Nederland - Mander, Molen van Frans

The ‘Molen van Frans’ (Mill of Frans) was built in 1711 as a paper mill by Bernardus Kremer. In 1870 the mill was sold to the family ‘Frans’ and it became its current name. The new owners turned the mill into a flour mill. To increase the efficiency the undershot mill was transformed into an overshot mill and a mill pond was constructed.

Since 1963 the mill is owned by ‘Landschap Overijssel’, a foundation for conservation of the nature in the province of Overijssel. They ordered several restorations; the last took place in 1999.
Nowadays the mill can still be used for grinding grain. But one can also visit the mill for information (although it has limited opening hours) about the mill and the flora and fauna in the surrounding countryside of the valley of the Mosbeek. It even has a small ‘eco shop’, selling their own flour and seed of wild flowers.