In 1763, the ’t Couthof Castle was built in Proven. The property served as a summer residence for Jean François de Sales Mazeman and his family. At that time, he was a council pensionary and clerk of the city of Poperinge.
Later, the castle was renovated and expanded in a neoclassical style by order of Baron Jules Joseph Mazeman de Couthove. Inspired by the English, he added a castle park to the estate. Besides creating a pond, an iron bridge, a boathouse, and a beautiful green lawn, the baron had some charming ideas in mind. He wanted something unique in the castle garden — and he got it.
The baron had a maze constructed in the landscaped park. The labyrinth garden consisted of living hedges and a forest of deciduous and pine trees. It became a place where the noble ladies and gentlemen of ’t Couthof could amuse themselves. To avoid getting completely lost in the maze’s paths, an orientation point was needed. For this purpose, a neo-Gothic brick arcade was built, called ‘De Galge’. This orientation point was known as a symbol of the lord’s judicial authority.
Due to a lack of heirs in the Mazeman de Couthove family, the castle came into the possession of the d’Udekem d’Acoz family in 1945. Patrick d’Udekem d’Acoz, father of Queen Mathilde, grew up in the house. Later, his eldest brother and former mayor of Poperinge, Henri d’Udekem d’Acoz, lived in the castle. Today, the Couthof is owned by his nephew, Bernard d’Udekem d’Acoz.
In 2002, both the castle and its landscaped park were classified as protected monuments.