21 Aug, 2019
By, Wikipedia
Monnikenburenmolen, Nijhuizum
History
A mill was situated in this location in 1832. Originally it was equipped with a scoop wheel outside the mill. Later this was replaced by an Archimedes' screw. Before 1940 the mill body was removed and the screw was powered by a diesel engine placed in the substructure, which was replaced by an electric motor some time before 1970. In 1994 the remnants of the mill would have been demolished if mill enthusiasts had not prevented it. Molenstichting Nijefurd became owner of the mill in 2003. It was restored to working order in 2008.
Description
The Monnikenburenmolen or Nijhuizumermolen is what the Dutch describe as a "spinnenkop" (English: spiderhead mill). It is a small hollow post mill winded by a winch. The four common sails have a span of 13.60 metres (44 ft 7 in) and are carried on a wooden windshaft. The brake wheel on the windshaft drives the wallower at the top of the upright shaft in the weatherboarded body, which passed through the main post into the octagonal, thatched substructure. At the bottom of the upright shaft, the crown wheel drives the Archimedes' screw. The screw is 1 metre (3 ft 3 in) in diameter.
Public access
The mill is open to the public by appointment on Saturday afternoons. It is easily accessible by a footpath leading to the mill from the public road.
References
- ^ "Nijhuizum, Fryslân" (in Dutch). Nederlandse Molendatabase. Retrieved 2012-03-22.
- ^ "Molenbestand: De Monnikenburenmolen of Nijhuizumer Molen te Nijhuizum" (in Dutch). De Hollandsche Molen. Archived from the original on 2014-12-31. Retrieved 2012-03-22.