About mills and millers

Mills are a central theme in the history of the Van Schelven family.

That fact is mirrored on this website. You can read intriguing stories, official papers and dreadful accidents in our family tree (Stamboom). Almost all the mills once manned by Van Schelvens are visualised on the buildings page (Gebouwen). One story was so special that it got attention in the Tales pages ( Verhalen). Miller is the profession most frequently found amongst the Van Schelven family, see Professions.

The millers found so far in our family are:

The above table translated in time versus mills

The locations of the mills projected on the map of The Netherlands:

Frequently asked questions about mills

The historical instrument which contributed a lot to Holland's fame still appeals to many people. There are many types, they can be seen all over the country, and a mill is an ingenious construction.

Here you can find a concise answer to frequently asked questions about mills.

1) What types of mills are there?
2) How many mills are there in The Netherlands?
3) What makes The Netherlands the country of mills?
4) How does a windmill work?
5) The oldest, highest, biggest and most beautiful mill
6) The language of mills
7) How to become a miller
8) Why do mills turn anti-clockwise?
9) Can one live in a mill?
10) Are mills monuments (Dutch heritage)?
11) How to keep mills in condition and working
12) How do I know if a mill is open for visitors?

1) What types of mills are there?

In the first place, there are windmills, operated by wind. Then there are watermills, with a waterwheel which is driven by the water in a stream.
These twos type can be further categorized according to their function, the work that they do. Corn or flour mills are the biggest group. They are both wind and watermills used for grinding grains. Another important group is formed by the polder mills, used for drainage and water control. And then there are sawmills or timber mills, oil mills, peeling-mills and paper mills.
Mills can also be classified according to their forms.

2) How many mills are there in the Netherlands?

To be exact: there are 1035 windmills and 106 watermills. Zuid-Holland is the province with most windmills (220), Utrecht the smallest (32). Most watermills are of course to be found in our only hilly province, Limburg (58).
Some 100 years ago there were 10,000 fully working mills. They ground corn, sawed timber, produced oil from seeds and made paper. Polder mills were used for draining and keeping water levels under control in our low-lying country. Many thousands of mills have not survived and the number of existing mills is the minimum to be able to call this a millers' country.
Statistics are from Het Nederlands Molenbestand, March 1997.

3) What makes Holland the country of mills?

Not because of the number. There are countries in Europe with more mills. In Holland, however, the mill has a strong symbolic meaning, standing for our everlasting struggle against water. Polder mills were built in the north and west of the country from the 15th century onwards, when it became clear that the water level in our polders could no longer be controlled in more natural ways. And later mills were used to drain lakes and thus to reclaim land.
It is especially the symbolic meaning of the mills that still attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors, making the mill, together with tulips and clogs, the "landmark" of our country.

4) How does a windmill work?

The source of energy, the wind, propels the wings. The two sail-arms, with two wings each, are fastened in the upper axle of the mill. This axle is attached to the upper wheel, which turns with the axle and transfers its movement to the 'koningspil'. In a corn mill, this long vertical beam propels the millstones. In a polder mill the wheel pumps up the water.
The miller can "set" his mill: by applying sails, partly or completely, he can influence the speed of the wings. The best catch of wind is gained by putting the mill 'in the wind', This is mostly done from the outside by means of a wheel. The miller can also put on the brakes by drawing on the blocks round the upper wheel. This is done from the ground or from the walking part (stelling, as seen in the picture) by means of a rope. This is called "braking the mill".

5) The oldest, highest, biggest and most beautiful mill

The oldest: the two oldest mills are in Gelderland: the Buitenmolen in Zevenaar en de tower mill in Zeddam. Both mills date from 1450 or earlier. Both are so-called tower mills with a stone cylindrical body and a cap which can turn.
This type of mill was possibly developed in Holland under the influence of Crusaders who saw these mills in Mediterranean countries. There were never many of them, and now there are only four left.

