Most histories of old territories include two prominent structures: a castle for the Lord of the Manor, and a church for his constituents. That was also true for Borculo.
One meaning of the name Borculo is “Castle in the Forest.” In the twelfth century a castle called “the Hof van Borculo” was built. It was a large castle with five turrets. This castle would stand for 400 years and served as a home for the Lords of Borculo and their families. In the year 1348 a defensive wall was built around the city limits.
The church in Borculo dates back to the year 1337. Lord Henric of Borculo built a chapel where the present church now stands. This chapel was most likely Roman Catholic, as that was the faith of the country of the Netherlands since the fifth century. This church did not become Protestant until after the Reformation. The Reformed Church of the Netherlands was founded in 1571. This was over 200 years after the first chapel was built. The present church building dates back to 1509 and is built on the same site as the first chapel.
The town of Borculo is probably best known for the tornado that destroyed much of the town on August 10, 1925. Even the church was damaged.
Bob Essenburg