The Thick Mill

The "Dikke Molen" is a polder mill on the north side of the Oude Rijn between Zwammerdam and Alphen a.d. Rijn. A mill was already built here in 1638, but it was burned down in 1673 and replaced by the current mill in 1674. The mill was built by Huybert Pietersz Heynen, master millwright at "de Oude Watering" for f. 5100,--, but the total construction costs amounted to f. 6995,--. The mill was originally set up as an interior mill and operated as a scoop wheel mill until around 1930, after which it was stripped of its sails. In 1941, the mill was re-rigged and provided with sails again, which had to be temporarily repaired with stays in 1944. The mill remained in operation for polder drainage until 1955. A much-needed restoration followed in 1957. The mill is located about 500 m west of the village of Zwammerdam. The mill previously drained the Zuid- and Noordeinderpolder, covering about 1175 ha, with a lift height of 1.50 m. Until 1988, the mill was owned by the Water Authority De Aarlanden, but it has since been privately owned. In the autumn of 2011, a new restoration of the mill began.

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