Mill in Leefdael

Although the Mill has been beautifully restored, you can hardly see anything of the building on the street side because of the high hedge. And the wheel at the back is hidden from view by a rushing bush and a carpet of blackberries. Regrettable.

During the First World War, Belgian soldiers were housed there. During the German attack, the barn was destroyed by a shell, but the mill was spared. In 1923 Emile De Ryck would demolish the destroyed building and partly build a new barn, stables and a bakehouse with recovered material. The year 1923 was mentioned on a bricked iron sandstone. The Ryck would also replace the standing and running interior with the current wrought iron drivetrain, from a demolished mill in Orp-le-Grand.

Jan Rymenams