Vuorentaka Manor Mill, Halikko

A wind-powered mill in Finland.

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This mill was given to the parish by the owner, the late Count Carl Gustaf Armfelt, and is properly preserved. It has four sails, twin tail poles, an elongated hexagonal penthouse cap, of which both the roof and the petticoat are boarded, and a shingled tower which is approximately 18 ft. across inside at ground floor level and 10 ft. diameter at the curb. There are no sheers and the cap frame is similar to some of the Kentish mills, notably Cranbrook, while the cant-posts are barked tree trunks. The windshaft is built up of four pieces of timber with two iron rings wedged on at the tail, four more at the poll, and one behind the neck journal. It is 22 in. square at the clasp-arm head-wheel and there is no brake. The clasp-arm wallower is planked solid and has four diagonal braces down to the 14 in. diameter upright shaft. On the top floor is a hand sack hoist with a wooden ratchet; it is operated with a rope. At the bottom of the upright shaft is an iron crank which was used to work a shingle making machine. The clasp arm great spur wheel is also braced from below to the upright shaft and drives two wooden stone nuts supported on wooden bridgetrees, which are adjusted with wooden wedges. The two pairs of stones on the first floor are of red granite, 3 ft. 10 in. diameter, with round vats, hoppers with curved sides, and no bind. Behind the mill is a corn store of which the upper floor was used in summers as a girls' dormitory, with a retractable ladder raised at night.

Full details

References

• Wailes, Rex, & Auvo Hirsjärvi, "Finnish Mills Part II: Mamsel or Smock Mills", (Transactions of the Newcomen Society, 43, 1970-1971, pp.113-128)

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