De Wielewaal, Beneden-Leeuwen

De Wielewaal (English: The Mule) is a tower mill in Beneden-Leeuwen, Gelderland, Netherlands which was built in 1857 and is in working order. The mill is listed as a Rijksmonument.

De Wielewaal, Beneden-Leeuwen
The mill in September 2010
Origin
Mill name	De Wielewaal
Mill location	Molenlaan 10, 6658 BP, Beneden-Leeuwen
Coordinates	51°52′55″N 5°30′41″E
Operator(s)	Gemeente West Maas en Waal
Year built	1857
Information
Purpose	Corn mill
Type	Tower mill
Storeys	Six storeys
No. of sails	Four sails
Type of sails	Common sails
Windshaft	cast iron
Winding	Tailpole and winch
Auxiliary power	Diesel engine and electric motor
No. of pairs of millstones	Two pairs, plus one pair of engine driven stones and one pair driven by electric motor
Size of millstones	Two pairs 1.60 metres (5 ft 3 in) diameter, one pair 1.30 metres (4 ft 3 in) diameter, one pair 80 centimetres (2 ft 7 in) diameter

History

De Wielewaal was built in 1857. It is similar in construction to Zeldenrust, Oss and De Nijverheid, Ravenstein. The three mills were probably built by the same millwright. In the 1930s, improvements were made to the mill. The speed of the millstones was increased by introducing smaller stone nuts. The mill was restored in 1967. In 1999, repairs were done to the sails and stage. The mill was sold to the Gemeente West Maas en Waal in 2002. It is listed as a Rijksmonument, № 38428.[1]

Description

De Wielewaal is what the Dutch call a "Stellingmolen". It is a six storey tower mill with a stage. The stage is 9.70 metres (31 ft 10 in) above ground level.[2] The cap is covered in dakleer. The sails are Common sails, which have a span of 25.50 metres (83 ft 8 in). They are carried on a cast iron windshaft. The windshaft also carries the brake wheel, which has 65 cogs. This drives a wallower with 32 teeth, which is situated at the top of the upright shaft. At the bottom of the upright shaft is the great spur wheel, which has 77 cogs. This drives a pair of 1.60 metres (5 ft 3 in) diameter Cullen millstones via a lantern pinion stone nut with 22 staves and a pair of 1.60 metres (5 ft 3 in) diameter French Burr millstones via a lantern pinion stone nut with 23 staves. A 1916 Brons diesel engine drives a pair of 1.30 metres (4 ft 3 in) French Burr stones and an electric motor drives a pair of 80 centimetres (2 ft 7 in) French Burr stones.[1]

Public access

The mill is generally open on Sunday afternoon.[1] or by appointment.[3]

References

Dutch Rijksmonument 38248

1. "Beneden-Leeuwen, Gelderland" (in Dutch). Molendatabase. Retrieved 24 October 2014.
2. "De Wielewaal te Beneden-Leeuwen, Over de Molen" (in Dutch). De Hollandsche Molen. Archived from the original on 25 October 2014. Retrieved 23 October 2014.
3. "De Wielewaal te Beneden-Leeuwen, Contact" (in Dutch). De Hollandsche Molen. Archived from the original on 25 October 2014. Retrieved 25 October 2014.