The history of castle Weerdesteijn and his inhabitants.
Probably Philips born as a descendant of the influential Proeys family, founded Ridderhof Weerdesteijn around
1300 and from that moment called himself Philips van Weerdesteijn.Around 1351 bisschop Jan van Arkel lived in Weerdesteijn, he got it on loan. Philips had two sons Willem and Adam. Willem's son Philips sold in 1358 ridderhof Weerdesteijn to Johan van de Weteringh. Philips who founded the castle, did probably live not so long. His children and the next generation used the seal of the family van den Zijl probably because the ex partner of Philips married Dirk Willemszoon van den Zijl. The documents show that the bastard sun of Jan van den Zijl with half brother Willem van Weerdesteijn stand bail for Adam van Weerdesteijn for the sale of house Bloemenweerde in Cothen. From this moment on Adam calls himself Adam van Bloemenweerde. After the death of Johan van de Weteringh in 1425, Weerdesteijn was sold to Willem van Boekhout, who's son gave Weerdesteijn later to his niece Aleid van Zuylen. After the death of Aleid van Zuylen her oldest son lived till his death in Weerdesteijn followed by his brother Cornelis van IJsselstein, who in 1516 sold Weerdesteijn to Roelof Grauwert. Till 1676 the Grauwert family lived on Weerdesteijn but by the lack of inherit it came in hands of Justus van Egmond van der Nijenburg. After the death of Justus sun, Weerdesteijn was sold in 1730 to Eduard Joseph Ram van Schalkwijk. His grand-daughter who later owned Weerdesteijn, married Hendrik Jacob van Wijkerslooth. The family Van Wijkerslooth, later known as the Wijkerslooth de Weerdesteijn, is until now the owner of Weerdesteijn.
The picture on the right shows the location of castle Weerdesteijn in city Nederlangbroek (now part of city
Wijkbijduurstede) in the Provence Utrecht the Netherlands.On the left you see the heraldic sign of castle Weerdesteijn in colors sabel (black) and silver, this is most probably not the family herald.
On October 27, 1536 the heraldic sign was reported for the first time on a map containing all heralds of the castles (ridderhoven) and families who owned the castle at that moment (see pictures below), in 1536 the castle belonged to knight Roelof Grauwert.
Most probably the herald of castle Weerdesteijn is designed by Roelof Grauwert when he owned the place, They assume this because the herald of castle Hindersteijn (owned by Berend Grauwert) looks similar as the herald of castle Weerdesteijn.
