Reconstruction of the mill milieu du XIXe siècle (≈ 1950)
Major renovation period identified.
1952
End of business
End of business 1952 (≈ 1952)
Permanent cessation of bark grinding.
1982
Mill restoration
Mill restoration 1982 (≈ 1982)
Back to a cereal business.
21 décembre 1984
Registration for historical monuments
Registration for historical monuments 21 décembre 1984 (≈ 1984)
Protection of facades and hangar.
1994
Reconstruction of the wheel and shaft
Reconstruction of the wheel and shaft 1994 (≈ 1994)
Modernisation of the hydraulic mechanism.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Heritage classified
Mill; facades and roofs of the tannin hangar (cad. A 613): entry by order of 21 December 1984
Key figures
Information non disponible - No character cited
Sources do not mention any specific historical actors related to this mill.
Origin and history
The tan de Jau mill is an iconic building located in Breil, in the department of Maine-et-Loire, in the Pays de la Loire region. From medieval origin, this mill has undergone several conversions over the centuries, from grinding of wheat to the use of flounder and tan, before returning to a cereal activity. Its current architecture, marked by a square plan and a pavilion roof, probably dates back to the second half of the 19th century, when it was rebuilt. The presence of a shed dedicated to oak bark, the raw material of the tan, confirms its historical use as a mill to tan, activity stopped in 1952.
The mill mechanism, restored in 1982 and 1994, includes a traditional 5.60-metre-diameter wheel operated by the adjacent stream. Outside, a statuette of Sainte-Catherine, patron of millers, as well as tools like a hammer to dress up and a millstone standing, testify to her artisanal past. Built in 1984 for its facades and tannin hangar, the mill illustrates the evolution of milling techniques and the adaptation of rural buildings to local economic needs, from the Middle Ages to the contemporary era.
The location of the mill, now integrated into the municipality of Noyant-Villages, reflects the region's territorial changes. Its history is part of that of renewable energies and the industrial heritage of Angelvin, where mills played a central role in the pre-industrial economy. The restoration of the site and its conversion into a grain mill in the 20th century underline the efforts to preserve ancestral know-how, while adapting to modern uses.
