Cornwerdermolen

The Cornwerdermolen is a smock mill in Cornwerd, Friesland, Netherlands, which has been restored to working order. The mill is listed as Rijksmonument number 39329.^[1]

Cornwerdermolen
De Cornwerdermolen, September 2008
Origin
Mill name	De Cornwerdermolen
Mill location	Sotterruimerdijk 13, 8753 JA Cornwerd, Netherlands
Coordinates	53°04′46″N 5°24′06″E
Operator(s)	Wetterskip Fryslân
Year built	1907
Information
Purpose	Drainage mill
Type	Smock mill
Storeys	Three-storey smock
Base storeys	One-storey base
Smock sides	Eight sides
No. of sails	Four sails
Type of sails	Patent sails
Windshaft	Cast iron
Winding	Tailpole and winch
Type of pump	Archimedes' screw

History

The Cornwerdermolen was built in 1907 by millwright J H Westra of Franeker. The mill originally drained two polders, each via a separate Archimedes' screw.^[2] Five windmills were put out of work by the construction of the Cornwerdermolen and were demolished.^[3] The smaller of the two screws was later removed. The mill was restored in 1969.^[2] it worked until 13 November 1972,^[3] when it lost two sails in a storm. Thereafter the work of the mill was done by an Archimedes' screw driven by a tractor. The tractor was later replaced by an electric motor.^[2] The mill was restored in 1999. It is the most westerly windmill in Friesland.^[4]

Description

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

The Cornwerdermolen is a three-storey smock mill on a single-storey base. There is no stage, the sails reaching almost to the ground. The mill is winded by tailpole and winch. The four Patent sails, which have a span of 20.00 metres (65 ft 7 in), are carried in a cast-iron windshaft which was cast by H J Koning, Foxham, Groningen in 1907. The mill in winded by a tailpole and winch. The windshaft also carries the brake wheel which has 59 cogs. This drives the wallower (34 cogs) at the top of the upright shaft. At the bottom of the upright shaft, the crown wheel (103 cogs) drives the Archimedes' screw via a gearwheel with 37 cogs. The axle of the Archimedes' screw is 715 millimetres (2 ft 4 in) diameter and the Archimedes' screw is 1.52 metres (5 ft 0 in) diameter. It is 4.63 metres (15 ft 2 in) long, inclined at 19½°. Each turn of the screw lifts 1,147 litres (252 imp gal) of water.^[2]

Public access

The Cornwerdermolen is open to the public by appointment.^[5]