The origin of Château de Duras was the church of Saint-Ayrard (now demolished), which was located 1200m from the castle. The church was given in 977 to the Abbey of La Réole by Gombaud, Bishop of Vasconie and Guillaume, Duke of Gascony. In 1087, Bertrand de Taillecavat gave a quarter of the church of Saint-Ayrard to the abbey of La Réole. In 1127 the priory of Saint-Ayrard's villa is destroyed by the Viscount of Besamont. A house and a chapel was then built on the current site of the castle. A charter of 1233 attributed to the prior of La Réole the rights to the city of Duras, as he owned the priory of Saint-Ayrard. The charter is signed by Geraud de Malemort, Archbishop of Bordeaux, Raymond, Bishop of Agen and Guillaume de Bouville, Lord of Duras.
The first castle of Duras dates from the 12th century and was built on a rocky outcrop overlooking the Dropt valley. The castle belonged to the family of Bouville. The castle was captured in 1254, from the Viscounts of Benauges and Bezaume by King Henry III of England after a revolt of the Gascon lords. He passed the castle to his son, the future Edward I.
In the early 14th century, Gaillard de Goth, brother of the first French pope Clement the 5th, inherited of Duras castle. Papal money must have been useful for the construction of a new fortress to replace the former medieval castle. Then, the lands of Duras became property of Arnaud de Durfort when he contracts a marriage with Marquèse de Goth, the Durfort became then Durfort-Duras and the castle remained property of the same family until 1838.
Today Château de Duras is open to the public. The visitor can browse History and Architecture through the 30 restored rooms
Kakesbeck is one of the largest medieval fortifications in Münsterland and the oldest castle in Lüdinghausen. The imposingly grown complex originated in 1120 as a motte, a small hilltop tower castle. After numerous changes of ownership, the castle was extended onto two islands, but it was not until the 14th century that it underwent significant alterations and extensions under the von Oer family. The estate experienced its heyday in the middle of the 18th century, when it covered an area of almost one square kilometre and consisted of five further outer castles in addition to the core castle, which were secured by ramparts and moats.
The well-maintained condition of the castle today is thanks to the late Wilfried Grewing, the former lord of the castle. The foundation named after him has been particularly committed to preserving the property since 2020.