The Lower Mill in Wojciechów near Lubomierz in Lower Silesia is slowly regaining its former glory. The renovation of the building was undertaken by a couple from Warsaw – Małgorzata and Jacek Kiljański, who found the building several years ago during a tourist trip. Thanks to their work and commitment, the old mill will look like it used to.
The duo have been visiting Lower Silesia for many years. A lot of old buildings that are 200, 300 or more years old have been preserved in the region. The scenery, often with a hilly backdrop, also creates a special atmosphere.
We could not afford to renovate the castle or the palace, but we decided on a large house, choosing the mill as an interesting industrial monument, ” Jacek Kiljański told the Wroclaw.pl editorial board.
Renovation work has been going on for three years now, with the only limitation being financial resources. So far, they have managed to renovate a small barn, which serves as a technical base. The exact date of the building is unknown. There is a note in the deed indicating that the building is from 1937, but the investors have doubts. They point to the appearance of the building and preserved elements that suggest it is much older. They have found information in Polish and German archives according to which the mill may date back to the 18th century. An interesting find is in the dog house in the barn, where by chance a drawer front from an old wardrobe with the date 1805 was discovered.
The owners asked Professor Marek Krąpc of the AGH University of Science and Technology in Kraków, who is an expert in dendrochronology, for help. The scientist took wood samples which indicated that the raw material came from trees felled in 1655.
Many of the old elements have survived to this day, including the equipment of the flour-milling mill. What is missing, however, is the mill wheel, once driven by a canal several hundred metres long from the Oldza River. The mill was electrified before the Second World War.
However, the new owners still have a lot of work ahead of them. The building of the mill is currently in the unfinished state. The roof trusses have been repaired and new roofing laid. The windows have also been replaced; they are replicas of the original ones, which could not be saved due to their technical condition. The slate-covered roof and gable walls are impressive.
Eventually, the mill is to house several guesthouses, but the owners point out that it will not be a regular guesthouse; the aim of the restoration of the building is not to make a profit, but to love and save old architecture.
source: wroclaw.pl
photographs: J. Kiljański archive, drone shots: J. Papierski
Read also: Home | Renovation | History | Monument | Featured | whiteMAD on Instagram
