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Rolde is home to Drenthe’s smallest mill. It’s so small that not everybody can use its l…
Rolde is home to Drenthe’s smallest mill. It’s so small that not everybody can use its last stairs up. The mill doesn’t have a name of its own, but is simply referred to as the mill of Rolde. It’s an extraordinary ground sailer atop a mill mound in the centre by the Brink square. The mill of Rolde runs almost every Saturday and is open to the public when it is in operation. Its millers love telling people about their trade. There is no entrance fee. You can buy traditional mill flour in the mill to use to make gorgeous pancakes.
Although still standing, the mill came perilously close to being demolished before the war. The owner’s customer base had diminished to only four bakers. As a result, he was considering discontinuing the mill. He was faced with the question of either demolishing or conserving it. Association De Hollandsche Molen supported its conservation and, after the war, managed to collect money for a large-scale renovation. Although challenged by lacking materials, they succeeded in the end. Rolde Mill stands tall to this day!
Eight-sided smock mill (ground sailer)
