Ancient Oil Mill From 1500

A Rural Complex Through the Centuries: From Medieval Mill to Renovated Oil Mill

The history of this site begins way back in 1410, when it is described as a ”walled mill with a slab roof and two pairs of millstones and with a hut and aqueduct”. This description takes us back to a medieval era, where the mill was a central element of rural life, a place of transformation of grain into flour, essential for the subsistence of the community. The presence of two millstones suggests already then a considerable productive activity.

In the following centuries, the mill remained linked to important noble families of the area. In 1660 it belonged to the nobleman Tommaso Montecatini, known as the Visconte, and in 1771 it was still owned by the same family, with a structure that had evolved: now it was called a ”two-palmenti mill with a house and oven for the miller”, indicating the presence of a home for those who worked at the mill and an oven for baking bread, further evidence of the importance of the site for the community.

A significant element that was added over time was the presence of the oil mill adjacent to the mill, with a wash house for the pomace (the residue from the processing of olives), owned by the nobleman Nicolao Orsucci. This coexistence of mill and oil mill testifies to the diversification of agricultural activities in the area, with the production of both flour and oil.

The ownership of the two structures became intertwined over time: in 1808, Nicolao Montecatini owned the mill, while the widow Orsucci owned the oil mill. In 1850, Count Michelangelo Orsucci brought the two properties together under one management.

A significant change of ownership occurred in 1867, when both the mill and the oil mill passed to the Giannini family. From this moment on, the history of the site took a new direction.

The Renovation of the Oil Mill: A Bridge Between Past and Present

The most recent part of the story is marked by the complete renovation of the oil mill in 2023. This intervention had the merit of preserving the period materials, creating a fascinating combination of past and present. The oil mill was transformed into a tourist accommodation facility, with modern living spaces created within the ancient structure. On the ground floor there are three bedrooms and two bathrooms, while the first floor houses two bedrooms with bathrooms.

An element that inextricably links the oil mill to its past is the stream that flows adjacent, the same one that once provided energy for the mill. This detail not only adds a touch of charm to the place, but also underlines its continuity with its history.

In short, this place represents a precious example of rural architecture that has spanned the centuries, adapting to the needs and changes of time. From its origins as a simple medieval mill, it has evolved into an agricultural complex with a mill and an oil mill, and then transformed, thanks to careful renovation, into a place that combines history with modern comfort.