The Laermolen Watermill

A watermill stood here in the 14th century. The mill was largely demolished after 1918. After restoration in the 1990s, the mill was restored to its glory. The current copy shows what the mill looked like in 1800 and is still in operation.

In the Molenstraat, on the bridge over the Mark, you will find the beautifully restored Laermolen. A water mill has stood on this site since the 14th century. The first mention of this 'Laermolen' dates from 1381 (Laer = an undeveloped, swampy meadow). Initially it was only a grain mill, later there was also talk of a hammer mill or oil mill for crushing oilseeds. Over the years, the mill was destroyed and rebuilt several times. A few enthusiastic Hoogstraten residents, united in the non-profit organization De Laermolen, have restored the mill to its former glory and now it looks again as it looked in 1800. Malt is still beaten four times a year.

The Laermolen is an undershot watermill located on the Mark River on Molenstraat between Hoogstraten and Minderhout.
The first mention of the mill dates back to 1405, but it is likely older. It was formerly a double mill: a corn mill, later a bark mill on the left bank, and an oil mill on the right bank. The oil mill was shut down in 1860, and the rest of the mill in 1913, because the owners had sold the dam rights. After 1918, the bark mill was demolished, leaving only the remains of the oil mill and the lock floor.
Since 1995, the non-profit organization De Laermolen has campaigned for its restoration. In 2004, the oil mill was put back into operation. The municipality of Hoogstraten purchased the mill in 2005 and granted it a leasehold to the non-profit organization. The mill is now functioning again and is open to the public on the second and fourth Sundays of the month. Every year, "smoutebollen" (Dutch doughnuts) are served, fried in oil produced by the mill.