Ballycopeland Windmill

Ballycopeland Windmill ( _ga. Muileann gaoithe Bhaile Chóplainn) is a functioning windmill near Millisle, County Down.

The four-storeyed mill has a boat-shaped cap with a front and a rear triangular gable, an eight-bladed fantail, and four Roller Reefing sails. The topmost "hopper floor" contains the sack hoist the grain sacks are lifted up with, as well as the hoppers to feed the grain to the milling stones on the next floor down — the "stones floor". The second or "drive floor" contains all the driving machinery (great spur wheel, stone nuts) for the two pairs of mill stones. The "ground floor" provides space enough for the sacks filled with ready-ground meal.

The plastered and white-washed tapering tower is a landmark in that area and the last remaining windmill of more than hundred mills in County Down (Contae an Dúin). Erected in the late 18th century and owned by the McGilton family, the mill ground grain until 1915. Disused for many decades she underwent several painstaking repairs and in 1972, the old windmill has been restored to working order again and is now managed by the Environment and Heritage Service of Northern Ireland (EHSNI). She is open to the public Tuesday to Saturday 10am - 6pm, Sunday 2pm - 6pm, closed Mondays).

External links

* [http://www.ehsni.gov.uk/ballycopeland.shtml EHSNI site]
*http://emeraldtiger.com/countys/down/bcopeland.htm