Crassenstein Castle

Crassenstein Castle is a castle in Wadersloh-Diestedde in Münsterland.

A castle was first mentioned in a document in 1177 and belonged to the von Stromberg family. It was sold to Heinrich III von Wendt in 1419.

The noble family of Wendt goes back to Knight Heinrich I von Wendt, a castellan of the Bishop of Münster at Stromberg Castle. He became engaged in December 1330 to Agnes, daughter of Burgrave Heinrich IV von Stromberg. The family later branched into the Crassenstein, Holtfeld, and Steinheim lines. Franz III von Wendt zu Crassenstein, married to Anna von Ketteler zu Neu-Assen und Schulenburg, was probably the builder of the current castle.

In 1710, the Crassenstein line died out. The inheritance went to Franz Egon II von Wendt zu Holtfeld, who also left no children. Franz Arnold became the heir of all three lines. His son Friedrich Wilhelm Freiherr von Wendt zu Holtfeld, Lord of Hardenberg, Horst, Crassenstein, Heege, Bökenförde, Altendorff etc., moved the family's main residence to Crassenstein in 1808 and had Crassenstein Castle rebuilt from 1840 to 1845. Later, the castle fell to the von Marchant and Ansembourg family.

In 1951, the educator Bernhard Hürfeld established a secondary school boarding house in the castle. Today, it houses an event and research center. It is privately owned.

In 2013, the castle was offered for sale.