#drottningen

Kvarnkungen & Co., Björnhovda (No. 3)

The queen is a so-called Dutch mill. Until the middle of the 19th century, basically all windmills on Öland had been of the stump mill type. At this time they faced competition from the larger and more efficient Dutch mills. It is believed to have originally been developed in Holland during the 1570s. The construction of the Dutch mill differs from the stump mill in that it is only the top part, the cap, that is rotatable.

The queen was originally erected in Kalmar at the Postmaster's Luck near Sandås. Per Persson, the Scanian who was also the first miller to run the Kvarnkungen, moved the Queen across Kalmarsund in the 1880s to where it stands today. The queen was a toll mill, meaning that the farmers could come and grind their grain for a fee, a toll, usually in kind.

In 1923, Drottningen was taken over by Ernst Carlsson, who came from Skärlöv on Öland. When Ernst was in America, the Queen was leased by John Wahlström, who also owned the Kvarnkungen. Wheat was then ground into flour in Drottningen. The business continued until 1947. Ernst Carlsson sold Drottningen to Torslunda Hembygdsförening in 1957 for SEK 1,200. The association has subsequently carried out extensive maintenance on the mill.

Of the three mills that stand in Björnhovda next to road 136, Drottningen is the one in the middle. South of Drottningen stands Kvarnkungen. Farthest north is the Crown Prince. All three mills are owned and maintained by Torslunda Hembygdsförening.

Kvarnkungen, Björnhovda (No. 2)

At the end of the 1930s, Kvarnkungen was in great need of maintenance. John needed a grant for this, but no private person could get it, only an association. It was the starting point for the Torslunda local community association, which was formed in 1938 to ensure that the Kvarnkungen would remain. Kvarnkungen was purchased by the association for SEK 2,500. Many hours have been spent by the association's members to put up new wings when the old ones were blown down. In the continued care of the mill during the 21st century, John's son, Anders Wahlström, who in his youth helped his father with the grinding, has been very important.

Of the three mills that stand in Björnhovda next to road 136, Kvarnkungen is the one located furthest south. North of Kvarnkungen stands Drottningen, a customs mill of the Dutch model. Farthest north is the Crown Prince.

All three mills are owned and maintained by Torslunda Hembygdsförening.