Around the year 1200, through consolidation of several farming communities, the Füchtelmann farm of the Graf von Vechta (Count of Vechta) emerged. In 1252 it went over to the Bishop of Münster, later it was traded to the Graf (Count) von Oldenburg-Neubruchhausen and in 1331 it was turned over to the Elmendorff family in Elmendorf which is located along the Bad Zwischenahn Lake. This family founded Gut Füchtel and built a castle.
The manor house was destroyed by a fire during the Thirty Year War. Most likely, the former farmhand and servant house was then used as living quarters and continuously expanded by the following generations. That is how all of the different extensions and wings were added.
In 1754 a chapel was constructed at the site of the old manor house by the Canon of Paderborn, Christof von Elmendorff. In 1773, Gut Welpe was added to Füchtel by Caspar Franz von Elmendorff. For nearly 600 years Gut Füchtel was continuously owned by Freiherr (Baron) von Elmendorff's family (17 generations).
The last owner was Cäcilie von Elmendorff, who was married to Freiherr (Baron) von Droste Hülshoff. One of their daughters, Maria, married Lieutenant Colonel Ferdinand Graf (Count) von Merveldt in 1898 in Münster. She inherited Gut Füchtel and in 1908 Graf (Count) von Merveldt and his family settled there.