Rosoliemolen te Zieuwent – English

Rosoliemolen te Zieuwent

Antony Krabbenborg and son-in-law Harmen Harbers founded the mill in 1841. The mill stood in the yard of their farm ‘Groot Tilder’ in Zieuwent. The family also owned a windmill and  wealthy enough to make this investment.

After the division of the wastelands in 1832, the livestock in Zieuwent grew steadily. Turnip and line cakes were the only concentrated food available until the early twentieth century.

Due to the decline of the oil mills, petroleum was introduced instead of rapeseed oil, artificial fertilizer made it possible to grow other, more profitable crops and it was possible to purchase rapeseed cake from elsewhere via Boerenbond in Zieuwent.

Dutch Open Air Museum

In 1934 the horse mill was moved to the NOM (Dutch Open Air Museum). There it has been shown to visitors as a ‘silent presentation’ in its original state for more than 70 years. In 2003 it was decided to bring the mill back to life. Mill maker Vaags made a replica of the original and a new concrete foundation was placed under the impact block to absorb all the vibrations.

A-location in the NOM

The horse mill is now a so-called prime location in the NOM. Every day in the summer and winter season it is staffed by oil extracters who keep the craft alive and tell the story of the farmer’s oil mill. The oil is sold in the museum shop and the cakes are given away to visitors. With 550,000 visitors per year, a significant number of whom visit the horse mill, the craft is truly living history.