Mostert's Mill (Afrikaans: Mostert se Meul) is a historic windmill in Mowbray, Cape Town, South Africa. It was built in 1796 and was, until it was gutted in a wildfire on 18 April 2021, the oldest surviving complete windmill in South Africa. The fire had started on Table Mountain and spread, severely damaging a number of buildings. The oldest windmill in South Africa is the De Nieuwe Molen mill in Cape Town, built in 1782.
The mill was built around 1796 as a private mill on the farm 'Welgelegen', owned by Gysbert van Renen and was named after his son-in-law, Sybrand Mostert, after Van Renen's death.[1] It was the first privately owned mill in Cape Town, Cape Colony. Prior to the British occupation of the Cape in the Battle of Muizenberg in 1795, only mills controlled by the Dutch East India Company were allowed. Mostert's Mill had ceased working by 1873[2] but was owned by the Mostert family until 1889, when it was sold to a Mr Wilks, who sold it in 1891 to Cecil Rhodes. The mill became derelict but a restoration was undertaken by the Dutch millwright Christiaan Bremer. The restored mill was opened on 1 February 1936 by Dr Lorentz, the Minister Plenipotentiary and Envoy Extraordinary to the Netherlands. The ceremony was attended by the Prime Minister, General Hertzog, and flour was ground for the guests.[1]
The mill was worked on occasion but it again became derelict during the Second World War.[2] In 1986, the windshaft broke and the sails crashed to the ground.[3] The Vernacular Architecture Society of South Africa started a campaign to preserve the mill, leading to the formation of the Friends of Mostert's Mill in 1993.[2] A further restoration in 1995 by Dunning-Bremer (who restored the mill in 1935) returned the mill to working order again at a cost of R245,000.[4]
On 18 April 2021, the mill was gutted in a fire that had started on Table Mountain and destroyed several buildings, including one of the libraries of the University of Cape Town.[5][6] The fire also destroyed four thatched houses behind the mill. At the time of the fire, Mostert's Mill was South Africa's oldest working mill.[7]
By March 2023, it was reported that the mill had been almost completely restored following the fire of April 2021. The restoration had been undertaken by the Friends of Mostert's Mill, a non-profit organisation.[8]
Descriptionedit
Burnt-out ruin of Mostert's Mill following the 2021 Table Mountain FireMostert's Mill in the 1900s, showing the original wooden poll end on the windshaft
For an explanation of the various items of machinery, see Mill machinery.
Mostert's Mill is a three-storey tower mill. The tower is 7.94 metres (26 ft 1 in) in diameter externally at ground level and 6.68 metres (21 ft 11 in) high. It was constructed of random stone for the first 2.28 metres (7 ft 6 in) and then unbaked bricks above. The walls are 1.15 metres (3 ft 9 in) thick at ground level, giving the mill an internal diameter of 5.64 metres (18 ft 6 in).[9]
Before the 2021 fire, the cap was of a truncated cone shape and covered by thatch.[1] The mill had four common sails and was winded by a tailpole.[10] The four, modern, common sails followed the Dutch tradition, as there was no surviving sail to copy when Bremer restored the mill in 1935.[11] Those fitted at the 1935 restoration were 6.00 metres (19 ft 8 in) long and 1.75 metres (5 ft 9 in) wide, fitted with a windboard on the leading edge. Such a feature was not to be found on other South African windmills.[12] The sails, which had a span of 14.45 metres (47 ft 5 in), were carried on a teak windshaft.[9] This was fitted with a cast iron poll end in 1935, because the terminus of the wooden shaft had rotted. Contemporary South African windmills all had wooden windshafts, apart from one of the Salt River windmills, which had an iron cross.[12] A replacement windshaft made of iroko was fitted in 1995.[9] The windshaft carried a clasp arm brake wheel,[13] which had a diameter of 770 millimetres (2 ft 6 in) and had 47 cogs.[9] It drove the single pair of millstones,[13] via a lantern pinion stone nut,[14] which had 16 staves. The millstones comprised the original runner stone and a non-original bedstone. The latter was a Cullen stone installed in 1935 and came from a windmill at Leens, Groningen, Netherlands.[9]
Location and accessedit
Mostert's Mill is situated on the M3 close to the University of Cape Town on the slopes of Devil's Peak where it was a prominent landmark. The Friends of Mostert's Mill operated the mill and it was open to the public on one Saturday a month between 10:00 and 14:30.[15]
^ abc"A brief history of Mostert's Mill". Friends of Mostert's Mill. Retrieved 26 June 2011.
