From water to wind
Right here by the river in Faddersbøl was a water mill powered by the water that ran from Sjørring Lake and southwards. When drainage of Sjørring Lake began in 1859, wide canals were dug out to lead the water away. The water mill was in the way and was therefore closed. However, there was still a need for energy, and the present mill was built instead.
Faddersbøl mill is a Dutch mill, and as the name indicates it was developed in the Netherlands, where these mills drove the pumps in large drainage projects. The Dutch mills were constructed so that the sails and the cap can rotate and follow the wind direction, whereas the mill building itself is permanent. Large gear wheels are used to turn the cap, while other wheels transfer the power from the sails to the grinder inside the mill building using a rather complicated system.
The farmers of the area could get their cereals milled into flour at Faddersbøl mill. The milling business gradually developed into an animal feed business and later into a grocer's shop where you could buy various household products. Faddersbøl mill was closed in 1968, by which time this technology had become outdated. The mill then stood bereft of its sails for many years, only covered in galvanised tiles, but the Danish Nature Agency and local forces took the initiative to restore the mill, so now the mill has its original appearance both on the inside and on the outside.
The mill cellar has a poster exhibition during the summer months. The exhibition displays the nature and landscape surrounding the mill as well as the cultural background and history of mills.