Skerries Mill Photo

Photographer’s Note

Hi Folks,

Today I'm showing you one of the two mills in Skerries.

The mills were used for grinding corn: wheat, oats and barley - wind power complementing water power, particularly in times of drought. At the dissolution of the monasteries under Henry VIII in 1538, the Canons Regular of St Augustin of Holmpatrick owned c.1000 acres of land in the vicinity of present-day Skerries and counted a watermill among their possessions. A lease of 1578 tells us that one windmill had already been built on Chanon or Shallock Hill by the last quarter of the 16th century.

The second windmill, known as The Great Windmill of Skerries was probably built towards the end of the 18th century when the former had fallen into disrepair. Stormy weather in the mid- 1840's badly damaged this mill but it was rebuilt in a five-sail version and became a popular symbol in holiday posters for Skerries. Artists Alexander Williams and Harry Kernoff also made it a subject of their paintings.

There are three sets of grinding stones in the Skerries watermill, powered by an overshot waterwheel. A large mill-pond controlled by a series of sluice-gates feeds the water to the mill. The four floors or lofts are served by two bag-hoists; winnowers and a blower are located above the stone floor and below the hoppers in the top loft.

The Skerries windmills are both tower-mills, where the cap or top of the mill is turned to the wind. The older of the two mills rises to 12.2 metres and is perched on the site of a prehistoric fort, the highest point in the town. The cap is thatched and turned into the wind from inside by a hand lever. The Great Windmill of Skerries commands magnificent views of the coast and surrounding countryside. 15 metres in height with a 20 metre diametre of sail, this mill contains two sets of grinding stones and the cap is pulled into the wind by a tail-pole.

The mills enclose a four-acre mill field where the annual crop is grown. (more info: http://www.skerriesmills.org/about.htm)

Have a nice afternoon!

Didi, Pablo25, shevchenko, Graal, snunney, bobocortis, leonorkuhn, feather, JanD, Jonathan_Tree, pablominto, jjanczyk has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

Pablo25 (1791) 2009-08-17 9:58

witaj Darku,
bardzo piekny mlynek w znakomitej kompozycji. Kolorki i swiatelko super pomimo znanej nam pogody. Chmurki ladnie wyciagniete, nic dodac nic ujac. Podoba sie.
serdecznosci
Pawel

Nelu_Goia (2766) 2009-08-17 10:27

Hi Dariusz,
This is a very well done composition in every regard:theme,exposure,framing,color and sharpness.
The mood has something special,it inspires some kind of sadness,with that sky.
I really like it,for sure:)
Regards,
Nelu

aristo (1565) 2009-08-17 11:31

Czesc Darku!
Ale wialo,co?Super skomponowane ujecie,podobaja mi sie naturalne kolory i prostota miejsca,ktore na twym zdjeciu nabiera innego wymiaru.Swietny kadr,gratuluje.
Pozdrawiam,
arek

ilDottore (4028) 2009-08-17 11:38

Hej Darek,
To jest widok znany także i mi.
Bardzo sympatycznie i atrakcyjnie ujęty sławny zabytek i turystyczna atrakcja.
Serdecznie pozdrawiam!
Krzysiek

Didi (36712) 2009-08-17 11:44

Hi Dariusz
Very original mill with five wings
Good lights management exposure with a nice dramatic sky.
A good composition quality.
Best regards

ophelcia (5504) 2009-08-17 12:29

O coś INNEGO:)
Jako fanka windmilli jestem tu:)
G.

Morac (21167) 2009-08-17 12:32

Hi Dariusz,
This is a very well done composition.
I like that heavy sky and the atmosphere of this photo.
Best regards
Marc

jurek1951 (26176) 2009-08-17 12:41

Witaj Darek,
obrazek jak z Holandi,ladny motyw z tym wiatrakiem,ladna kolorystyka,pozdrawiam
Jurek

Bartleby (5228) 2009-08-17 13:29

Hi Dariusz,
I didn't know there were mills in Ireland and i like what you did with this one. The path leading the way into the picture, the patch of bright green grass and the cloudy gray sky. Well done.

