Bakehouse Hofanlage Rasseln

The bakehouse from Willich-Schiefbahn

The bakehouse, as it was built here, was originally constructed in the 18th century in the settlement Unterbruch in Willich-Schiefbahn. Additionally to the two rooms inside, there is also an attic. In the past the attic and the area to the left were used as a dwelling for the elderly.

The baking took place every two to three weeks outside on the courtyard. The whole process took up to two days, including the preparations. Even though baking was physically a very hard work it was mainly done by women. Men only helped with the exhausting work of kneading of the dough.

At the backside of the bakehouse is the masoned oven. In order to heat it up fascine bundles were burned inside. After the removal of the embers and the cleaning of the oven the bread was baked. Afterwards, residual heat was often used to bake cake or other pastries or to dry fruit.

Did you know that…
… in the past it was not possible to just buy bread at the bakery around the corner? Most people baked their bread for the whole family on their own. Because this was a very exhausting work, one baked so much bread that it was enough for two to three weeks. Especially the kneading of the dough without any electric tools was very difficult. Sometimes the people even lived in the bakehouse. These were either poor employees of the farmer or the old farmer and his wife. As soon as the farmer got too old to manage the farm he moved out to make space for his son and his family, who then took care of the farm.