Gottfried von Raesfeld

Gottfried von Raesfeld (1522-1588)

Gottfried von Raesfeld made a name for himself in Lüdinghausen with generous donations to the church and school, founded the Raesfeld Poorhouse Foundation, which still exists today, and renovated parts of Lüdinghausen Castle in the Renaissance style.

Gottfried Raesfeld was probably born at Hamern Castle (Billerbeck) in 1522. After school and university, he quickly made a career for himself and became canon of the monastery of St. Mauritz (then near) Münster and canon in Paderborn and Münster.

In Münster, he rose to dean, i.e. he became the first man in the cathedral chapter. From 1568 to 1586, Raesfeld administered the so-called Amt Lüdinghausen, which was in the possession of the Münster cathedral chapter until secularization.