The Klaarkampstermeermolen or Klaarkampstermolen is a

polder A polder () is a low-lying tract of land that forms an artificial hydrological entity, enclosed by embankments known as dikes. The three types of polder are: # Land reclaimed from a body of water, such as a lake or the seabed # Flood plains s ...

windmill A windmill is a structure that converts wind power into rotational energy using vanes called windmill sail, sails or blades, specifically to mill (grinding), mill grain (gristmills), but the term is also extended to windpumps, wind turbines, and ...

Rinsumageast Rinsumageast ( nl, Rinsumageest) is a village in the Dantumadiel municipality of Friesland, the Netherlands. It had a population of around 965 in 2017. The village is locally called ''De Geest'' (Dutch) or ''De Geast''Gildemacher, Karel F. (2007). ...

Friesland Friesland (, ; official fry, Fryslân ), historically and traditionally known as Frisia, is a province of the Netherlands located in the country's northern part. It is situated west of Groningen, northwest of Drenthe and Overijssel, north of ...

the Netherlands ) , anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau") , image_map = , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands , established_title = Before independence , established_date = Spanish Netherl ...

. Built in 1862 the

smock mill The smock mill is a type of windmill that consists of a sloping, horizontally weatherboarded, thatched, or shingled tower, usually with six or eight sides. It is topped with a roof or cap that rotates to bring the sails into the wind. This type ...

was relocated to its current position in 1893 and has been restored several times. Worked by volunteers it still drains the Klaarkampstermeer as of 2022. The mill is listed as a

Rijksmonument A rijksmonument (, ) is a national heritage site of the Netherlands, listed by the agency Rijksdienst voor het Cultureel Erfgoed (RCE) acting for the Dutch Ministry of Education, Culture and Science. At the end of February 2015, the Netherlands ...

since 1970 and can be visited by appointment.

History

''De Klaarkampstermeermolen'' was originally built in 1862 at the Juckemavaart canal. It was moved to its current site in 1893 to drain the Klaarkampstermeer. The mill was restored in 1975 and an electric pump was installed. During a further restoration in 1991 the wooden windshaft was replaced by a

cast iron Cast iron is a class of iron–carbon alloys with a carbon content more than 2%. Its usefulness derives from its relatively low melting temperature. The alloy constituents affect its color when fractured: white cast iron has carbide impuriti ...

one, cast by Gieterij Hardinxveld of

Hardinxveld-Giessendam Hardinxveld-Giessendam () is a municipality in the western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland. It is located about 10 km east of Dordrecht, on the river Beneden-Merwede. The municipality had a population of in and covers an area ...

South Holland South Holland ( nl, Zuid-Holland ) is a province of the Netherlands with a population of over 3.7 million as of October 2021 and a population density of about , making it the country's most populous province and one of the world's most densely ...

. A further restoration was undertaken in 2009. The mill is listed as a Rijksmonument, №11695.

Description

''De Klaarkampstermeermolen'' is a ''grondzeiler'', the mill can be set to the wind from the ground: as the sails almost touch the ground no stage is needed. It is a two-storey smock mill on a single-storey brick base. The mill is set to the wind by tailpole and winch. The smock and cap are

thatch Thatching is the craft of building a roof with dry vegetation such as straw, water reed, sedge (''Cladium mariscus''), rushes, heather, or palm branches, layering the vegetation so as to shed water away from the inner roof. Since the bulk of ...

ed. The

common sails Common may refer to: Places * Common, a townland in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland * Boston Common, a central public park in Boston, Massachusetts * Cambridge Common, common land area in Cambridge, Massachusetts * Clapham Common, originally com ...

sit on wings with a span. The windshaft carries the 47 cogs ''brake wheel'' that drives the ''wallower'' (24 cogs) at the top of the ''upright shaft'' that has two ''crown wheels'' at the bottom end called the upper and the lower crown wheel. The upper ''crown wheel'' has 35 cogs and drives an

Archimedes' screw The Archimedes screw, also known as the Archimedean screw, hydrodynamic screw, water screw or Egyptian screw, is one of the earliest hydraulic machines. Using Archimedes screws as water pumps (Archimedes screw pump (ASP) or screw pump) dates back ...

. The lower ''crown wheel'', which has 34 cogs is carried on the axle of an Archimedes' screw that drains the Klaarkampstermeer polder. The axle of the screw is diameter and long. The diameter screw is inclined at 25.7° and each revolution lifts of water.

Visiting

As per 2020 the Klaarkampstermeermolen was open to the public by appointment and on the first Saturday morning of each month.

References

{{Dantumadiel Windmills in Friesland Windmills completed in 1893 Smock mills in the Netherlands Windpumps in the Netherlands Agricultural buildings in the Netherlands Rijksmonuments in Friesland Octagonal buildings in the Netherlands