Overview
De Zwaluw (English: The Swallow) is a smock mill in Hoogeveen, Drenthe, the Netherlands which is working commercially. It is the third mill to stand on this site as two previous mills both burnt down. It was built in 1834 and is listed as a Rijksmonument, No. 22254.
History
The first mill on this site was standing c1714. In 1787 it was burnt down. A new mill was built by Roelof Steenbergen. In 1807, the mill passed to Meeuwes Steenbergen and then to Lucas Quirinus Robaard in 1826. In 1833, the mill was burnt down, leaving the brick base standing. A new mill was built on the old base in 1834 for Lucas Quirinus Robaard and Karsjen Meeuwes Steenbergen.
Description
De Zwaluw is what the Dutch describe as an "achtkante stellingmolen". It is a smock mill with a brick base and a stage. The stage is located at third-storey level, above ground level. The smock and cap are thatched. The four Common sails, which have a span of are carried in a cast-iron windshaft. This was cast by Fabrikaat Prins van Oranje, The Hague in 1867. The windshaft also carries the brake wheel which has 63 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 105 cogs drives two pairs of millstones via lantern pinion stone nuts each having 34 staves. One pair of millstones are French Burr stones of diameter and the other pair are Cullen stones of diameter. A third pair of millstones are no longer in use. A fourth pair is driven by an electric motor.
Millers
;1st mill *Roelof Steenbergen 1716-87 ;2nd mill *Roelof Steenbergen 1787-1807 *Meeuwes Steenbergen 1807-26 *Lucas Quirinus Robaard 1826-33 ;De Zwaluw *Lucas Quirinus Robaard 1834-35 *Meeuwes Robaard 1835-1906 *Koop Robaard 1906-27 *C. Thomas 1927-38 *Jacob Thomas 1938-75, 1980–91 *Bert van Uffelen 1980-2003 *H. Valkenhoff 1983 - date *J. N. J. Vondeling 2003 - date. *A. Mulder 2006 - date Reference for above:-
Public access
De Zwaluw is open to the public on Thursday from 09:30 to 12:30 and on Saturdays from 09:30 to 12:30, or when the mill is working.