On the western slope of the Anstel Valley near Kerkrade stands the impressive farmstead Nieuw Ehrenstein. The square shape of the country house and its surrounding farm can be seen from all sides. Thanks to many years of extensive restoration by the ‘Stichting het Limburgs Landschap’ foundation, the complex has been saved. During restoration of the villa, considerable attention was paid to ensuring the authentic character of the country house was retained.
History
Contrary to what the distinctive villa would suggest at first glance, Nieuw Ehrenstein was originally a farmhouse. It was built in 1753 as a tenant farm of Erenstein Castle. The anchor plates showing the building date can still be seen on the southern façade of the shed. Hendrik Poyck, owner of the surrounding lands, gave the commission for the farm to be built in the 18th century. He named the farm after the nearby castle. In 1808, the widow Corneli purchased the complex. Her son carried out major renovations because he wanted to live there after his wedding in 1839. He demolished the original dwelling on the farm and replaced it with the impressive country manor. The villa was built in a style that was popular in South Limburg in the first half of the nineteenth century. This family remained the owners of Nieuw Ehrenstein until 1921, when the Waelen family bought the property, including 65 hectares of land for their farming business. The villa was converted into residential houses for two farming families. The third family converted part of the stable to live in. A considerable amount of damage was caused by subsidence of the mines. After the farm was sold in 1967, part of it remained in use but it started to fall into disrepair. From 2004 onwards, the buildings were empty and became completely dilapidated. This remained so until the Limburgs Landschap Foundation purchased the complex in 2015 and started on its extensive restoration.
Indoors
It’s a common problem – you want to hang new wallpaper, start peeling off loose pieces and discover an even older pattern underneath. At the Nieuw Ehrenstein Villa there were several layers of wallpaper. In some places, unusual designs were found such as wallpaper displaying a tile pattern from the beginning of the nineteenth century. These were the remains of the wallpaper that was probably applied immediately after the villa was built. In one of the bedrooms, eight layers of wallpaper were discovered on top of one another, including an attractive floral pattern that probably dates back to around 1900. The spacious staircase turned out to be concealing a real gem underneath its layers of modern wall paint. After the extra layers were removed, it emerged that the halls had been completely painted with various patterns such as marble imitation, wood imitation, and line patterns. This centuries-old treasure has been brought to the forefront once again. Together, these patterns represent the history of the villa’s interior architecture. All of these historical layers provided starting points for the villa’s restoration.
A noble retreat
Nieuw Ehrenstein has regained the allure the villa once had. The villa is just as flawless on the interior as it is outside. The salon and dining room have been restored to the grandeur of the past. They are just as richly furnished as they once were. Custom-made wallpapers decorate the walls and matching colours on the woodwork accentuate the stylistic periods. Also fully restored are the plastered ceilings and antique wooden floors. Every bedroom has been refurbished in a unique style to illustrate the building’s extraordinary interior design history. Unique – often antique – wallpapers, as well as vintage, add their own mood. It is a voyage of discovery through the various furnishing styles. The Nieuw Ehrenstein holiday home may make you feel like you’re in a museum but its modern technical facilities and seating furniture will ensure your stay is a comfortable one.
The Nieuw Ehrenstein holiday home is suitable for groups of up to 22 people. On the ground floor, there is a spacious hallway, kitchen, dishwashing kitchen, dining room, large living room, TV room, separate toilet, and two bedrooms, each with an en-suite bathroom. On the first floor, there are eight bedrooms – a quad bedroom and seven double bedrooms – each with their own bathroom with shower, washbasin, and toilet.
In the inner courtyard of the quadrangular farmstead is the private patio where you and your group can sit together and enjoy meals outdoors.
In addition, you can combine your stay at the Nieuw Ehrenstein holiday home with breakfast, lunch, or dinner or complete catering from Brasserie Nieuw Ehrenstein. The brasserie is located in the side wing of the farm.
Limburg Landscape Foundation
If you are a donor to the Limburg Landscape Foundation (Stichting het Limburgs Landschap), please mention this when booking. You will then get a 5% discount on the basic rent. This offer is not valid in combination with other discounts. Thanks to its rental income, the Limburg Landscape Foundation is able to maintain listed holiday homes and support the goals of Limburg Landscape.
