Villeret Tower

The Villeret Tower, locally known as Donjon de Villeret, lies on a hill near the village of Saint-Martin, in the province of Namur in the Wallonia region in Belgium.

The Villeret Tower was built in the first half of the 13th century by Ybert de Villeret, a vassal of the Count of Namur. It was constructed on the southern slope of the valley of the Ligne stream and mainly served as a watchtower, as it was located on the border of the County of Namur and the Duchy of Brabant. It defended Namur along with the nearby castles of Falnuée and Mielmont.

The tower was made of sandstone and limestone, and it had three levels connected by wall staircases, protected by a dry moat.

During the War of the Cow (1274-1277), subjects of the Prince-Bishop of Liège were imprisoned here. The tower lost its military function when Philippe the Good became the Count of Namur.

Between 1449 and 1494, the complex was expanded to include several outbuildings, including a farm with barns and stables and a baker's oven. It was enclosed by walls and known as 'Haute Tour,' which translates to 'High Tower'.

From 1524 to 1857, the complex served as the residence for an administrator called a 'censier' in French. I couldn't find a translation for this word, so if anyone knows what it means, please email me!

At the start of the 20th century, the tower and its outbuildings were in very poor condition. The tower was used as a cattle shed. By the end of the 20th century, an individual purchased the castle. The tower underwent a restoration campaign to make it livable again. There are also plans to construct new structures beside the castle.

When I visited, it appeared that the renovation only reinforced the tower itself. No new structures had been built. The outbuildings remain in ruins and are heavily overgrown. There was only a large hole next to the tower, perhaps intended for a swimming pool. Hopefully, no new structures are ever built, as I believe they would ruin the peaceful atmosphere. The Villeret Tower itself cannot be visited because its entrances are walled up, but the surrounding land is open to the public.

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