Now, things didn’t stay medieval forever. In 1812, the mill got a not-so-royal makeover when it was sold to the textile kingpin Smits, who transformed it into the power source for his spinning machines. The industrial age came roaring in, but fate had its own spin-Den Bouw, the attached factory, caught fire in 1896. The burnt remains, and the mill itself, were cleared away by 1928 along with the millpond.
But the Stratumse Watermolen wasn’t done making an appearance! In 2002, archaeologists dug up its foundations, which now rest in the garden of the Van Abbemuseum. So, as you stand here, think of all those centuries-lords, workers, crackling flames, and finally, curious archaeologists uncovering the old secrets of Eindhoven’s water-powered heart. And if you were looking to grind some flour today, well, you’re about 700 years too late!
