19. Sjloens Meule: the water mill
The
water mill is accessible from the garden via the lock-bridge.
The mechanism of
this watermill is driven by an under water turbine. Until the 1920’s
there was a vertical water-wheel. The heart of the mill with its rotating
axles and cog wheels is on the ground-floor. You can visit the miller's
house, the domicile of the miller and his family. Millstone-loft and the
loft below the cap may be visited as well. In the upper loft there is
a small exhibition of geological and biological items 
Sjloens
Meule, the watermill of Schaloen castle
The watermill
of Schaloen - ‘Sjloens Meule’ in
dialect - was built between 1661 and 1665. The dates
on the front of this building indicate that a thorough
restoration took place between 1699 and`1701. The text
on the front and the heavily barred windows bear witness
of the turbulent days of the so-called bokkenrijders-bands.
In former days this mill was a ban-mill. That means
that the peasants in the neighbourhood were obliged
(‘banned’) to have the produce of their
fields ground in this mill, on penalty of high fines and seizure of their harvest.
|
