Doris Mooltsje is a drainage mill near the village of Oudega,

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 ...

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 ...

. It is a hollow post windmill of the type called ''spinnenkop'' by the Dutch. The mill is listed as a Rijksmonument, number 527647 and has been restored to working order in 1998.

History

An inscription found on the substructure dates the mill to before 1790, making it one of the oldest still existing drainage mills in Friesland. It was named ''Doris Mooltsje'' after the last owner, Doris Hoekstra. In 1934 the windmill was partly dismantled, only the substructure was kept to house a pumping station. A re-allotment project made it superfluous and the remnants of the mill were to be torn down. ''Stichting Doris Mooltsje'' was founded in 1992 in an attempt to save and restore the windmill. The restoration project encountered a setback when the provincial government refused to put the mill on the provincial list of monuments, thereby creating difficulties in obtaining the necessary funds. Much work was done by volunteer labour to save costs on hiring a millwright. The mill was officially reopened in 1998.

Description

''Doris Mooltsje'' 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 , making it one of the largest of its type. (Only flourmill De Vlijt with a span of and the Roekmolen, span are larger). The sails are carried on a wooden ''windshaft''. The ''brake wheel'' on the windshaft drives the ''wallower'' at the top of the ''upright shaft'' in the body, which passed through the main post into the substructure. At the bottom of the ''upright shaft'', the ''crown wheel'' drives the

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 screw is in diameter and raises the water . The body (called head on a spinnenkop) is weatherboarded, the octagonal substructure is covered with slate tiles and rests on a brick base.

Public access

The mill is open to the public on most Saturdays and by appointment. It is located on the bank of the lake Oudegaaster Brekken next to a recreational bicycle path.

References

{{Dutch Windmills

External links

Website Doris Mooltsje (Dutch)
Windmills in Friesland Hollow post mills in the Netherlands Rijksmonuments in Friesland