Morgan Lewis Windmill

Morgan Lewis Windmill

Coordinates: 13°16′06″N 59°34′30″W / 13.26833°N 59.57500°W / 13.26833; -59.57500 Morgan Lewis Windmill, St. Andrew, Barbados is the last sugar windmill to operate in Barbados. The mill stopped operating in 1947. In 1962 the mill was given to the Barbados National Trust by its owner Egbert L. Bannister for preservation as a museum.

The site was listed in the 1996 World Monuments Watch by the World Monuments Fund.[1] Restoration began by the Barbados National Trust during the following summer. In 1997, financial support was provided by American Express for emergency repairs.[2] The mill was dismantled for restoration, and reopened in 1999. With all its original working parts having been preserved intact, the sails were able to turn again after the project was completed, and cane was ground again after more than half a century.[3]

It is a unique historic and architectural monument - it is one of the only two working sugar windmills in the world today. (Betty's Hope, in Antigua, was refurbished and restored some years ago and is also functional.) During the 'crop' season, February through July, its sails are put in place and it operates one Sunday in each month, grinding cane and providing cane juice. Around the interior of the mill wall is a museum of sugar mill and plantation artefacts, and an exhibition of old photographs. Visitors can climb to the top of the mill.

References

  1. ↑ Barbados Advocate, "Mill makes it onto endangered sites list," May 16, 1996, p.2.
  2. ↑ Barbados Daily Nation, "Morgan Lewis to get $30,000 boost," December 3, 1997, p.28A.
  3. ↑ Barbados Advocate, "A piece of history revived," December 6, 1999.
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