Ramsbeck Alte Kornmühle

In the past, hydropower was the most important source of energy in our homeland, alongside muscle power. The numerous rivers and streams in the Land of a Thousand Mountains provided ideal conditions for building water mills to harness the power of flowing water. Among other things, water power was used to produce oil (from flax or rapeseed), saw wood, and operate pumps and hammer mills. The Ramsbeck Mill was probably built “around the Wenden of the 17th century.” It is first mentioned in the tax register of 1685, when the Elector of Cologne, Maximilian Heinrich, imposed a special tax on the rural population.

The minstrel (a smallholder whose real name is not given) “uses the carpenter’s trade, lives in the mill in the village, but also has another house.” Another tax list from 1717 (Provincial Archives of the Duchy of Westfalen IV A No. 6, State Archives of Münster) indicates that Jobst Nölleke, a full-spann farmer known as Hüttemann, owned a hereditary mill in Ramsbeck. More than a hundred years later, the mill was still in operation. In the chronicle of Pastor Milianus Eifler (Velmede parish) from 1823, the following is reported about Ramsbeck, among other things: “There is also a grain and oil mill that belongs exclusively to Hüttemann.”

Presumably, even back then, the Ramsbeck mill was unique in having three water wheels, each coupled to a grinding mechanism. This allowed the miller to both grind grain and crush the seed pods of flax or rapeseed using the millstones. The miller heated the oily seed paste, stirred it, and filled small bags with the thick mixture. These were then placed under the “presses,” which squeezed out the linseed oil, which was used in farmhouses as cooking oil but also as fuel for oil lamps. The so-called “oil cake” left in the small bags was mixed into the feed for young cattle to strengthen their bones.

An application for the registration of water rights from 1920 also refers to the Kornmühle’s impressive age. (See Section 6, Appendix 1 for the contract.) The wooden interior was built around 1810; the current milling stand dates from the 1860s. As the only surviving mill in North Rhine-Westfalen, it features three grinding stands and medieval technology. Each grinding mechanism was driven by a millwheel. Originally, no transmission systems or other gear mechanisms were used.

As early as the beginning of the 19th century, the current owner’s grandfather used a waterwheel to generate electricity. He sold the electricity to the surrounding farms for 0.10 Reichsmark. After the former municipality of Ramsbeck was connected to the power grid of the Vereinigte Elektrizitätswerke Westfalen (VEW), he ceased electricity generation and expanded the contract mill to include a contract threshing facility. A threshing machine in the neighboring building was driven by a transmission belt. The mill remained in operation in this manner until the 1950s. Excess capacity in flour production and the introduction of the combine harvester made continued operation of the mill unprofitable. The business was closed.

The remaining mill wheels fell into disrepair. In 1979, Mr. Fritz Gordes Sr. had a new mill wheel built to generate electricity for personal use with a new gearbox and a new generator. It was able to generate 9 kWh of power. In 1983, the Alte Kornmühle in Ramsbeck was designated a historic landmark.

With its three mill wheels and the still well-preserved milling platform—which can be restored in its essential parts—it is a unique cultural asset in North Rhine-Westphalia that is particularly worthy of protection. This is evident, among other things, from studies conducted by the Münster Chamber of Agriculture. The Ramsbeck Mill is highlighted in the dissertation by Dr. Ulrike Peyrer (“Water Use in the Hochsauerland District; Possibilities for Utilizing Hydropower Plants as Part of a Tourist Route”; also published by the University of Münster, Diss., 1993). After the mill was acquired by its new owners—Thekla Meeder and Friedrich Gordes—the original goal of restoring the mill and making it accessible to the public could once again be pursued.

Together with the association “Alte Kornmühle Ramsbeck e.V.,” a new concept for the mill’s use was developed and presented to the historic preservation authorities. Thanks to funding from the municipality of Bestwig and a 50% cost contribution from the mill association, the weir—which regulates the water flow to the mill via the mill ditch—was renovated in 2004. A fish ladder was also newly installed. On the ten-year-old millwheel, it became necessary to replace the now rotten oak planks of the inner wheel. (Constructed using tongue-and-groove joints. Wood moisture content over 30%).

Hiking Trail at the Mill: In 2004, the Mill Association took the first steps toward making the hiking trail behind the mill passable again. We removed an old feeding trough from the mill barn, placed it next to the path—which had been newly paved with natural stones—leading to the mill wheel, and planted flowers around it. The water outlet at the mill wheel was re-enclosed with a fence. Loose stones and gaps in the mortar made it necessary to completely rebuild the water outlet. It was important to use suitable building materials that could withstand constant moisture and changing weather conditions. Mining Hiking Trail >>

Mill Tour:
A tour of the mill is available by telephone appointment. To schedule an appointment, call 0151-65984268.

Contacts:
0151-65984268 (guided tours)
0231-431940 (President)
0170-1959603 (Vice President)