Pen Castel or the art of making wheat

Built in the early 12th century, this tide mill in the commune of Arzon in the Gulf of Morbihan was most certainly a seigneurial property. This conclusion can be drawn from the care taken in its construction and the unusual amount of decoration found on the mill, such as the pediments on the dormer windows, the series of modillions on the façade and the sculptures on the chimneys.

In 1380, Jean de Montfort IV, Duke of Brittany, wishing to complete the chateau de l’Hermine in Vannes, arranged with the monks of Rhuys to cede him the mill at Porte Poterne in Vannes in exchange for the ducal mill at Pen Castel.

During the French Revolution, the monks were expelled from Pen Castel, which was returned to the church when the abbey was united with the diocese of Vannes, which undertook its renovation. Traces of this restoration can be found in the date 1786 inscribed on the gable.

In the 19th century, it was sold to a private owner who built an extension. The mill continued to grind oat and wheat flour until 1921, when competition from industrial flour mills and crushers put an end to the activity. The wheel and gears were finally sold in 1930.

It became a listed monument in 1933 and began its new life.