De Hegeman is a smock mill operating as a gristmill in the community of Dijkerhoek in the municipality of Rijssen-Holten, Overijssel, in the eastern Netherlands. The mill was built in 1890 using an eight-sided top structure salvaged from a demolished mill in South Holland. It is a rijksmonument (Dutch National heritage site).

De Hegeman
Map
Origin
Mill locationDijkerhoek, Rijssen-Holten, Overijssel, Netherlands
Coordinates52°16′47″N 6°21′04″E / 52.279759°N 6.351066°E / 52.279759; 6.351066
Year built1890 (1890)
Information
PurposeGristmill,
TypeSmock mill
Smock sidesEight sides
No. of sailsFour sails
Type of sailsPatent sails
No. of pairs of millstonestwo pairs
Other informationRijksmonument number 22218

The construction was commissioned by the widow Klein Baltink-Willemsen, living at the home of Erve Hegeman, after whom the mill was named in 1983. The decline in the use of wind power after World War II lead to a sharp deterioration of the state of the mill. The sail cross was removed for safety reasons, and it was only in 1965 that the mill was restored with the support of the then municipality of Holten. Decline struck again, however, after the mill was transferred from a cooperative to a private individual. In 1978 the municipality of Holten decided to purchase the mill and a second restoration followed in 1981–1982.

The mill is now equipped with two pairs of millstones: one pair uses wind power; the other one is powered by a Deutz engine. The arms are 22.40 metres (73 ft 6 in) long and are equipped with the Old Dutch fencing with sails.

The mill is operated by volunteers and is used regularly to grind grain; one can purchase items produced in the mill on-site.

References edit

  • "de Hegeman" (in Dutch). De Nederlandse Molendatabase. 2017-03-11. Retrieved 2018-05-21.

External links edit

Official website