De Berk, Drenthe Explained

De Berk
Name Of Mill:De Berk
Location Of Mill:Berkenrode 4, 7884 TR, Barger-Compascuum
Coordinates:52.7548°N 7.0303°W
Operator:Stichting Veenpark
Built:1983
Purpose:Corn Mill
Type:Smock mill
Storeys:Two-storey smock
Base Storeys:Two-storey base
Smock Sides:Eight sides
Sail Number:Four sails
Sail Type:Common sails
Windshaft:Wood with cast iron poll end
Winding:tailpole
Pairs Of Millstones:One pair
Stone Size:1.7m (05.6feet)

De Berk (English: The Birch) is a smock mill in Barger-Compascuum, Netherlands. It was built in 1983.

History

De Berk was originally built c. 1850 at Drantum, Lower Saxony, Germany. It was rebuilt after a fire in 1870.[1] The mill was last worked commercially in 1952. In 1979, the mill was brought to the Netherlands by miller H E A Bokkers, of Overijssel. The mill was erected in the Veenpark, Barger-Compascuum in 1983. It was erected near the site of a mill which had been demolished in 1936.[1] As of summer 2009, the mill is not in full working order, as repairs are required.[2]

Description

De Berk is what the Dutch describe as an "achtkant stellingmolen", an eight-sided smock mill with a stage. It is a two-storey smock mill on a two-storey brick base. The stage is at first-floor level, it is 3.2m (10.5feet) above ground level. The smock and cap are thatched. The four Common sails have a span of 21.5m (70.5feet). The wooden windshaft with a cast-iron poll end carries a brake wheel which has 62 cogs.[3] This drives the wallower at the top of the upright shaft. The wallower has 34 cogs. The great spur wheel, at the lower end of the upright shaft has 100 cogs. This drives the lantern pinion stone nut with 37 staves. The millstones are driven overdrift.[2] They are 1.7m (05.6feet) diameter.[3]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Geschiedenis . . nl . 12 August 2009 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110724162252/http://www.molens.nl/dbase/molen.php?&molenid=1232 . 24 July 2011 . dead . (Click on "Geschiedenis" to view)
  2. Web site: Barger Compascuum, Drenthe . Molendatabase . nl . 12 August 2009.
  3. Web site: Technische gegevens . De Hollandsche Molen . nl . 12 August 2009 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110724162252/http://www.molens.nl/dbase/molen.php?&molenid=1232 . 24 July 2011 . dead . (Click on "Technische gegevens" to view)