Kruisstraatmolen

Kruisstraatmolen is a wooden post mill standing in the village of Werken, part of the municipality of Kortemark in West Flanders. This three-storey grain mill, built on a closed base, belongs today to an unusually small surviving group of such structures — of more than 2,600 historically documented post mills across Flanders, only 87 remain, and Kruisstraatmolen is one of just a handful of preserved three-storey examples in West and East Flanders combined.

Where did this mill actually come from?

The story behind the current structure is more layered than it first appears. The mill standing at Kruisstraat today is not the same building originally erected on this spot — that earlier mill was destroyed during the First World War. What visitors see now is a relocated mill formerly known as the Sneppemolen, which originally stood in Torhout before being moved to Werken in the 1920s. Thanks to this relocation, Kruisstraatmolen retained the historical form of a wooden post mill, even though its history spans more than one location.

Why does this mill matter for the history of technology?

Grain mills played a central economic role for centuries, from the late 12th century right through the interwar period, serving as one of the main sources of mechanical energy for milling grain. Kruisstraatmolen fits into that long tradition, but it also stands out as a site of genuine technical innovation: in 1933 it became the first windmill in all of Flanders fitted with a Van Bussel wing improvement system. It later received Fauël auxiliary sails, and in 1992 a Flemish flight system was installed, with metal blades spanning 25.20 meters. This sequence of upgrades shows how persistently millers worked to keep traditional windmill technology functional by adapting it to newer engineering solutions.

Does the mill still grind grain today?

No — milling operations at Kruisstraatmolen ceased in 1975. The structure had already received legal heritage protection back in 1944, and between 1955 and 1956 it underwent a major restoration that helped preserve the building for decades afterward. Its protection status has shifted over time: between September 2023 and March 2024 the mill held a preliminary protected-monument designation, though that specific legal status is no longer current.

What can visitors see on site?

Visitors can admire the distinctive silhouette of a wooden post mill — a construction in which the entire body of the mill rotates around a central post so its sails can be turned into the wind. The three-storey design makes Kruisstraatmolen a rare sight even among the other surviving mills of this type in the region. For anyone interested in the history of technology or rural architecture, it offers a tangible link to an era when wind was the primary energy source for agriculture.

Frequently asked questions

Is Kruisstraatmolen the original mill built on this site? Not entirely — the current structure is the former Sneppemolen from Torhout, moved to Werken in the 1920s after the earlier mill on this site was destroyed during the First World War.

What type of mill is it? It is a wooden post mill with a closed base, built as a three-storey grain mill — a rare surviving construction type.

When did the mill stop operating? Milling activity ended in 1975, despite a major restoration carried out earlier, in 1955–1956.

What makes this mill technically significant? In 1933 it became the first windmill in Flanders equipped with a Van Bussel wing improvement system, followed by later upgrades including a Flemish flight system installed in 1992.