Singraven — the walled-up nun

OVERVIEW

Singraven is an estate near Denekamp in the municipality of Dinkelland: the manor (havezate), the Singraven watermill on the Dinkel (1448), a coach house (1868) and tenant farms. Its name means 'great moat'. The watermill, with three waterwheels driving an oil mill, a corn mill and later a sawmill, was loved by painters such as Meindert Hobbema and Jacob van Ruisdael.

HISTORY

Singraven is first mentioned in 1381 and the first house dates from 1415; among its owners were the Beguines of Oldenzaal and the counts of Bentheim. The decayed house was demolished in 1651–1653 and replaced by a new one, with a stair tower added in 1661. It passed by inheritance to the De Thouars family and by sale in 1829 to the Roessingh Udink family. The last private owner, Willem Frederik Jan Laan (1891–1966), left the estate in 1966 to the Stichting Edwina van Heek.

REPORTED ACTIVITY

Since the nuns left, Singraven has been known as a haunted house: according to the folk tale the ghost of a nun walks there and is a harbinger of misfortune. She is said to have been an anchoress, walled up alive, who died there.

VISITING

The estate is near Denekamp; visiting arrangements are not recorded in the source.