De Sterrenberg, Nijeveen

De Sterrenberg
De Sterrenberg, June 2008
Origin
Mill name	De Sterrenberg
Mill location	Burgemeester Weimalaan 1, 7948 AL, Nijeveen 52°43′56″N 6°10′06″E / 52.73222°N 6.16833°E / 52.73222; 6.16833
Operator(s)	Gemeente Meppel
Year built	1977
Information
Purpose	Corn mill
Type	Smock mill
Storeys	Three storey smock
Base storeys	Three storey base
Smock sides	Eight sides
Number of sails	Four sails
Type of sails	Patent sails
Windshaft	Wood with cast iron poll end
Winding	Fantail
Fantail blades	Eight blades
Number of pairs of millstones	Two pairs
Size of millstones	1.50 metres (4 ft 11 in) and 1.30 metres (4 ft 3 in) diameter

De Sterrenberg is a smock mill in Nijeveen, Drenthe the Netherlands. It was built in 1977. The mill is listed as a Rijksmonument, number 30957.^[1]

History

The windmill in Nijeveen was demolished in 1928. In the 1970s, it was decided that Nijeveen should have a windmill again, and a search was made for a suitable replacement.^[2] De Sterrenberg was originally built at Weener, Lower Saxony, Germany in 1786. The mill was dismantled in 1976.^[3] The mill is named for its former owners in Germany, the Sterrenberg family. On 13 January 1977, the smock was placed on the new brick base. The millwright responsible for the rebuild was Fabrikaat Schakel of Exmorra, Friesland. The base was built by Fabrikaat Elphenhof of De Wijk.^[2] The official opening ceremony on 11 August 1977 was performed by Prince Claus. The mill was damaged in a storm in March 1995 with various shutters being blown out of the sails.^[3] The mill was repaired by the end of that year. Major repairs to the sails were undertaken in 2002-03.^[2]

Description

For an description of the various items of machinery, see Mill machinery.

De Sterrenberg is what the Dutch describe as an "achtkante stellingmolen". It is a smock mill with a stage on a three storey brick base. The stage is 6.15 metres (20 ft 2 in) above ground level.^[1] The smock and cap are thatched. The cap is winded by a fantail, the only windmill in Drenthe so equipped.^[3] The four Patent sails have a span of 23.00 metres (75 ft 6 in). They are carried in a wooden windshaft with a cast iron poll end. The windshaft also carries the brake wheel, which has 61 cogs. The brake wheel drives the wallower (30 cogs) at the top of the upright shaft. At the bottom of the upright shaft, the great spur wheel, which has 86 cogs, drives the two lantern pinion stone nuts, which have 28 staves each. These drive the millstones. One pair are Cullen stones of 1.30 metres (4 ft 3 in) diameter. The other pair have a French Burr runner stone on a Cullen bedstone, both 1.50 metres (4 ft 11 in) diameter.^[1]

Public access

De Sterrenberg is open every Saturday from 09:00 to 12:30.^[4]

References

1. ^ ^{a b c} "Technische gegevens" (in Dutch). De Hollandsche Molen. http://www.molens.nl/dbase/molen.php?&molenid=337. Retrieved 11 September 2009.  (Click on "Technische gegevens" to view)
2. ^ ^{a b c} "Nijeveen, Drenthe" (in Dutch). Molendatabase. http://www.molendatabase.nl/nederland/molen.php?nummer=20. Retrieved 11 September 2009. 
3. ^ ^{a b c} "Geschiedenis" (in Dutch). De Hollandsche Molen. http://www.molens.nl/dbase/molen.php?&molenid=337. Retrieved 11 September 2009.  (Click on "Geschiedenis" to view)
4. ^ "Korenmolen Sterrenberg" (in Dutch). Focus Communicatie. http://www.molen-sterrenberg.nl/content/. Retrieved 11 September 2009. 

Dutch Rijksmonument 30957