Buetas

Buetas is situated in the Fueva region. From L'Ainsa take the main road for Campo. About 13 kms later turn right for Tierrantona. Keep to the main road and you'll soon cross the Barranco de la Usía. Just over the bridge the road turns right towards Graus. Do not take this turn. Instead go straight ahead where, among other villages, Buetas is signposted. You'll soon reach your destination. Park the car at the entrance of Buetas where a dirt road goes off to the left. That's the way to walk. After less than 1 km you'll find the watermill. The mill gets its water from the Barranco de Solipueyo.

Pictures: 13.viii.2006, 05.i.2015, 03.x.2018

(1) Porch with entrance — 2006

(2) Front door

In 2006 the porch (1) was the only part of the construction still with a roof. An old milling stone (14) was dumped at the foot of the outer wall. The porch was gone in 2015. The front, and only, door (2) was ajar and painted in vertical bands of alternating orange and blue.

There are traces of red and blue paint on the door jambs: drawn lines and surfaces, but what exactly is not clear. In the door jambs on both sides several protective cross marks are engraved (10).

Originally the construction counted two storeys but roof and 2nd floor have given way under the strain of the years. In 2006 some beams, with part of the crane (6) were still upright, but had already fallen down in 2015.

The first floor (3-5) is partitioned in three, the harinero proper taking the largest space. Two small rooms are situated near the entrance. Adjacent to the door is a miniature room (4) without any feature suggesting its use. The second room (8) is double the size of the first and features a small window and ditto fireplace.

In the main room a large bench along the back wall is taking half of the available space (5). Two thirds are occupied by the milling stool with two pairs of stones. The section closest to the door probably carried some other kind of machinery but from the poor remains I couldn't make out what it was.

(3) Overview of interior

(4) Small rooms next to the door

(5) Hurstframe with two pairs of stones — 2018

Both milling units didn't enjoy the same level of maintenance. The pair of stones closest to the entrance (10) is more modern than the other pair (11). We had seen the same thing in the cárcavo: the left wheel is from steel, the other one is still wooden.

When a miller ran two units often one was used to make flour for bread and the other produced meal for fodder. The same situation probably did occur here in Buetas: the new stones set for people and the other pair for livestock.

(6) Woodwork

(7) Pencil drawings on one of the beams

Two pairs of small doors (5) gave access to the space below the milling stools where — in mills, bigger or equipped with a turbine (e.g. Palo, Castillazuelo) — gears and belts are housed.

Because both runners have their own wheel, the space is empty except for the two axles. Empty but not without interest. The base of the oldest unit is marked with Año 1914 fingered in the fresh cement (9).