Wheat mill De Hoop 't Zand - 't Zand

The exact age of the mill in 't Zand cannot be determined. We do know that the mill is shown in full on a map from 1631, so it was probably already there at the beginning of the 17th century. Originally, this mill came from the then Soeterwoude (Zoeterwoude, South Holland) and moved to 't Zand in the early 1600s.

The mill played an important role in employment in the region. For example, it was used in the cloth industry, where wool was pounded and kneaded into sheets using wind power. The mill was then converted into a sawmill and served as a sawmill. In 1865, the mill was rebuilt as a corn mill and ground grain for farmers, bakers and others.

After World War I, mechanisation took off: electric, gas and diesel engines entered the market. The millers at the time decided to switch to motor milling so that they could work at set times. With the mill and the uncertainty of whether there would be wind, that was always in question. The mill was shut down in 1922, not maintained and then fell into disrepair. When the wooden cap was dismantled in World War II so they could heat the stove, the mill was given a thatched rain cap. It remained so until 2012. The thatched roof now stands next to the mill.

In 2003, the mill was restored to its former glory. The mill is now a national monument. The mill and the adjoining miller's house are set up as a museum, where you can see how grain milling was done in the 1920s-1930s.

The lawn has been converted into a camper van site: a great place to spend the night and then explore the area by bike!