Kramersmolen is a hollow

post mill The post mill is the earliest type of European windmill. Its defining feature is that the whole body of the mill that houses the machinery is mounted on a single vertical post, around which it can be turned to bring the sails into the wind. All p ...

Goutum Goutum is a village in the municipality Leeuwarden in the province of Friesland, the Netherlands. It had a population of around 2,945 in January 2017. It is still an independent village, but is surrounded by the city of Leeuwarden on all sides. Th ...

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 ...

which was built in 2002. The mill is listed as a Rijksmonument, number 24508. (Click on "Technische gegevens" to view.)

History

The mill was originally built in the 18th century at Wirdum to drain the Wirdumer Nieuwland polder. At Wirdum, it was also known by the name of ''Old Barrahûs''. It has always formed a pair with ''Molen Hoogland''. (Click on "Geschiedenis" to view.) On 1 March 1949, the cap and sails were blown of in a storm. The mill was soon repaired. The mill was restored in 1968-69. On 30 September 1986, the mill was sold to

Stichting De Fryske Mole The Stichting De Fryske Mole ( en, Frisian Mills Foundation) is a foundation for the preservation of windmills in the Dutch province Friesland, owning 42 of the 124 windmills in Friesland and closely co-operating with the Gild Fryske Mounders with w ...

( en, Frisian Mills Foundation). In 1995, it was moved to Zwette, along with ''Molen Hoogland''. Following the latter mill's destruction by fire in 1999, another site was sought and the mill was moved to Goutum in 2002. The mill was officially re-opened on 24 October 2002. The mill is kept in full working order and held in reserve should it be needed in an emergency.

Description

''Kramersmolen'' is what the Dutch describe as an ''spinnenkop''. It is a hollow post mill on a single storey square roundhouse. The mill is winded by tailpole and winch. The roundhouse and mill body are covered in vertical boards, while the roof of the mill is boarded horizontally. The sails are common sails. They have a span of . The sails are carried on a wooden ''windshaft''. The ''windshaft'' also carries the ''brake wheel'' which has 26 cogs. This drives the ''wallower'' (15 cogs) at the top of the ''upright shaft''. At the bottom of the ''upright shaft'', the ''crown wheel'', which has 26 cogs drives a gearwheel with 25 cogs on the axle of 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 axle of the Archimedes' screw is diameter. The screw is diameter . Each revolution of the screw lifts of water.

Public access

''Kramersmolen'' is open by appointment. (Click on "Informatie" to view.)

References

Windmills in Friesland Windmills completed in 2002 Hollow post mills in the Netherlands Windpumps in the Netherlands Rijksmonuments in Friesland