Alde Swarte Molen, Easterlittens

Alde Swarte Molen, Easterlittens
Alde Swarte Molen, September 2009
Origin
Mill name	Alde Swarte Molen
Mill location	Nabij Skrinserdijk 3, 8835 XE Easterlittens
Coordinates	53°07′46″N5°39′24″E / 53.12944°N 5.65667°E / 53.12944; 5.65667 Coordinates: 53°07′46″N5°39′24″E / 53.12944°N 5.65667°E / 53.12944; 5.65667
Operator(s)	Gemeente Littenseradiel
Year built	17th century
Information
Purpose	Drainage mill
Type	Hollow Post mill
Roundhouse storeys	Single storey roundhous
No. of sails	Four sails
Type of sails	Common sails
Windshaft	Wood
Winding	Tailpole and winch
Type of pump	Archimedes' screw

Alde Swarte Molen (English: Old Black Mill) is a Hollow Post mill in Easterlittens, Friesland, Netherlands which has been restored to working order. The mill is listed as a Rijksmonument, number 8531. ^[1]

History

Alde Swarte Molen probably dates from the 17th century. ^[2] It was built to drain the Frankena Polder. Alde Swarte Molen worked until 1961 when the mill lost a sail in a storm. After this an electric motor took over the work of the mill. ^[3] On 2 October 1967, the mill was sold to the Gemeente Baarderadeel for ƒ1. ^[2] In 1969, the mill was restored by millwright De Roos of Leeuwarden. In 1981, a further restoration saw the replacement of the windshaft, sails and Archimedes' screw. ^[3] In 1984, the mill passed to the Gemeente Littenseradiel in a reorganisation of local government in Friesland. ^[2]

Description

For an explanation of the various items of machinery, see Mill machinery.

Alde Swarte Molen is what the Dutch describe as a "Spinnenkopmolen". It is a hollow post mill on a single storey roundhouse. The roundhouse is tiled with pantiles and the body is covered in vertical boards. The mill is winded by tailpole and winch. The sails are Common sails. They have a span of 10.40 metres (34 ft 1 in). The sails are carried on a wooden windshaft. The windshaft also carries the brake wheel which has 34 cogs. This drives the wallower (19 cogs) at the top of the upright shaft. At the bottom of the upright shaft, the crown wheel, which has 28 cogs drives a gearwheel with 27 cogs on the axle of the wooden Archimedes' screw. The axle of the screw is 250 millimetres (9¾ inches) diameter and the screw is 880 millimetres (2 ft 11 in) diameter and 4.12 metres (13 ft 6 in) long. The screw is inclined at 25½°. Each revolution of the screw lifts 150 litres (33 imp gal) of water. ^[3]

References

1. "Technische gegevens" (in Dutch). De Hollandsche Molen. Archived from the original on 27 May 2012. Retrieved 29 January 2010. (Click on "Technische gegevens" to view.)
2. "Easterlittens (Oosterlittens), Friesland" (in Dutch). Molendatabase. Retrieved 29 January 2010.
3. Stichting De Fryske Mole (1995). Friese Molens (in Dutch). Leeuwarden: Friese Pers Boekerij bv. p. 196. ISBN   90-330-1522-6.