Once upon a time there was an Ancient Mill in the Massa Trabaria area, belonging to the Gherardesca-Ruspoli nobles and, to the delight of those who love history and its most precious and authentic traces, fortunately there still is!

History

We are talking about an evocative 19th-century location, lying on the right bank of the Metauro river, just 900 metres from the splendid historic centre of Sant’Angelo in Vado, a hillside town in the province of Pesaro-Urbino, known in antiquity as Tiphernum Mataurense. The village, rich in history, art and culture, is also famous for its niche gastronomic products, first and foremost the prized white truffle, to which a renowned ad hoc exhibition has been dedicated in the autumn for more than 50 years, second only to Alba in Monferrato.

The above-mentioned dwelling, known in the area as ‘Molino Conte’, is a reminder of its ancient vocation as a grain mill, as well as a reminder of its first noble owners, the Counts della Gherardesca-Ruspoli, whose heraldic coat of arms still stands out on the façade, next to the Durantine cobalt blue majolica inscription of the same name. A marble plaque, placed on the wall between the two entrances to the house, attests that in 1907 Donna Margherita Ruspoli della Gherardesca discontinued the activity of this water mill and prepared the building for residential use, after appropriate restoration.
The care and attention of the Garulli family, who purchased this property at that time as a summer residence, has ensured its full conservation and respect for its structural and landscape essence for over a century.

An extraordinary amount of greenery surrounds the house and is limited by two access roads, both private. No less than 8,400 square metres, rich in century-old trees and ornamental plants, with an adjoining vegetable garden, which is still cultivated, make up the splendid setting of this historic Massa Trabaria site. A real comfort for those who are sensitive deep down and not only in words to the protection of the environment.

The dwelling

It is necessary to climb a few steps to access the charming terrace that houses the two entrances to the dwelling, which consists of a ground floor flat and a second flat on the first floor, formerly the caretaker’s dwelling. The main flat is introduced by an entrance hall leading to the kitchen/dining room with brickwork fireplace. Next to it are two bedrooms and an elegant living room, as well as a bathroom with ante-bathroom. All the rooms are embellished with characteristic terracotta flooring. The secondary flat is also accessible from the front terrace through an independent entrance. On the floor there are a few rooms for storage use, a hidden staircase to the lower floor and a wooden staircase to the dwelling. This level is composed of a room for living use, a bedroom, a bathroom and a room for storage use.

On the other hand, the large attic space, which has been kept in its original state and can be accessed from the main flat, remains to be invented. The commercial square footage of the building is 440 square metres.

In the lower part of the building we find the old milling rooms (about 165 square metres) embellished with evocative discharge vaults.
The mill is no longer functioning and the water channel is no longer present. The two ancient millstones remain in view and with a purely decorative function, which can also serve as improvised seats for those who wish to pause for a few moments, admiring their surroundings, or gathering their thoughts in complete relaxation.

A second building with a surface area of approximately 100 square metres, located independently of the living quarters but parallel to it, once served as a shelter for farm animals and farm tools.
In the same building is a space used as a garage. Next to the centuries-old linden tree, which welcomes those arriving at the dwelling with its imposing and perfumed foliage, is a wood-burning oven.

Info

The building, which has its own well, is in need of renovation and currently has no heating system.