The Town Mill

The Town Mill (Stadskvarn)

On the north side of the river, you can still make out the path that once led down to the Town Mill (Stadskvarn).

The people of Hjo are known to have operated a municipal mill since at least the 1500s. A court record from 1764 strongly suggests that a new town mill was built here that same year. Whether mills had stood on this exact spot earlier cannot be confirmed.

Sven – A Miller at Stadskvarn

According to church records, a young man named Sven Eliasson moved to Hjo from Stenstorp in 1771, at the age of 25. He began work as a miller at the Town Mill. Sven later married Maria Månsdotter, the daughter of a miller at Stampens Mill, further upstream. The couple had four children between 1772 and 1779. Sven remained at the Town Mill for several years.

In 1782, he is recorded as the miller at Grebbans Mill and Sawmill, further upstream. His son Magnus Svensson later took over at the same mill.
Sven stayed at Grebbekvarnen until his death in 1830, at the remarkable age of 84 – an impressive lifespan for the era.

The Last Miller

The last recorded miller at Stadskvarn was Nils Andersson, who left the mill in 1896. After that, no further records suggest that the mill was ever in operation again.
Between 1782 and 1896, the Town Mill was run by no fewer than 17 different millers.

Source: Sven-Arne Rosenberg

Follow the Nature Trail

The nature reserve is a green oasis in the heart of the town, offering wonderful outdoor experiences all year round. Follow the Nature Trail along the Hjo River, from Hjo Harbour all the way up to the small lake Mullsjön, just west of the town.
This lush and leafy path takes you on a historic walk through wild landscapes, rich in birdlife – right in the middle of Hjo.

You can easily find the trail by following the wooden signs marked “NATURSTIGEN” along the river.
The full walk is approximately 4 km, from Hjo Harbour to Stämmorna at Lake Mullsjön.

Trail Information

• Waymarking: Clearly marked nature trail with wooden signs: "NATURSTIG"

• Length: Approx. 4 kilometres

• Food along the trail: YES – restaurant Stampens Kvarn

• Toilets: Dry toilet at Stämmorna, Mullsjön

• Open: Year-round

• Managed by: Hjo Municipality

• Protected area: Part of the EU’s ecological network of protected areas, Natura 2000