[2] The current mill was built in the 15th century,[1] It was standing by 1669, although at that time it only had one pair of 2.00 metres (6 ft 7 in) diameter millstones and was owned by Henin Robert, Lord of Vertain and Angremont.

On 24 vendémiaire 6 (15 October 1798) the mill was sold to a person named Masse,[2] its former owner the Marquis of Aigremont having fled France.

His widow completed outstanding orders and then the mill ceased work to be eventually abandoned.

By 1965, the mill was owned by Georges Delapalme-Baratte and Jeanne Cousin, née Baratte.

In 1973, The International Molinological Society held their third symposium at Arnhem, Gelderland, Netherlands.

A motion was put before the members that the Moulin de Vertain should be saved, and all present signed it.

The Ministry of Cultural Affairs took steps to list the mill, a process that took five years.

The top 1 metre (3 ft 3 in) of the tower was removed and rebuilt, with bricks being replaced as necessary elsewhere.

A new oak main post was cut at the Vrand sawmill in La Flamengrie (Avesnois).

A large iroko tree trunk, containing 15 cubic metres (530 cu ft) of timber was cut at a sawmill in Ghent, East Flanders, Belgium.

[2][3] A new oak windshaft was made, and a new cast iron poll end affixed to it.

The head and tail wheels were made in February and March 1983 and fitted to the windshaft.

Following a break during 1984, the restoration of the mill was completed in 1985 with the fitting of new sails, made by Peel Brothers, Gistel, West Flanders, Belgium.

The other was at Betekom, Flemish Brabant, Belgium, which was later converted to a conventional tower mill.