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Post Mill

Type Object Region Europe Time c. 1185

The post mill was the earliest widely adopted windmill type in medieval Europe, with the whole mill house mounted on a truss rotating around a centra…

Timeline

  1. c. 1185–1200England · EnglandAt the end of the 12th century the rotatable post mill appeared in England, with the mill house placed on a truss atop a central post, its sail orientation adjusted by manpower or a tailpole, mainly used for grinding grain.
  2. 1201–1301Low Countries · Low CountriesIn the 13th century the post mill spread from England to Flanders, the Netherlands, and elsewhere, adapting to coastal and polder drainage needs; besides grinding, it was also used for draining floodwaters, becoming a hallmark of the landscape and economy of the Low Countries.
  3. 1311–1320Northern and Western Europe · Western EuropeAround 1311–1320 the post mill was already widely distributed in the countryside of Northern and Western Europe, performing grain grinding, sawing, and some auxiliary textile processing, serving as the main source of mechanical power in regions lacking water resources.
  4. 1401–1601Europe · EuropeAfter the 15th century the smock mill, with a fixed tower and only a rotating cap, gradually replaced the post mill type, carrying larger sail surfaces and more complex transmissions, as the post mill gradually withdrew from mainstream production use.

Sources