Muri Abbey
The earliest evidence of human settlement are scattered Roman era items. The modern municipality of Beinwil is first mentioned in 1153 as "Beinwilare". Until 1950 it was known as "Beinwil bei Muri". Originally, much of the property in the village was owned by Muri Abbey. In 1239 Hartmann Visilere granted all his possessions and rights in Beinwil to the Cistercian Kappel Abbey in Kappel am Albis. This property went to the city of Zurich in 1415. In 1527, Zurich also acquired the rights to the low courts in the municipality. In 1586 these rights went to the family of Holder Meyer in Lucerne, who sold them in 1614 to Muri Abbey. The Vogtei of Wiggwil was held by a Habsburg vassal, the Ministerialis (unfree knights) family of Gessler, until 1412.