Molen van Kerrebroeck

Molen van Kerrebroeck is a stellingmolen-type windmill located in Jabbeke, in the Belgian province of West Flanders, at coordinates 51.181483, 3.087758.

What does Molen van Kerrebroeck look like?

The mill has a tall, narrow tower body, typical of the stellingmolen design — a windmill raised on a brick base mound (molenwal) and surrounded by an external gallery (stelling) that gives the miller access to the sails and their controls. The walls are built of yellow brick, with plain rectangular window and door openings and no decorative detailing. This restrained, functional facade — where form follows the mechanical needs of the mill — is characteristic of Flemish industrial windmills of this type.

How many floors does the mill have?

Inside, the mill is divided into a ground floor and five attic levels (zolders). This vertical layout matches the standard arrangement found in stellingmolens: the successive levels house the gearing mechanism, the working machinery, and storage space, while the overall height allows the sails to turn clear of surrounding buildings and trees — a practical requirement in the flat landscape of West Flanders.

Where exactly is the mill located?

Molen van Kerrebroeck stands in the municipality of Jabbeke, in western Belgium, a region historically home to a dense network of windmills used for agricultural processing. Its position on a raised earthen mound is typical for mills of this kind, since elevating the structure above ground level improved the sails' exposure to wind.

What does "stellingmolen" mean?

The term stellingmolen refers directly to the gallery (stelling) that wraps around the upper section of the mill tower. This feature let the miller reach the sail-control mechanism without climbing through every level of the tower's interior, making operation both faster and safer. The tall, slender profile of Molen van Kerrebroeck, set on its brick base, is a direct consequence of this design: the higher the gallery and sails sit, the less likely nearby terrain or buildings are to block the wind.

Why does the building material matter?

The yellow brick used to build the mill is a material common in West Flemish regional construction, chosen for its durability against the damp, windy climate of Belgium's coastal region. Combined with the plain rectangular wall openings, it gives the mill a stripped-down, utilitarian character in which form serves function alone — structural strength and protection of the internal machinery from the elements.

Molen van Kerrebroeck therefore stands as a clear example of a classic Flemish stellingmolen: a tall brick tower on a mound, with an external working gallery and a multi-level interior fully adapted to harnessing wind in the open, flat countryside around Jabbeke.

Frequently asked questions

Is Molen van Kerrebroeck a historic technical landmark? Its design corresponds to the historic stellingmolen type, characteristic of Flemish windmilling tradition.

What is the mill built from? Yellow brick, with plain rectangular window and door openings.

How many levels does the building have? A ground floor plus five attic levels.

Where is the mill located? In the municipality of Jabbeke, in the province of West Flanders, Belgium, at coordinates 51.181483, 3.087758.