the history of the Öland mills 

Öland's mills are not only symbols of the island but also important memories of the time when the mills were central to grinding grain into flour for the local population. From the old wooden structures to the more modern stone buildings, each mill reflects a particular period in the island's agrarian life. Today, these cultural-historical monuments stand as silent witnesses to the past and attract both tourists and history enthusiasts who want to gain an insight into Öland's traditional rural life.

 

stump grinders

Mill - mill row - Öland
alexander hall

 

The vast majority of today's Öland mills are stump mills from the end of the 1700th century or the beginning of the 1800th century. The term stub mill is explained by the fact that the mill house rests on a large stump. When the blades before grinding are to be turned against the wind, the entire mill house is turned around the fixed stump. The model is very archaic and windmills with a similar construction have existed in Sweden from around the year 1300. The first time an Öland mill is mentioned in text is the year 1546. We do not know how old the oldest of today's preserved mills is. There are probably mills that in any case have some parts preserved from the 1600th century or earlier. At Borgholm's city museum, there is a salvaged heart block with the year 1441 engraved on it. 

 

sharp increase in the middle of the 1700th century

During the 1700th century, the number of windmills more than quadrupled. From 1699 to 1808, the number rose from 375 to 1677. The largest increase was from the middle of the 1700th century, during the same period that the grist mills gradually disappeared. In a royal letter from 1808 there were provisions aimed at discouraging the building of more mills on the island. From 1808 to 1822, the number of windmills only increased from 1677 to 1713. The information that there were 1677 windmills in 1822 comes from Öland's priest Abraham Ahlqvist's book Öland's Historia och Beskrivning. According to Ahlqvist, the mills were most densely packed in Vickleby parish, where there were 77 of them. Around the turn of the century in 1900, the number of windmills on Öland decreased drastically. Initially, most mills were demolished in the southern and central part of the island, where the modernization of agriculture went fastest. The small stump mills were replaced by new technologically superior mills – first the large Dutch mills, then steam mills and mills powered by crude oil. Eventually, there were also electrically powered mills and mills that could be connected to the farm's tractor. Öland's Mills Association, formed in 2008, carried out an inventory recently, where it was concluded that today there are 351 mills left on the island. 

Dutch mills 

Mill - Dutch Mill - Grönhögen

 

Until the middle of the 1800th century, basically all windmills on Öland had been of the stump mill type. At this time they faced competition from larger and more efficient Dutch mills. The new type of mill is believed to have originally been developed in Holland during the 1570s. The construction of the Dutch mill differs from the stump mill in that it is only the top part, the cap, that is rotatable. The Dutch mills were always operated as customs mills. Unlike a household mill, the customs mill was used for professional grinding. There was a miller who milled for payment, in older times in kind - for "duty". Around the turn of the century in 1900, there were approximately 30 Dutch mills on the island. Today, about ten remain. 

For more information about Öland mills, visit Kalmar county museum's website! 

Jan Westergren, Kalmar county museum 

jordhamn's rogue mill 

Mill - Jordhamn - scrap mill
Marcus Carlsson

The weather-driven scrubber in Jordhamn was originally built in 1905 but renovated on several occasions. The scouring mill was used to grind limestone with the help of wind power. Many scouring mills have existed along Öland's northwest coast. This is probably the only one that remains today. It is a windmill powered by the wind unlike the oldest ones which were powered by oxen. Next to the restored scrub mill there are remains of old quarries and older cattle-driven scrub walks. 


discover Öland's charming mills!

Join us on a journey through time and history. Visit our iconic windmills, scattered across the island. Perfect for a family outing or a quiet moment in historic surroundings.

 

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