Molen van 't Veld, Geel

Molen van 't Veld is a wooden post mill (standerdmolen) with a semi-open base standing today just west of the Ten Aard district in Geel, in Belgium's Antwerp province. Its current setting might suggest a mill that has always belonged to this spot, but its actual story is one of repeated relocation stretching back to the late 18th century.

Where did this mill originally come from?

The mill was built in 1796, not in Geel but in Heist-op-den-Berg, a town further north. It originally stood in the hamlet of Achterheide, on the south side of Hollandstraat at the corner with Lammeneelstraat, near a former inn called "In 's Gravenhage." This placement was typical for working mills of the era, positioned close to farms and roads to serve the surrounding agricultural community for decades.

Why did the mill keep moving?

In 1823 the structure was relocated for the first time, to Elsum, a hamlet belonging to Geel, where it was rebuilt along the road connecting OLV Olen to Geel, just outside the village proper. Moving wooden windmills of this kind was a fairly common practice in the region — the post mill's construction allowed it to be dismantled and reassembled elsewhere if wind conditions at a given site stopped being favorable. That is exactly what happened at Elsum: at some point the location no longer provided enough wind for the mill to operate effectively, which eventually led to yet another move.

The last miller and post-war history

Before the mill made its way to Geel's current location, it had one final miller-owner, Karel van de Weyer, who restored it in 1964. Thanks to his efforts, the mill kept operating regularly until 1987 — more than two decades after that restoration, a notably long working life for a wooden structure of this kind.

Moving to Geel and its present-day role

Following another restoration, the mill was transported to Geel in 1992, then dismantled and rebuilt in 1993 at its current site west of Ten Aard, where it still stands today.

Molen van 't Veld served as a grain mill (graanmolen) for most of its working history. Today it also fulfills an educational role: an interior space has been set up displaying tools and milling machinery components, giving visitors insight into the traditional craft of milling.

Frequently asked questions

Can visitors tour the mill? Yes — from April through September the mill is open to visitors on Sunday afternoons, and admission is free.

What type of windmill is it? It's a standerdmolen (post mill) with a semi-open base, one of the classic older windmill designs found across Belgium and the Netherlands.

Is this the mill's original location? No. The mill was built in 1796 in Heist-op-den-Berg, moved to Elsum in 1823, and only reached its current site in Geel-Ten Aard between 1992 and 1993.

What was the mill used for? It functioned as a grain mill, used to grind grain until 1987, when regular operation came to an end.