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A tower mill is a type of vertical windmill consisting of a brick or stone tower, on which sits a wooden 'cap' or roof, which can rotate to bring the sails into the wind.〔Righter, Wind energy in America: A History, (1996) 14〕〔A short history of technology: from the earliest times to A.D. 1900 (1993), 255〕〔Medieval science, technology, and medicine: an encyclopedia (2005), 520〕〔Watts, Water and wind power (2000), 125〕〔Ball, Natural sources of power (1908), 243〕 This rotating cap on a firm masonry base gave tower mills great advantages over earlier post mills, as they could stand much higher, bear larger sails, and thus afford greater reach into the wind. Windmills in general had been known to civilization for centuries, but the tower mill represented an improvement on traditional western-style windmills. The tower mill was an important source of power for Europe for nearly 600 years from 1300–1900, contributing to 25 percent of the industrial power of all wind machines before the advent of the steam engine and coal power.〔Righter, Wind energy in America: A History, (1996) 15〕 It represented a modification or a demonstration of improving and adapting technology that had been known by humans for ages. Although these types of mills were effective, some argue that, owing to their complexity, they would have initially been built mainly by the most wealthy individuals.〔Langdon, Mills in the medieval economy: England, 1300–1540 (2004), 115〕 ==History== The tower mill originated in written history in the late 13th century in western Europe; the earliest record of its existence is from 1295, from Stephen de Pencastor of Dover, but the earliest illustrations date from 1390.〔Hills, Power from wind: a history of windmill technology, (1996) 51–60〕 Other early examples come from Yorkshire and Buckinghamshire.〔Langdon, Mills in the medieval economy: England, 1300–1540 (2004), 114〕 Other sources pin its earliest inception back in 1180 in the form of an illustration on a Norman deed, showing this new western-style windmill.〔A short history of technology: from the earliest times to A.D. 1900 (1993), 254〕 The Netherlands has six mills recorded before the year 1407. One of the earliest tower mills in Britain was Chesterton Mill, Warwickshire, which has a hollowed conical base with arches. The large part of its development continued through the late Middle Ages, towards the end of the 15th century tower mills began appearing across Europe in greater numbers. The origins of the tower mill can be found in a growing economy of Europe, which needed a more reliable and efficient form of power, especially one that could be used away from a river bank. The spread of tower mills came with a growing economy that called for larger and more stable sources of power. Post mills dominated the scene in Europe until the 19th century when tower mills began to replace them in such places as Billingford Mill in Norfolk, Upper Hellesden Mill in Norwich, and Stretham Mill in Cambridgeshire.〔Hills, Power from wind: a history of windmill technology, (1996), 65〕 The tower mill also was seen as a cultural object, being painted and designed with aesthetic appeal in mind. Styles of the mills reflected on local tradition and weather conditions, for example mills built on the western coast of Britain were mainly built of stone to withstand the stronger winds, and those built in the east were mainly of brick.〔Hills, Power from wind: a history of windmill technology, (1996), 63〕 In England around 12 eight-sailers, more than 50 six- and 50 five-sailers were built in the late 18th century and 19th century, half of them in Lincolnshire. Of the eight sailed mills only Pocklington's Mill in Heckington survived in fully functional state. A few of the other ones exist as four-sailed mills (Old Buckenham), as residences (Diss Button's Mill), as ruins (Leach's Windmill, Wisbech), or have been dismantled (Holbeach Mill; Skirbeck Mill, Boston). In Lincolnshire some of the six-sailed (''Sibsey Trader Mill'', ''Waltham Windmill)'' and five-sailed (''Dobson's Mill'' in Burgh le Marsh, ''Maud Foster Windmill'' in Boston, ''Hoyle's Mill'' in Alford) slender (mostly tarred) tower mills with their white onion-shaped cap and a huge fantail are still there and working today. Other former five- and six-sailed Lincolnshire and Yorkshire tower mills now without sails and partly without cap are ''LeTall's Mill'' in Lincoln, ''Holgate Windmill'' in Holgate, York (currently being restored), ''Black, Cliff, or Whiting's Mill'' (a seven-storeyed chalk mill) in Hessle and (with originally six sails) ''Barton-upon-Humber Tower mill'', ''Brunswick Mill'' in Long Sutton, Lincolnshire, ''Metheringham Windmill'', ''Penny Hill Windmill'' in Holbeach, ''Wragby Mill'' (built by E. Ingledew in 1831, millwright of ''Heckington Mill in 1830''), and ''Wellingore Tower Mill''. Another fine six-sailer can be found in Derbyshire – England's only sandstone towered windmill at Heage of 1791. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Tower mill」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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