Drievenmeulen

Drievenmeulen is a wooden post mill standing in Steenvoorde, in French Flanders, in the Nord department. Its Flemish name has been tied to this small town for decades, one of several surviving windmills that still shape its skyline.

Where did the Drievenmeulen originally stand?

The mill was not built in Steenvoorde. It was raised in 1774 in the village of Somain, where it operated as an oil mill, pressing linseed and poppy seed into oil. In 1901 its owner had the entire timber structure dismantled and moved to Steenvoorde, where it was reassembled and converted into a grain mill.

How does the milling mechanism work?

The sails span 24.5 metres and turn two large toothed gear wheels. One wheel drives millstones used to grind grain for animal feed, while the other powers machinery that mills wheat into flour for human consumption. The whole timber body pivots on a wooden post roughly 88 centimetres thick at its base, built to absorb the pounding of the crushing gear as it breaks down seeds. The mill weighs around 35 tonnes and rises 14.7 metres.

What has the mill survived over two centuries?

A violent storm damaged the structure in September 1940, yet the mill kept working for decades afterward, producing oil until 1974. Once milling stopped, the building stood idle for years until the municipality of Steenvoorde bought it from the Dereeper family in 1993 and launched a full restoration.

Do the sails still turn today?

Yes. After years of restoration work, rebuilt sails spanning 24.5 metres were fitted back onto the mill on 18 June 1997, and they have been turning ever since, giving visitors a working demonstration of the old gear mechanism.

What else is worth knowing about Steenvoorde?

Steenvoorde sits at the heart of French Flanders, a flat, windswept region historically dotted with windmills. The Drievenmeulen stands close to the town's other surviving mills, so visitors can compare different types of construction in a single visit, from oil mills to classic flour mills. Walking between the windmills has become a popular way to explore the area's agricultural and industrial history.

Frequently asked questions

What is the Drievenmeulen? A wooden post mill in Steenvoorde, originally built as an oil mill and converted into a grain mill after being moved there in 1901.

Where did the mill stand before Steenvoorde? It was built in 1774 in Somain and worked there as an oil mill until it was relocated in 1901.

Is the Drievenmeulen still working? Its sails were restored and refitted in 1997 and still turn today, although commercial oil production ended in the 1970s.

Who owns the mill now? Since 1993 it has belonged to the municipality of Steenvoorde, which bought it from the Dereeper family and carried out its restoration.