Mill de Vrijheid (Freedom) - Beesd

On the site of the present windmill, in the 14th century, there was already a coercive windmill that fell under the Mariënweerd abbey near Beesd. The construction year of the present windmill is not known, but there are strong indications in the masonry that the windmill was built before 1826.

In the 18th century, the mill was privately owned in parts. In 1826, the mill came into the possession of the Leerdam miller Fransiscus Moot, who had a plaque placed above the entrance. He and later his widow owned the mill until 1841. Subsequently, the mill came into the hands of Jacobus Pendraat, A.D. van Buuren and his family, and J.A. barones van Verschuer.

During the Second World War, the mill was used to grind flour for bakers in the surrounding area. The sails were used to signal the underground resistance. The mill was restored in 1968/1969 and was given the name De Vrijheid (The Freedom), referring to the period 1940-1945.