Cheers,

Philipppe

Fis2 (46747) 2009-08-17 13:41

Czesc Darek!
Piekny jest ten wiatrak.
Chetnie bym zagladnal do srodka.
To chyba ten sam co kiedys pytalem?
Dobry kadr isuper kolorystyka.
Zas "irlandzkie" niebo robi klimat.
Pozdrawiam
Krzysztof

chawax (6281) 2009-08-17 14:01

Hi Dariusz,
Still cloudy sky lol But very nice composition anyway. The mill is perfectly placed in the photo and the path drives our look to it. Sharpness is excellent. Even the sky is beautiful !
Regards,
Olivier

emka (22841) 2009-08-17 15:16

Witaj Fajny wiatrak, dzieki TE widzimy, ze w każdym kraju sa całkioem i n ne wiatraki, u nas drewniane, w hiszpanii murowane, czasem białe itd. Fajne ma skrzydła i to 5 a nie 4. co kraj to obyczaj. Pozdrawiam

Małgorzata

TopGeo (22509) 2009-08-17 15:58

Hi Dariusz I like the street that you leads to the windmill Interesting atmosphere and a possible and heavy atmosphere
Compliments
Georgios

shevchenko (10196) 2009-08-17 19:36

Hi Dariusz,
Interesting note for study the windmills, beautiful old windmills and rarely to see windmill install with five wings, impressive the cloudy sky against greenery land, distinct photo, good shoot.
Ally

Graal (59144) 2009-08-17 23:42

Czesc,
bdb kompozycja, intrygujacy wiatrak, fajnie sie odcina od zachmurzonego nieba. Bdb jakosc fotografii. Ciekawy opis w notce.
Pozdr. Al.

snunney (35880) 2009-08-18 2:41

Hello Darek,
Fine composition with the gravel road taking us straight towards the windmill. I like the stormy looking sky (hope you didn't get wet) and the tonal contrasts. Thanks for sharing.

bobocortis (14146) 2009-08-18 7:21

Hello Dariusz.
The composition is simple but amazing.
I like the way the road lead us to the windmill.
Great dramatic sky.
Best regards.
Bobo.

leonorkuhn (14391) 2009-08-18 8:07

Hi Darek,

Very good composition, the trail leads the eye to windmill. Excellent contrast of colors, the cloudy gray sky gives a dramatic atmosphere. Well done!

Have a nice day
Leonor

feather (50588) 2009-08-18 8:25

I don't recall ever seeing a windmill with 5 sails before. The image is well composed with the mill placed on the perfect place and the track leading the eye into the frame. These brooding Irish skies are becoming your trademark! :)
Kath

JanD (15303) 2009-08-19 2:53

Czolem Darek!
Piekny wiatrak, wspanialy krajobraz, swietna asymetria kadru.
Pozdrawiam.

Jonathan_Tree (5032) 2009-08-19 5:17

Witaj Darku!
Wspanialy wiatrak o pieciu skrzydlach. Bardzo dobra kolorystyka. Coz, Irlandia, Zielona Wyspa. Dobra praca. ladnie obramowana, ze smakiem.
Serdecznosci!

ahmetgedikli (22249) 2009-08-19 8:28

Wonderful composition! Superb POV, light and good details.
Well done and best regards.
ahmetgedikli

raszid62 (3709) 2009-08-20 22:51

Cze¶æ
Piêkny ten wiatrak, to chyba rzadki ju¿ w Irlandii widok. Od pewnego czasu twoje zdjêcia s± pochmurne i takie klimatyczne, To dobrze , takie niebo jest ciekawsze.
Pozdrawiam
Józek

pablominto (41700) 2009-08-21 22:22

Hello Darek,

Now that is a pretty fine windmill!
Well preserved apparently, can probably grind grain this day...
A well balanced composition with good lead-in, colours are natural and wide DoF leaves sharpness throughout!

Greetings,
Pablo -

jjanczyk (1989) 2009-08-23 15:22

Witaj Darku,
Nie trzeba daleko sie wybierac, by stare mlyny pofofic :)
Ciekawa konstrukcja. Doskonaly technicznie kadr - jak zwykle zreszta.
Pozdrawiam