Vieux Moulins: Energies d'autrefois
Full details
| English title | Old Mills. Energies of Old |
| Authors & editors | |
| Languages | French (main text) |
| Medium | Book |
| Edition | 1 |
| Topics | |
| Tags | |
| Scope & content | A guide to old mills across various regions of South-Western France. The book looks at different themes/ types of mills in different locations. Includes a map of the mills of South Western France. The first section discusses paper mills and forges/ foundries in the Perigord and Angoumois provinces of this area of France. Includes a map detailing various types of mill; including windmill and tanning mills. Includes the historical background of this area including Eleanor of Aquitaine and Henry II. Includes information on specific mills and foundries including la forge de Savignac-Lédrier. Discusses the history of each type of mill, including the history of water power, shown in diagrams and photographs. Includes a step-by-step guide to paper making in Angoumois. The second section discusses windmills and watermills in Quercy and Lot Valley (Vallée du Lot). Includes a map showing where each type of mill was located and what it was used for in this area. Includes information on the geographical nature and benefits of the areas and how this helped the industries to develop. This section also discusses why windmills were the most popular type of mill in this area; why farmers and mill workers preferred using them for producing grain. However, many windmills were reasonably mistreated and fell to disrepair; gives details on many that were restored. This includes a mill in the Sud de Cahors, named Cieurac; a restored mill that suffered many problems in restoring its mechanisms due to calculation errors. Discusses the importance of millwrights and workers, as they often constructed mills from scratch as well as worked in them. The section goes on to discuss watermills that were used in areas such as Quercy, for grinding grain as well as for textile production. Gives information on textile production including materials for sheets and wool. Gives information on textile production including material for sheets, and wool. Discusses the harshness of the industry. Includes a chapter on a walnut oil mill; various locations of walnut oil mills in the South-West regions of France, from the Charentes to the Pyrenees. Includes a step-by-step guide to its production; from breaking the shells open; using water power and producing the oil. The third discusses fortified mills in Armagnac, Gascogne, Landes and Bazadais. Includes a map of all mills in the region. Includes information on the source of hydraulic power in Armagnac and Aquitaine. Gives information on individual mills in the area including the Moulin des Hospitaliers in Pondaurat in Bazadais, (hospital mill) used by monks, and other religious people, to treat the “feu de Saint Antoine,” a fever. A water mill is believed to have been built near to this site at the end of the eighteenth century, a few years after this. The last section discusses energy close to its sources in Toulouse in the Pyrenees, by Lauragais (an area in South-Western France, close to Toulouse and Lannemezan, a commune in the Hautes-Pyrénées department and the Occitanie region in south-western France. Includes a map of the different types of mills in the area. Discusses individual mills; including the Moulin de Nagasse, Includes information on the variations of some mills, with some built in a ‘local’ style, with some mechanical and structural differences to mills found elsewhere. Discusses their history, development and alterations. Includes images, illustrations and floor plans of the mills. |
Copies held
Accession no. 230434
- Shelf location: C111-DUF
- Donor: Michael Harverson
- Advance notice required to view in person
Pictures
