De Borgmolen is a smock mill in Grou, Friesland

Friesland

Friesland is a province in the north of the Netherlands and part of the ancient region of Frisia.Until the end of 1996, the province bore Friesland as its official name. In 1997 this Dutch name lost its official status to the Frisian Fryslân...

, Netherlands

Netherlands

The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...

 which was built in 2008. Although not in full working order, it can turn in the wind. It is listed as a Rijksmonument

Rijksmonument

A rijksmonument is a National Heritage Site of the Netherlands, listed by the agency Rijksdienst voor het Cultureel Erfgoed acting for the Dutch Ministry of Education, Culture and Science.-History and criteria:...

, number 22916.

History

De Borgmolen was originally built in 1895 to drain the De Nije Borgkrite polder. It was worked until 1952 when a windmotor

Windpump

A windpump is a windmill used for pumping water, either as a source of fresh water from wells, or for draining low-lying areas of land. Once a common fixture on farms in semi-arid areas, windpumps are still used today where electric power is not available or too expensive.-History:Windmills were...

 replaced it. In 1954, an electric motor took over. In 1955, the mill was advertised for sale to be demlished. The local council offered the Province a 20% subsidy towards the cost of buying and restoring the mill. It cost ƒ3,900 to restore the mill, which is now owned by the Gemeente Boarnsterhim. A restoration of the mill was undertaken in 1975. The mill suffered from subsidence and the sails were removed in October 2003. It was decided to restore the mill at a new location, and it was dismantled in February 2008. The mill was moved 200 metres (218.7 yd) to the Biggemeer. it was officially opened on 16 October 2008.

Description

De Borgmolen is what the Dutch describe as an grondzeiler. It is a smock mill on a single storey brick base. The mill is winded by tailpole and winch. The smock and cap are thatched. The sails are Common sails. They have a span of 14.7 metre. The sails are carried on a wooden windshaft. The windshaft also carries the brake wheel which has 54 cogs. This drives the wallower (25 cogs) at the top of the upright shaft. At the bottom of the upright shaft, the crown wheel, which has 33 cogs formerly drove a wooden Archimedes screw, which is now missing.