Wullepitmolen, Zarren

Wullepitmolen is a wooden post mill standing in Zarren, a village that belongs to the municipality of Kortemark in the West Flanders province of Belgium. It is the oldest mill in Zarren — the earliest records of taxes paid for operating a grain windmill on this site date back to before 1639.

Who built and ran the mill?

The earliest known operators were Joos and Jan Bruynooghe, who paid taxes on running the mill. They managed it together with their uncle Adriaen until his death in 1658. Ownership then passed through several hands over the following generations, but it was an event at the start of the 19th century that eventually gave the mill the name it still carries today.

Where does the name Wullepitmolen come from?

In 1805 the mill was taken over by Pieter Jozef Wullepit. From that point on, the mill remained in the Wullepit family without interruption until 1971 — and it is this family name that lives on in the mill's current designation. More than a century and a half of continuous family ownership cemented the name into the identity of the site.

What happened to the mill during the First World War?

The mill's fortunes turned turbulent during the First World War. Under German occupation, the Wullepit family managed to keep production going, albeit under the supervision of German soldiers. The situation deteriorated sharply in 1917, when the family was evacuated from the area. When residents were able to return in 1918, after the fighting ended, they found their mill completely destroyed.

How was the mill rebuilt after the war?

Despite the destruction, the Wullepit family did not give up. In 1923 they purchased another mill, previously standing in Zerkegem, and that same year moved it to Zarren, erecting it on the site of its ruined predecessor. This allowed milling to continue at the location, even though the structure was no longer the original one that had stood there before the war.

When did the mill stop operating, and why did it fall into disrepair?

Production at the windmill finally came to a halt in 1949. The decision was driven by growing competition from industrial mills and the cost of necessary repairs, which outweighed the value of continuing operations. Over the following decades the structure deteriorated, left without a function and without regular upkeep.

How was the Wullepitmolen saved from ruin?

The turnaround in the mill's fate is owed to local enthusiasts. In the spring of 1991, a group of milling advocates founded the association Wullepitmolen vzw, with the explicit goal of rescuing the landmark from further decay. Restoration work began several years later — in April 1996 the mill was dismantled as the first phase of the renovation, and on 1 September 1998 the definitive restoration phase got under way.

Where exactly is the mill located?

The Wullepitmolen stands in Zarren, within the municipality of Kortemark, at geographic coordinates 51.011556, 2.960961. Today it serves as a local landmark and a testament to the region's traditional milling craft in West Flanders.

Frequently asked questions

How old is the Wullepitmolen? A mill has stood on this site since before 1639, though the current structure is the one moved here from Zerkegem in 1923, after the original was destroyed during the First World War.

Why is it called Wullepitmolen? The name comes from the Wullepit family, who took over the mill in 1805 and ran it continuously until 1971.

Is the mill still operating? Production ceased in 1949. The mill has since undergone restoration led by the Wullepitmolen vzw association, founded in 1991, with key work phases carried out in 1996 and 1998.