Nederland: Groot-Ammers, Achterlandse Molen

The ‘Achterlandse Molen is one of the three so called wip mills*, all located along the ‘Ammersche Boezem’ (PiP), nearby Groot-Ammers. The windmill is dating back to 1596 (or even earlier) and was used for draining the ‘Liesveld Polder’.

The mill was also used for giving signals to other millers in the polder. By turning the sails into a certain position, the signal miller gave information about the water level to other millers.

The ‘Achterlandse Molen’ is made habitable in 1865 and nowadays still inhabited. The mill was restored in 1978/1979 and in 2006 and is - on a voluntary base - still used for drainage.

*there are two explanations of the Dutch name wip mill:
- ‘wippen’ is meaning wobble, describing the movement of the mill when it is rotating quickly;
- the scoop wheel ‘wipt’ (scoops) the water into the polder canal