Philips van Wassenaar (died in 1225) is considered to have been the founder of Nederhorst Castle. In the 17th century the baron Godard van Reede had the Reevaart dug so that his visitors could disembark in front of the castle when arriving by boat. The castle was thoroughly rennovated in the 18th century, and reminders of this period can still be seen on the south side.
After 1945 the castle fell into a serious state of disrepair and there was even question of it being pulled down. However the building found a saviour at the end of 1959 in the form of a moped manufacturer from Bussum who had heard from his general practitioner that there was a castle for sale in Nederhorst den Berg. This artisan, Jan Lourens Jonker, married to Harmine J.E. Wolters, was looking for space for his hobbies: collecting old bicycles and clocks.
After a disastrous fire in 1971, and with the help of additional funding by state, provincial and local governments, renovation could begin. Restoration was completed in 1973. Today the castle hosts a private company Studio Michel Mulders.
References:Manarola is a small town, a frazione of the comune of Riomaggiore. It is the second-smallest of the famous Cinque Terre towns frequented by tourists, with a population of 353.
Manarola may be the oldest of the towns in the Cinque Terre, with the cornerstone of the church, San Lorenzo, dating from 1338. The local dialect is Manarolese, which is marginally different from the dialects in the nearby area. The name 'Manarola' is probably a dialectical evolution of the Latin, 'magna rota'. In the Manarolese dialect this was changed to 'magna roea' which means 'large wheel', in reference to the mill wheel in the town.
Manarola's primary industries have traditionally been fishing and wine-making. The local wine, called Sciacchetrà, is especially renowned; references from Roman writings mention the high quality of the wine produced in the region.