Herentmolen

Herentmolen is a stone tower windmill standing in the Marialoop district of Meulebeke, in Belgium's West Flanders province. It holds a distinction unique in the whole of Flanders: it is the only surviving mill in the region to keep its "flying gallery" — an external walkway circling the tower that let the miller operate the sails directly from outside.

Where does the name come from?

The story of the site goes back to 1575, when a man named François vander Muelene applied for a charter to establish a grain mill here. The mill was first recorded under the name Hernemuelene, which over the centuries evolved into today's Herentmolen. Along the way it also carried several other names — Heerenmeulen, Loncke's molen, Aardemolen, and Allaerts' molen — each tied to a different owner or a different period in its long working life.

Who ran the mill?

The longest single period of ownership belonged to the Loncke family, who held the mill from roughly 1746 until 1923 — the source of its historical name Loncke's molen. It was during this long stewardship that the mill had a narrow escape: in 1886 lightning struck the residential building right next to it, while the tower itself was spared.

What did the mill go through in the 20th century?

The 20th century was hard on Herentmolen. It suffered damage during the First World War, which forced a rebuild between 1920 and 1922. Only a short time later, between 1922 and 1923, it sustained further war damage and had to be reconstructed again, this time re-established as a tower mill on its current site. A third major rebuild followed in 1956, and — as in the earlier reconstructions — builders reused materials salvaged from other mills being dismantled elsewhere in the region. That kind of material reuse was a common practice in Belgium's post-war mill reconstructions, and it is largely why a structure repeatedly damaged by war still stands today.

What protection status does it have now?

Herentmolen has been listed as a protected monument since 1946, reflecting its place among the last working examples of traditional wind-powered milling in the Meulebeke area. The most recent full restoration took place in 2005, preserving both the tower structure and its distinctive flying gallery in a condition suitable for public presentation.

Frequently asked questions

Can Herentmolen still grind grain? The mill has kept its historical grain-milling tower structure, and the 2005 restoration left its mechanism in a condition that can still be demonstrated as part of its heritage function.

What is a "flying gallery" and why does it matter here? It is an external walkway running around the mill tower, from which the miller could operate the sails directly. Herentmolen is the only mill in Flanders that has preserved this feature to the present day.

Where exactly is the mill located? Herentmolen stands in the Marialoop district of the municipality of Meulebeke, in West Flanders, at coordinates 50.9535, 3.34214.

Why did the mill carry so many different names? Its name changed along with its owners and tenants over the centuries — from Hernemuelene and Heerenmeulen, to Loncke's molen (after the family that owned it longest), to Aardemolen and Allaerts' molen. Each name marks a different chapter of its history.