^"Restoration 1935". Friends of Mostert's Mill. Retrieved 26 June 2011.
^"Restoration 1995". Friends of Mostert's Mill. Retrieved 26 June 2011.
^Naidoo, Yasantha; Hyman, Aron. "Two firefighters hospitalised as Cape Town heritage gems including Mostert Mill and UCT library gutted". Cape Times. Retrieved 18 April 2021.
^"Table Mountain fire 'burns out of control' in Cape Town". BBC News Online. Retrieved 18 April 2021.
^"Two firefighters hospitalised as Cape Town heritage gems including Mostert Mill and UCT library gutted". TimesLIVE.
^Steyn, Daniel. "Mostert se Meul herrys uit die as". Maroela Media (in Afrikaans). Maroela Media. Retrieved 9 March 2023.
^ abcde"Mill specifications and notes". Friends of Mostert's Mill. Retrieved 26 June 2011.
^"Opening times". Friends of Mostert's Mill. Retrieved 26 June 2011.
Sourcesedit
Walton, James (1974). Water-mills windmills and horse mills of South Africa. Cape Town and Johannesburg: C Struik. ISBN0-86977-040-3.
External linksedit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Mostert's Mill.
Friends of Mostert's Mill
News report with video of the burnt mill
Detailed drawings of Mostert's mill
April 15, 2024
mostert, mill, afrikaans, mostert, meul, historic, windmill, mowbray, cape, town, south, africa, built, 1796, until, gutted, wildfire, april, 2021, oldest, surviving, complete, windmill, south, africa, fire, started, table, mountain, spread, severely, damaging. Mostert s Mill Afrikaans Mostert se Meul is a historic windmill in Mowbray Cape Town South Africa It was built in 1796 and was until it was gutted in a wildfire on 18 April 2021 the oldest surviving complete windmill in South Africa The fire had started on Table Mountain and spread severely damaging a number of buildings The oldest windmill in South Africa is the De Nieuwe Molen mill in Cape Town built in 1782 Mostert s MillMostert s Mill September 2012OriginMill nameMostert s MillCoordinates33 57 08 S 18 27 58 E 33 95222 S 18 46611 E 33 95222 18 46611Operator s Friends of Mostert s MillYear built1796InformationPurposeCorn millTypeTower millStoreysThreeNo of sailsFourType of sailsCommon sailsWindshaftWood with cast iron poll endWindingTailpole Contents 1 History 2 Description 3 Location and access 4 References 5 Sources 6 External linksHistory editThe mill was built around 1796 as a private mill on the farm Welgelegen owned by Gysbert van Renen and was named after his son in law Sybrand Mostert after Van Renen s death 1 It was the first privately owned mill in Cape Town Cape Colony Prior to the British occupation of the Cape in the Battle of Muizenberg in 1795 only mills controlled by the Dutch East India Company were allowed Mostert s Mill had ceased working by 1873 2 but was owned by the Mostert family until 1889 when it was sold to a Mr Wilks who sold it in 1891 to Cecil Rhodes The mill became derelict but a restoration was undertaken by the Dutch millwright Christiaan Bremer The restored mill was opened on 1 February 1936 by Dr Lorentz the Minister Plenipotentiary and Envoy Extraordinary to the Netherlands The ceremony was attended by the Prime Minister General Hertzog and flour was ground for the guests 1 The mill was worked on occasion but it again became derelict during the Second World War 2 In 1986 the windshaft broke and the sails crashed to the ground 3 The Vernacular Architecture Society of South Africa started a campaign to preserve the mill leading to the formation of the Friends of Mostert s Mill in 1993 2 A further restoration in 1995 by Dunning Bremer who restored the mill in 1935 returned the mill to working order again at a cost of R245 000 4 On 18 April 2021 the mill was gutted in a fire that had started on Table Mountain and destroyed several buildings including one of the libraries of the University of Cape Town 5 6 The fire also destroyed four thatched houses behind the mill At the time of the fire Mostert s