European Windmills

Timeline

1. 1351–1354Around Haarlem · NetherlandsThe Dutch coastal lowlands had abundant wind; post windmills supported their sails on a rotatable wooden post, allowing the whole structure to turn with the wind. The windmill drove millstones grinding wheat and barley, supplying flour to port cities like Amsterdam and supporting the regional grain trade.
2. 1355–1358Norfolk · United KingdomWindmill mills were widespread across the plains of East Anglia, England; labor shortages after the Black Death prompted wind power to replace human labor. Mill owners charged farmers grinding fees, becoming an important link in the medieval English rural economy.
3. 1357–1360Bruges · BelgiumThe city of Bruges and its surroundings in Flanders were known for stone-built tower windmills with rotatable caps that could face the wind. Besides grinding grain, windmills were also used for oil pressing and drainage, supporting the grain and raw material supply systems of Flemish textile towns.