| De Bente | |
|---|---|
 De Bente, February 2008 | |
 | |
| Origin | |
| Mill name | De Bente |
| Mill location | De Bente 40, 7751 GM Dalen |
| Coordinates | 52°41′17″N6°45′05″E / 52.68806°N 6.75139°E /52.68806; 6.75139 |
| Operator(s) | GemeenteCoevorden |
| Year built | 1814 |
| Information | |
| Purpose | Corn mill |
| Type | Smock mill |
| Storeys | Three-storey smock |
| Base storeys | Two-storey base |
| Smock sides | Eight sides |
| No. of sails | Four sails |
| Type of sails | Common sails |
| Windshaft | Cast iron |
| Winding | Tailpole |
| No. of pairs of millstones | Three pairs |
| Size of millstones | Two pairs are 1.50 metres (4 ft 11 in) diameter each |
De Bente is asmock mill inDalen,Netherlands. It was built in 1814. The mill has been restored to full working order. It is listed as aRijksmonument, number 44563[1]
De Bente was built in 1814. It replaced a mill that had been burnt down on 12 December 1813,[1] through the actions ofCossacks attacking theFrench garrison in Coevorden. This was apost mill, the earliest type of Europeanwindmill.[2] De Bente worked until 1944 when two sails were lost. The other pair of sails were lost in 1957. The mill was later demolished, leaving the base which was incorporated into a modern mill.[3] It was restored in 1977 bymillwright J D Medendorp ofZuidlaren.[4] A new smock was built on the existing base. Machinery from a demolished windmill atGroßheide,Lower Saxony,Germany was incorporated. In 1994, miller Hans Petit rented the mill, and had it restored to working order. In 2001, a third pair of millstones was installed. The mill produces about three tonnes offlour a week by windpower.[3]
De Bente is what the Dutch describe as an "achtkante stellingmolen", an eight-sided smock mill with a stage. The stage is 4.10 metres (13 ft 5 in) above ground level.[5] The mill has a three-storey smock on a two-storey base. The smock and cap arethatched.[6] The Common sails have a span of 22.00 metres (72 ft 2 in). They are carried on a cast-ironwindshaft dating from 1866,[5] which originally came from a windmill atKoekange and has been shortened.[4] It was cast by the millwrights Enthoven ofThe Hague.[3] The wooden clasp armBrake wheel has 60 cogs. It drives thewallower at the top of theupright shaft. Thewallower has 33 cogs. At the bottom of theupright shaft, thegreat spur wheel with 115 cogs drives two lantern pinionstone nuts, each with 33 staves.[1] There are two pairs ofmillstones which are 1.50 metres (4 ft 11 in) diameter. One pair are of Cullen stones, the other pair have a Cullen runner stone on a French Burr bedstone.[5] A third pair of stones was added in 2001.[3]
Reference for above:-[3]
De Bente is open on Wednesdays and Thursdays from 13:00 to 17:00, on Saturdays from 10:00 to 17:00 and at other times by appointment.[7]
