Meerswal, Lollum
Encyclopedia
Meerswal is a smock mill in Lollum
, Friesland
, Netherlands
which was built in 1903. The mill has been restored to working order and held is reserve for use in times of emergency. It is listed as a Rijksmonument
, number 39364.
, which covers 1570 hectares (3,879.6 acre). On 3 November 1970, the sails and windshaft were blown out of the mill in a storm. A 24V
electric motor powered by batteries was installed in the mill to drive the Archimedes screw. On 21 June 1977, the mill was sold to Stichting de Fryske Mole (Frisian Mills Society). Meerswal was restored in 1978-79 by millwright
Westra of Franeker
. At that time, Common sails were fitted. The mill was refitted with Patent sails at a later date. In 1994, millwright Hiemstra of Tzummarum
replaced the Archimedes screw and restored the watercourses. In 2006, the mill was officially listed by Wetterskip Fryslân as being held in reserve for use in times of emergency.
), Franeker. It was fitted to Meerswal after De Haan was dismantled in 1912. The windshaft also carries the brake wheel which has 57 cogs. This drives the wallower (29 cogs) at the top of the upright shaft. At the bottom of the upright shaft the crown wheel, which has 42 cogs drives a gearwheel with 37 cogs on the axle of the Archimedes screw. A spur wheel with 63 cogs on the upright shaft is driven by a lantern pinion with 19 staves which receives the belt drive from the battery driven electric motor. The axle of the Archimedes screw is 490 millimetre diameter. The screw is 1.68 metre diameter. It is inclined at 22½°. Each revolution of the screw lifts 1255 litres (276.1 imp gal) of water.
Lollum
Lollum is a village in Wûnseradiel in the province Friesland of the Netherlands and has around 400 citizens . A restored windmill, Meerswal stands in the village....
, Friesland
Friesland
Friesland is a province in the north of the Netherlands and part of the ancient region of Frisia.Until the end of 1996, the province bore Friesland as its official name. In 1997 this Dutch name lost its official status to the Frisian Fryslân...
, Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
which was built in 1903. The mill has been restored to working order and held is reserve for use in times of emergency. It is listed as a Rijksmonument
Rijksmonument
A rijksmonument is a National Heritage Site of the Netherlands, listed by the agency Rijksdienst voor het Cultureel Erfgoed acting for the Dutch Ministry of Education, Culture and Science.-History and criteria:...
, number 39364.
History
The first mill on this site was built in 1818. It burnt down in 1902. Meerswal was built in 1903. It drained the Rûgelollum polderPolder
A polder is a low-lying tract of land enclosed by embankments known as dikes, that forms an artificial hydrological entity, meaning it has no connection with outside water other than through manually-operated devices...
, which covers 1570 hectares (3,879.6 acre). On 3 November 1970, the sails and windshaft were blown out of the mill in a storm. A 24V
Volt
The volt is the SI derived unit for electric potential, electric potential difference, and electromotive force. The volt is named in honor of the Italian physicist Alessandro Volta , who invented the voltaic pile, possibly the first chemical battery.- Definition :A single volt is defined as the...
electric motor powered by batteries was installed in the mill to drive the Archimedes screw. On 21 June 1977, the mill was sold to Stichting de Fryske Mole (Frisian Mills Society). Meerswal was restored in 1978-79 by millwright
Millwright
A millwright is a craftsman or tradesman engaged with the construction and maintenance of machinery.Early millwrights were specialist carpenters who erected machines used in agriculture, food processing and processing lumber and paper...
Westra of Franeker
Franeker
Franeker is one of the eleven historical cities of Friesland and capital of the municipality of Franekeradeel. It is located about 20 km west of Leeuwarden on the Van Harinxma Canal. As of 1 January 2006, it had 12,996 inhabitants. The city is famous for the Eisinga Planetarium from around...
. At that time, Common sails were fitted. The mill was refitted with Patent sails at a later date. In 1994, millwright Hiemstra of Tzummarum
Tzummarum
Tzummarum is a small village in Franekeradeel in the province Friesland of the Netherlands and has around the 1340 citizens ....
replaced the Archimedes screw and restored the watercourses. In 2006, the mill was officially listed by Wetterskip Fryslân as being held in reserve for use in times of emergency.
Description
Meerswal is what the Dutch describe as a Grondzeiler. It is a three storey smock mill on a single storey base. There is no stage, the sails reaching almost to ground level. The mill is winded by tailpole and winch. The smock and cap are thatched. The sails are Patent sails. They have a span of 22 metre. The sails are carried on a cast iron windshaft. which was cast by Prins van Oranje, 's Gravenhage, Zuid Holland in 1892. This was originally installed in the saw mill De Haan (The RoosterRooster
A rooster, also known as a cockerel, cock or chanticleer, is a male chicken with the female being called a hen. Immature male chickens of less than a year's age are called cockerels...
), Franeker. It was fitted to Meerswal after De Haan was dismantled in 1912. The windshaft also carries the brake wheel which has 57 cogs. This drives the wallower (29 cogs) at the top of the upright shaft. At the bottom of the upright shaft the crown wheel, which has 42 cogs drives a gearwheel with 37 cogs on the axle of the Archimedes screw. A spur wheel with 63 cogs on the upright shaft is driven by a lantern pinion with 19 staves which receives the belt drive from the battery driven electric motor. The axle of the Archimedes screw is 490 millimetre diameter. The screw is 1.68 metre diameter. It is inclined at 22½°. Each revolution of the screw lifts 1255 litres (276.1 imp gal) of water.