Since the 17th century the Beaucarne family was a prominent bourgeois family who established itself in Ename, in the shade of the then imposing Saint-Salvator abbey. This inspired them to purchase their family home in 1748 on the village square and the street later named after them.

Huis Beaucarne always remained in hands of the same family whose members held important functions within Belgian history.

During the French domination, a member of the Beaucarne family functioned as deputy prefect for Napoleon. The Beaucarne’s also participated in the unification of Belgium in 1831. The family produced several mayors whom were not only close to the local community but also left their mark on Ename and its surroundings. In the 18th and 19th centuries the Beaucarne family was known for its intellectual and litterary exploits and their family ties with other renowned literary families such as the Buysse’s, MacLeod’s, Loveling’s, Fredericq’s,… .

Mid-20th century mayor Louis Beaucarne died without direct descendants and so the domain passed on to his nephew Louis Fredericq, Private Secretary to Leopold III, in 1945. His descendants currently still occupy the family estate. In 1955 Huis Beaucarne was inherited by Louis Fredericq’s son, Jacques Frederic, and his spouse Marie-Claire Lilar, daughter of writer Suzanne Lilar and Secretary of State Albert Lilar and also the sister of writer Françoise Mallet-Joris.

Since 2015 Julien Fornari, Jacques Fredericq’ and Marie-Claire Lilar’s grandson, and his fiancé Lena Vastesaeger, moved into the family estate and took on the challenge that is Huis Beaucarne.

As such, Huis Beaucarne has been inhabited by the same family, for more than 250 years.