Structural Design of the Water Mill in Pöstény
1892, Pöstény (Hungary)
2 Sheets hand-coloured drawing on paper; 55,5 × 33,5 cm
Nógrád
County Archives
of the National Archives of Hungary
HU-MNL-NML – IV – 536 –
2
Extracting power from running watercourses or rivers is an age-old form of energy production. Water mills were used across Europe and the world, in many different cultures wherever flowing water was to be found. They have been used to power different forms of artisanal production, a common sight in many landscapes and a reminder of the ingenious ways that humans have tapped natural resources.
There are many watercourses in the region of the Cserhát Mountains, in Hungary.
Water mills were common in the area until the mid 19th century, with several mills operating in the vicinity of Szécsény and Balassagyarmat. However, new regulations affecting water management were issued in the second half of the 19th century. Nationwide stipulations were imposed to regulate the flow of many rivers in an attempt to diminish and control the effects of floods. As a result, most water mills were decommissioned after the regulations were applied to the river Ipoly. Yet the Pöstyén (today: Pösténypuszta, part of Szécsény, Hungary) water mill remained; in fact, it was renewed in 1892. The document presented here shows the plans of this mill.