Estate Duinbeek

The history of Duinbeek dates back to before 1350. In that year, Wolfert van Borssele, lord of Veere, offered "the fortress and residence at Dunebeke" to the count of Zeeland, who then returned it as a fief, enriched with the status of high free lordship. The house remained in the possession of the lords of Veere, who used it as a hunting lodge. During the siege of Middelburg in 1572, the Duinbeek castle was plundered and set on fire by a roving band of Geuzen. The ruin was demolished by the States of Zeeland, and all stones were sold at auction. What remained was a small patch of land with a moat around it. The lordly rights remained in effect.

In 1637, the land came into the possession of Willem Boreel, mayor of Amsterdam. It remained in the family until 1715. Then it was sold to Abraham Duvelaer, mayor of Middelburg, director of the O.I.C., and married to the mayor's daughter Susanne Agnieta van Dishoek. They had a beautiful estate built at Duinbeek. Abraham Duvelaer died in 1742, after which his namesake son became the owner of the estate. He was married to Levina Anna Maria de Beaufort. After the death of Abraham Duvelaer in 1785, the estate was sold by his daughter Susanna Frederika Duvelaer to Jan Jacobus Macquet and others from Middelburg. However, the property was reclaimed by her cousin Frederik van Citters, an under-accountant of the O.I.C., who acquired a spacious estate cheaply in this manner. After van Citters' death in 1792, his widow became the owner of Duinbeek. In 1796, after the widow's death, the estate was transferred to Gerard François Meyners. He had been the owner of Berkenbos since 1777.

After Meyners’ death in 1803, the estate came into the hands of his daughter Digna Johanna, who had recently married Johan Jacob Sprenger, later mayor of Oostkapelle. In 1853, the estate was inherited by mr Jacob Guilielmus Sprenger, son of the previous owner. He was married to Claudina Reiniere Anna Bijleveld. In 1853, he also acquired the neighboring estate Berkenbos. They then lived at this estate. In 1862, Berkenbos was demolished, and a new house was built.

The estate Duinbeek remained vacant. In 1895, the estates were put up for sale. The real estate was purchased by the newly established N.V. Duinbeek, a group of wealthy individuals from Middelburg. The estates were renovated and rented out to the shareholders of the NV.

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