Quendale Water Mill
Shetlopedia - The Shetland Encyclopaedia
| Opening Hours (Mid April to Mid October) | |
|---|---|
| Every Day (including weekends) | 1000 - 1700 |
| Admission | |
| Adults | £2.00 |
| Senior Citizens | £1.00 |
| Children | £0.50 |
| Contact Details | |
| Address | Quendale Water Mill Visitor Centre, Dunrossness, Shetland. ZE2 9JD. |
| Telephone | 01950 460969 (During opening hours) 01950 460405 (At other times) |
| info@quendalemill.shetland.co.uk | |
Picture by:Shetlopedian Jeannie.
Quendale Water Mill in Quendale, is a restored over-shot watermill now operated as a quality visitor attraction and set in the beautiful scenic and historic South Mainland of Shetland.
Built in 1867 its primary purpose was to handle the grain for crofters from a very wide surrounding area. Most of the grinding was done in winter when there was plenty of water in the dam to drive the Mill's machinery.
Today the Mill is completely renovated and restored. The South Mainland Community History Group, who now operate the Mill as a quality visitor attraction, which opened in 1993, were greatly helped financially in the costly renovation work by the Shetland Amenity Trust.
Visitors can enjoy guided tours of the Mill and displays of local history, watch a video presentation about the working of the mill, or simply browse through the locally made craftwork and souvenirs in the Craft Shop and Reception area where light refreshments are always available.
The displays at the mill have long since gone beyond being just about the mill and milling.
There are now items relating to many aspects of local crofting life from times past. From Horsedrawn field machinery to static barn engines, tushkars to thrashing machines, and a wide range of the hand tools which the crofter used in the maintenance of the croft in general.
Special Note: Visitors should also ask for "photographs of the Braer disaster" when visiting the shop. They used to have an excellent photographic documentation covering the whole of south mainland and all aspects of life.
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External link
Some pictures from Quendale Water Mill
 Quendale Water Mill. Photo Peter II |
 Grain Bruiser, flat belt driven. Crushes the husks by flattening the grain, making it better digestable, especially to cattle. |
 Grain Winnowing Machine (known as 'Fanners' in at least some areas). Hand driven, used to blow off lightweight debris such as chaff etc, and sift out small pieces of broken straw to leave only 'clean' grain. |
 Quern. Hand driven millstone, for grinding small quantities of grain. |
 Drive belts which power various parts of mill. |
 Single row turnip sowing machines. (Seeders). |
 Horse drawn, ground drive cutter bar mower. (For cutting grass) |
 Horse drawn, ground drive reaper, with wings. (For cutting grain crops). |
 Horse drawn single furrow ploughs, of two slightly different designs. |
 Horse drawn, ground drive reaper, with slats for forming sheaves on. (For cutting grain crops). |
 Right-hand cut ground drive mower. (For cutting grass). |
 Chaff Cutter. Used to shred whole sheaves of grain to make easier eaten fodder. Not a crofters machine, would only have been found on the larger farms. |
 Item 1, Hay Fork |
 Item 4, Shetland Spade, |
 Item 9, Ditching spade, |
 Items 12 & 13, Scythes, |
 Grain Winnowing Machine (Fanners). Of a slightly different design to the one above. (See above picture caption for more details). |
