Haus Reck, Moated manor house in Lerche, Hamm, Germany

Haus Reck is a former noble residence in the Lerche district of Hamm, just east of the A1 motorway near the Bergkamen boundary. Its core dates to the 15th century; the plastered green sandstone Bauhaus, defensive wall and tower were built in the mid-16th century. The Bauhaus is a three-aisled Low German hall house used to manage the estate's lands, with a brick barn from 1715 and a half-timbered sheepfold from 1775.

Originally called Haus zur Heyde, the estate came under the Recke family in the 14th century and became one of ten burgmann estates in the region. These fortified residences were essential for defending the area during the medieval period.

The estate shows how noble families in Westphalia combined living space with farming and administration in a single complex. The buildings reflect a way of life that required both protection and self-sufficiency.

The defensive tower now serves as a civil registry office where couples can arrange weddings, including special evening ceremonies. Visitors should check in advance whether visits are permitted on specific days, as parts of the grounds remain in private use.

The name Haus Reck only came into use in the mid-16th century; before that the estate was called Haus zur Heyde or Haus zur Heide after its location in the Pelkumer Heide. It is the ancestral seat of one branch of the von der Recke family, and in 1465 it was mentioned in connection with its rebuilding as a solid castle.