrance door on this side is located in the extension. The extension has been built on an overhang from the height of the first floor to two storeys closed with a tiled hipped roof. The masonry above the overhang has a decorative pattern and is closed by a water frame. On this side there are two windows and one above, all sliding windows divided with rod. The south façade of the extension has become an access façade with a door from ca. 1615 on the right in a wooden frame of pilasters with a tympanum. In the tympanum the coat of arms of Oudaen, a red St. Andrew's cross on a golden field, above which a silver bar stem with three feet. In front of this is a high masonry sidewalk with natural stone steps. Furthermore, one window next to the door and one on the first floor, both with rod divided windows. In front of the sidewalk, over the canal is a wooden drawbridge. Sidewalk and bridge were renewed in 1981 to an old model. The stair tower from ca. 1590 is located in the corner of the extension and the north wing. It is a semicircular tower with some small windows and is covered by a flat roof. The stair tower connects the basement and the first two storeys. The interior of the house has essentially changed little. The two cellars are large undivided spaces covered with a barrel vault and equipped with some light slits. The rooms of the first floor were later divided, with a smaller room separated on the east side and a short corridor in the south wing. A similar situation occurs in the south wing on the second floor. The north wing has retained its hall over the full length here. The third floor is further divided with a number of rooms. The hoods are completely undivided with only a recent installation for the technical facilities in the north corner. The roof on the oldest part dates from the 16th century and consists of oak trusses. The construction was later modified several times. The hood on the north wing also has oak trusses; Here is a large lifting wheel. Furthermore, the nut and children's beam layers are found, partly with key pieces, floorboards, wooden partitions, doors, a 16th-century spiral staircase from the second floor to the attic. The fireplaces have been renewed in more recent times, e.g. the 19th-century marble fireplace or reconstructed medieval fireplaces. In the extension there is a kitchen on the lower floor of ouds with a large fireplace and ovens against the inner wall. In the passage to the cellars, the staircase of this oldest part of the building, originally bricked into the wall thickness, is visible on the left. The space above it is formerly used as a reception room or hall, probably undivided in origin, nowadays with a further layout.

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