During the Middle Ages, a fortress (German: Burg Wil) was built near the village and it became the seat of the Herrschaft of Schlosswil.

The territory was split in half and passed through several Bernese patrician families until Burkhard von Erlach reunited the two halves in 1514.

Shortly thereafter it was rebuilt as a larger castle under the direction of the master builder Niklaus von Wattenwyl-May.

[4] Following the 1798 French invasion, under the Helvetic Republic the nobility lost much of their power and property and by 1812 the castle was acquired by the Canton of Bern.

[5] The original fortress tower was built in first half of the 12th century for the von Wiler family.