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Watermill at Dwars Rivier
Clanwilliam, Western Cape

Date:1893
Type:Watermill
Style:Cape Vernacular : Industrial Archaeology
Status:Extant

Built from local sandstone and roofed with dekriet, or thatching reed, the wooden doors sills and shutters together with the waterwheel and mill parts were constructed with Cape cedar wood (Widdringtonia wallichii), harvested from the surrounding mountains. It has a wooden overshot wheel of the compass type comprising four cedarwood spokes mortised onto the axle. It is similar to all the mills of the immediate vicinity, designed to run a saw-mill, forge or grind wheat.

While the exterior has been restored several times the wheel is no longer operational, needing replacement of the timbers, now an extremely scarce resource due to the near extinction of the trees.


References:

Staples, Chester O. 2006. Mills of Southern Africa : water, wind and horse. Pretoria: Umdaus. pg 35 ill