Cortillas

Cortillas is situated in the Sobrepuerto. The mill, named Molino Cosme, is indicated on every map, but not always on the right spot. The correct position is in the Barranco de la Valle at the confluence with the Barranco Cillas. The easiest approach is from Fiscal and Bergua. Although you can walk from Fiscal to Bergua, you'll gain about an hour and a half if you drive the service road up to the end at Bergua. Drop the car and follow the track towards Sasa. In Sasa, walk to the west, into the valley and more or less parallel with the row of pylons. You'll find a path down to the B. de la Valle. Keep to the path. You'll cross a first wooden bridge and later on a second one (walking through the water is probably safer) after which the path rises above the riverbed. Keep walking to the west and down again. You'll soon discover the mill, or the confluence of both rivulets.

Pictures: 27.x.2002

(1) Sasa.

(2) Pastures of Sasa invaded by trees.

It is a long walk with nice views, worth every drop of sweat, certainly if you profit from the occasion to visit the village of Sasa with the beautiful Casa Escartín. Notice how, as there was no water on the plateau, each house had a cistern to store rainwater.

The yellow stroke (2) indicates the position of the mill deep in the valley. The Sobrepuerto starts at the hills in the background. Cillas and Cortillas are at the other side, invisible from Sasa.

(3) Entrance.

The mill is muy ruinoso and is easily overlooked although in better days the construction must have been rather big. The roof succumbed but the crane could withstand the blast and the most interesting part was thus preserved.

There (4) was a single stone-pair below a round guardapolvo. The crane is painted blue (like in Gabardilla). The feeder (tolva), a wooden stepladder and some other things lie scattered on the floor.

(5)

(6) Mill stone labelled La Ferté.

The arbol (5, the vertical axle below the stones) carries a gearbox to power an contraption hidden below the debris. It was probably a torno used to isolate the flour in several fractions from the bran. We've seen similar things in several other mills (e.g. Villalangua, Gistain)

The piedra de moler (6) is marked Fabrication ✶ La_Ferté. This suggests that we are dealing with a French stone, but we are not certain. It certainly is not one of the premium brands. Stones coming from premium suppliers of La Ferté always have the manufacturer's name written in the eye ring: e.g. Alquézar, Sallent de Gallego, or Castillazuelo.

(7) Star with 6 arms.
An identical stone lies in
the mill of Ciscar.

(8) Five pointed star of main brands.
Here the Grande Société Meulière Dupety-Orsel & Cie in Alquézar.

(9) Underscore in La Ferté.

Besides the absence of the supplier's name, there are two other notable features. First, we have six-pointed stars (7) versus the five arms (8) of the big brands. Then we have the spelling of La Ferté: the two parts are normally written separately. That's how the big brands do it: see f.e. Broto.

The stone here has La_Ferté wrongly written with an underscore (9) between the two parts of the name. It is unlikely that a manufacturer from La Ferté would make such a mistake. Are we dealing with a sloppy manufacturer, with counterfeit stones? Perhaps research into the miller's and the supplier's archives would clear up the matter (†).

(10) Hopper of the silent (rotary) feeder system.

The mill was, like most in the region, equipped with a silent feeder system. The small hopper (tolva chica, 10) which hangs below the main hopper (tolva) features a small window making it possible to keep an eye on the grain being fed to the stones. A well preserved silent feed system can be found in the mill of Espés bajo.

There was no reservoir. A spacious canal runs from the capture point to the saetín. The mill could only work if there was enough water in the river.

The cárcavo (13) is wide open and in perfect condition. The valve to regulate the watercurrent over the wheel (botana) broke down.

On one of the walls a bleak drawing was found (15). It reminds me of the set of arrows and the yoke which was used by the Catholic Monarchs and the Spanish fascism. A coincidence? See also the drawing in the mill of Sarvisé.

(11) Barranco de la Valle.

(12) Supply channel with saetín.

(13) Wheel inside the cárcavo.

(14) Drain.

(15) Drawing on one of the walls.

† Identical stones can be found in the mill of Ciscar (Ribagorza).

Vanhercke, L. & Anselin, A. — 2024 — A la búsqueda de Molinos. El molino de Cosme.
el Gurrión ii.2024, N° 174. Labuerda, I.S.S.N.: 1130-4960. pp. 24–26.