The highest: De Noord in Schiedam is the highest mill in the world. It reaches 44,8 meters and is closely followed by De Vrijheid in Schiedam. Three more Schiedam mills are also very high; with 43,5, 43,4 and 42,5 meters De Palmboom, De Walvisch and De Drie Koornbloemen rank 5th to 7th on the list. De Noord's first place is threatened by the possible rebuilding of the Princenhage in Breda. Reaching 47 meters that mill will then be the highest in the world.

The biggest: to establish this you have to measure the width of the 'flight', from the end of one wing to the end of the other wing on the sail-arm. The mill with the biggest flight is Molen nr. 2 of the Overwaard in Kinderdijk, part of the most famous site in Holland: 29,56 meters.

The most beautiful: this will always be a matter of personal taste. Each miller will think his own mill is the loveliest in the land. Just determine for yourself which type you prefer: The polder mill standing in the wide open spaces, or the big corn mill that can be seen in many towns and villages. Or you might like the big industrial mills in the Zaanstreek. There is a great variety to choose from.

6) The language of mills

From times of old the miller has passed on information by means of the position of the wings of his mill, which could be seen from afar.

Above left: A rest of short duration when the mill is ready to commence work at any moment, as soon as the wind gets up, is shown by one pair of sails in the vertical and the other pair in the horizontal position

Above right: The sails set at an angle of 45 degrees to the vertical indicates that the mill will be unused for a considerable time.

Below left: 'celebration' position, with the upper sail just before the vertical

Below right: 'mourning' position, with the upper sail past the vertical

(The sails turn counterclockwise)

7) How to become a miller

By following a course in your spare time. The Gilde van Vrijwillige Molenaars (Guild of Voluntary Millers) gives series of lessons which last a year at least.
This education aims especially at responsibility in working a mill. A mill has a great value as a monument, and the cost of rebuilding is high. Apprentices must therefore gain experience on various mills and in different weather conditions. A good theoretical knowledge is necessary as well.
You can take an exam after about two years.

8) Why do sails turn counterclockwise?

We are not sure about that. It has probably something to do with the origin of the mill. When people started grinding corn they did so by moving one millstone over the other by hand. As most people are right-handed, the uppers stone would usually be moved to the left.
Windmills find their origin in hand mills. If the uppers stone turns left, so must the wings.
But there are other explanations: it is just a matter of interpretation. The wings turn counterclockwise when you are standing in front of the mill, but inside it is the other way round. In other countries there are mill that turn clockwise.

9) Can one live in a mill?

Only polder mills are suitable to live in. Not all of them, because some are not very spacious according to our present standards. Some 150 mills are inhabited, mostly by the miller, enabling them to keep the mill in working condition. A mill that turns regularly and is kept in good condition costs less than a non-working mill just being used as a house. And apart from that: mills are monuments and people living in them are not allowed to change the interior.

10) Are mills monuments (monumentenzorg, Dutch heritage)?

Yes, more than 90 percent of mills are recognized as monuments and protected by the government. They subsidize mills, but the owners are responsible.
Some 40 percent of mills are owned by the state or by municipal authorities. The other 600 mills are privately owned or taken care of by more than 200 foundations and associations.
They have a lot of work to do: many mills need urgent restoration, and maintenance costs a lot of money. Mills are vulnerable, being constantly exposed to all sorts of weather, so the associations need all the support they can get.

11) How to keep mills in working condition

This is a matter of money, but also of people: people are needed who have a love of mills, who are willing to work voluntarily and keep mills in shape.
Wings need space and wind to go round, watermills need the running water of a stream. In our small country we have more and more trouble finding this. Trees and buildings often obstruct the wind and sometimes streams fall dry. There is a clash of interests there, and too often the mill loses.
You can support the maintenance of Dutch mills by joining De Hollandsche Molen (see www.molens.nl).

12) How do I know if a mill is open for visitors?

As many mills are operated on a voluntary basis, they are not always open for visitors. Mills that are open fly a blue flag.

Do you want to find out more about windmills? Look at  Molentechniek (Mill technology)

The famous windmills in Kinderdijk in the province of South Holland.
Kinderdijk on the English language page of Wikipedia.