In this vast territory there are a number of examples that are interconnected on the basis of the different ways of collecting, storing and distributing water. Among the most prominent of these examples in the context of hydraulics, given their number and diversity, are the water mills, also known as mill wheels or flour mills. Located close to riverbanks and streams, the mills are present in most of the villages that form part of this mountainous region. They are easily visible in Alájar, Linares de la Sierra, Encinasola, Cañaveral de León and Aroche among other villages.
Although the exact number of water mills that came to exist in this region is unknown, it is estimated that about one hundred were in operation at the end of the 19th century.
One of the hamlets where grinding was particularly relevant was Arroyomolinos de León, as reflected in its etymology ('stream-mills') and in the value that these resources have had for the local communities.
Despite scarce documentation on the origins of these properties and the activities carried out therein, the first references in this respect can be found in the Historic-Geographic-Statistical Dictionary by Pascual Madoz (1845-1850) in which he mentions the municipality of Arroyomolinos de León and describes it by saying: “besides providing the necessary irrigation, the waters from the Cala and Garganta streams provide little momentum to 18 flour mills, owing to either a shortage of water or well-water”. The great number of these assets demonstrates to us the importance that grinding had in this region as well as the population's high degree of specialisation. These two factors made it possible to handle the large quantities of grain that arrived to Arroyomolinos de León not only from neighbouring villages, but also from villages nearby in Extremadura and even farther away in Portugal. The shape and configuration of the structural elements used for handling, storing and grinding grain were influenced by the shortage of water in the streams of Arroyomolinos de León.
The water mills would take on certain structural characteristics or others depending on the terrain and the flow of the water network in different areas, thus making it necessary for master builders to be knowledgeable about the terrain so that they could apply the most appropriate building techniques to the region. Apart from the location of the water mills next to streams, -and due to their low flow rates,- a system of long irrigation canals, dams and reservoirs allowed for optimum water collection and distribution. In Arroyomolinos de León the majority of the water mills took advantage of the unevenness of the land in order to optimise the power of the water as well as prevent water shortages, especially in the summer time.
The issue of water scarcity made it necessary to construct reservoirs for storing this resource, thus giving the grinding system its name: “mill dam grinding”, compared to “uninterrupted grinding” which is carried out in rivers with higher flow rates and a continuous flow of water. This situation also influenced the working system and organisation of the water mills: the first water mill, “Molino de la Llave” (the La Llave Mill), had to finish milling before the subsequent water mills could operate. When the dam corresponding to this first water mill had collected enough water, the process would begin. After this first mill had finished grinding, the water was released and sent to the next mill dam where it was stored. This complex and elaborate process made it possible to optimise water usage at all times while also establishing specific work schedules that all millers had to adapt to.
Another distinctive feature of the water mills in the mountains of Huelva is the varied vocabulary with respect to the materials and tools utilised throughout the process of grain milling. This variety of words has created an enormous vocabulary that has received little attention in terms of research and studies that have been carried out.
Following different moments of splendour, the ups and downs of the civil war resulted in a state of crisis of the activity and its eventual disappearance in the 1960s. The ban on using the water mills once the war had ended meant that the majority of them were abandoned. The fact that the majority of the water mills were deserted can also be attributed to the creation of a Flour Factory in Arroyomolinos in the early 1900s and the loss of competitiveness suffered by the water mills regarding quantity, quality and industrial output.
Several aspects of great interest must be underscored in order to have an understanding of the evolution and current situation of the state of crisis of the milling activity. In addition to the loss of knowledge and expertise concerning the milling activity, we should also include the fact that the facilities themselves were abandoned and some even disappeared all together; we can also mention the loss of prestige that those individuals suffered as their work at the water mills was an extra source of income they had received on top of other, mainly agricultural, activities; finally, we can mention the strategies that started to appear as people -faced with a bread shortage and the necessity to eat- attempted to carry on with the activity even after it had been prohibited (black market).
Even though the water mills no longer carry out their main functions, they represent a basic element necessary to understanding this territory as well as the socioeconomic transformations that have taken place in this mountainous village. Far from being forgotten, the water mills have become one of the main distinguishing features of Arroyomolinos de León as has been shown by the different strategies followed to promote them and make them known.
As a measure taken to ensure the protection of these properties, the Provincial Delegation for Culture in Huelva prepared the technical documentation for their registration in the General Catalogue of Andalusian Historical Heritage.Subsequently, the regional cultural administration, with the collaboration of the Town Hall of Arroyomolinos de León and the association Alma Natura, carried out the restoration of one of the water mills which now serves as an Interpretation Centre. This centre strives to learn more about these mills and gain knowledge concerning the activities that were carried out therein.
The main waterways of the Abismo–Morena and the Valdelamadera streams form the axis of the route presented below. This route aims to encourage a better understanding of the different properties associated with the use of water and the processing of grain into flour.
These historic sites go hand in hand with ample material evidence that has endured and which now exemplifies the many ways that man was able to adapt to his surroundings. This adaptation process was responsible for creating a landscape where the supply of water translated into an interesting network of irrigation canals and dams that mark out the paths paved by the past and the present. Therefore, although the water mills are the primary focus of this route, emphasis will have to be placed on the importance held by the farmhouses, threshing grounds, hay lofts, stone walls, orchards situated around the village, and other elements that are key to understanding this region and the context of the chosen itinerary.
