Couchezmolen

Couchezmolen is a stone windmill standing in Zarren, a village that belongs to the Belgian municipality of Kortemark in West Flanders. It is also known locally as the White Mill because of its whitewashed body, and with a length of roughly 25 metres it ranks among the largest stone mills in the whole of Belgium — an unusual scale for anyone used to the smaller wooden post mills common across the region.

Where does the name come from and who built it?

The story of the mill goes back to the second half of the 19th century. Construction of the current building started in 1869 and was finished the following year, in 1870. The person behind the project was Barbara Vandamme, widow of Jan Couchez, from whom the mill takes its name. After her husband's death she decided, together with her children, to build a stone grain and oil mill, carrying forward the plan Jan Couchez himself had wanted during his lifetime — a mill for grinding grain and pressing oil.

How did the mill survive the First World War?

One of the most remarkable chapters in the Couchezmolen's history dates to the First World War. During the liberation in 1918 the mill came through practically undamaged, which was highly unusual: thirteen other mills in the surrounding area were destroyed at that time. During the German occupation, the steam installation that powered the oil press was even used to generate electricity for the whole village of Zarren. From 1916 onwards, Russian prisoners of war kept that steam machinery running, which shows how deeply the mill became woven into local life during a difficult period of the war.

What happened to the mill after the war?

After the war ended, the Couchezmolen returned to its original purpose and continued operating purely as a grain mill until 1949. In the following decades the building gradually fell into disrepair. The turning point came in 1997, when the deteriorating mill passed into the usufruct of the municipality of Kortemark. In the early 2000s it underwent a thorough restoration, and in 2006 it reopened as a mill museum.

What can visitors see at Couchezmolen today?

Today the Couchezmolen operates as a Molenmuseum — a museum dedicated to milling history, located at Lindestraat 51 in Zarren. Visitors can see the preserved structure of the former grain and oil mill, learn about the techniques used to grind grain and press oil more than a century ago, and find out more about the role the mill played in local history, including its dramatic wartime episode. Thanks to its size and preserved machinery, the building stands as a rare example of 19th-century industrial milling architecture in this part of Flanders.

Where exactly is the mill located?

The Couchezmolen sits in Zarren, a small village administratively part of the municipality of Kortemark in the province of West Flanders. Its geographic coordinates are approximately 51.0039 N, 2.9645 E, placing it within the typically agricultural landscape of this part of Belgium.

Frequently asked questions

Is the Couchezmolen still an active mill? No — since 2006 it has functioned as a museum rather than a working mill.

Why is it called the White Mill? Because of its whitewashed, light-coloured body, which clearly sets it apart from the brick and timber mills found elsewhere in the region.

Can visitors tour the mill? Yes, it is open to the public as a mill museum at Lindestraat 51 in Zarren, within the municipality of Kortemark.