St Martin's Mill - Didam

The mill in Didam is named after Saint Martin, or Sint Maarten. This Saint is known for his mercy in giving a poor man a piece of his cloak. He died on 11 November 398 and this day is still celebrated, especially by children who go round the houses with lanterns. The mill dates back to 1854 when Theodorus Kempers applied for a licence to build a corn mill and a hulling mill near the village of Didam. It became a belt mill, because the belt had sufficient space to store grain and flour. It is the only mill in our country with this name. In Beugen there is another mill with the name Martinus. In 1942, millwright Van Bussel carried out the necessary repairs; he advised to provide the mill with power noses because of the high trees. Owner Strijbosch started an oil trade in 1953, but the flour trade was also expanded, though partly electrically.

In the night of 11 to 12 November 1964 a fire broke out in the mill, which could be extinguished in time thanks to the resolute action of the fire brigade and Strijbosch's sons. The mill thus escaped disaster. Repair followed. In 1973 a rod had become loose in the axle hole and the mill was rapidly deteriorating as a result of standing still. Miller Groot Wesseldijk from Laren carried out a much-needed restoration in 1977. In 1997, permission was requested for the restoration of the sails, but nothing was done and so the decay of the mill continued until 2004, when salvation came near with the purchase of the mill by the Laris housing association. In 2007, the mill was restored to its grinding capacity. Since then, there has been a user agreement with the Saint Martin Mill Foundation, which runs the mill.