Mill was South Africa s oldest working mill 7 By March 2023 it was reported that the mill had been almost completely restored following the fire of April 2021 The restoration had been undertaken by the Friends of Mostert s Mill a non profit organisation 8 Description edit nbsp Burnt out ruin of Mostert s Mill following the 2021 Table Mountain Fire nbsp Mostert s Mill in the 1900s showing the original wooden poll end on the windshaftFor an explanation of the various items of machinery see Mill machinery Mostert s Mill is a three storey tower mill The tower is 7 94 metres 26 ft 1 in in diameter externally at ground level and 6 68 metres 21 ft 11 in high It was constructed of random stone for the first 2 28 metres 7 ft 6 in and then unbaked bricks above The walls are 1 15 metres 3 ft 9 in thick at ground level giving the mill an internal diameter of 5 64 metres 18 ft 6 in 9 Before the 2021 fire the cap was of a truncated cone shape and covered by thatch 1 The mill had four common sails and was winded by a tailpole 10 The four modern common sails followed the Dutch tradition as there was no surviving sail to copy when Bremer restored the mill in 1935 11 Those fitted at the 1935 restoration were 6 00 metres 19 ft 8 in long and 1 75 metres 5 ft 9 in wide fitted with a windboard on the leading edge Such a feature was not to be found on other South African windmills 12 The sails which had a span of 14 45 metres 47 ft 5 in were carried on a teak windshaft 9 This was fitted with a cast iron poll end in 1935 because the terminus of the wooden shaft had rotted Contemporary South African windmills all had wooden windshafts apart from one of the Salt River windmills which had an iron cross 12 A replacement windshaft made of iroko was fitted in 1995 9 The windshaft carried a clasp arm brake wheel 13 which had a diameter of 770 millimetres 2 ft 6 in and had 47 cogs 9 It drove the single pair of millstones 13 via a lantern pinion stone nut 14 which had 16 staves The millstones comprised the original runner stone and a non original bedstone The latter was a Cullen stone installed in 1935 and came from a windmill at Leens Groningen Netherlands 9 Location and access editMostert s Mill is situated on the M3 close to the University of Cape Town on the slopes of Devil s Peak where it was a prominent landmark The Friends of Mostert s Mill operated the mill and it was open to the public on one Saturday a month between 10 00 and 14 30 15 References edit a b c Walton 1974 p 137 a b c A brief history of Mostert s Mill Friends of Mostert s Mill Retrieved 26 June 2011 Restoration 1935 Friends of Mostert s Mill Retrieved 26 June 2011 Restoration 1995 Friends of Mostert s Mill Retrieved 26 June 2011 Naidoo Yasantha Hyman Aron Two firefighters hospitalised as Cape Town heritage gems including Mostert Mill and UCT library gutted Cape Times Retrieved 18 April 2021 Table Mountain fire burns out of control in Cape Town BBC News Online Retrieved 18 April 2021 Two firefighters hospitalised as Cape Town heritage gems including Mostert Mill and UCT library gutted TimesLIVE Steyn Daniel Mostert se Meul herrys uit die as Maroela Media in Afrikaans Maroela Media Retrieved 9 March 2023 a b c d e Mill specifications and notes Friends of Mostert s Mill Retrieved 26 June 2011 Walton 1974 p 138 Walton 1974 p 159 a b Walton 1974 p 160 a b Walton 1974 p 161 Walton 1974 p 162 Opening times Friends of Mostert s Mill Retrieved 26 June 2011 Sources editWalton James 1974 Water mills windmills and horse mills of South Africa Cape Town and Johannesburg C Struik ISBN 0 86977 040 3 External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Mostert s Mill Friends of Mostert s Mill News report with video of the burnt mill Detailed drawings of Mostert s mill Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Mostert 27s Mill amp oldid 1168854098, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
