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 Mills
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The windmill at Foulay-
ronnes ( :A.G.-CG47) |
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Milling about in Lot-et-Garonne
Right up to the end of the 19th century, wind- and water-mills were the only machines capable of processing farming products, driving power hammers, saws and so forth. The importance of these strategic machines made them focal points of successive power bases throughout history. Local charters, customs and royal decrees laid down highly detailed, rules and regulations on their use.
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St Catherine's mill at Gélise
(: J.M. - CDT47)
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Many of them were well fortified and all were carefully guarded. Lot-et-Garonne has a number of these mills left, one of the most interesting being the fortified mill at Barbaste. It formed a strong defensive ensemble built in the 13th century next to the Roman bridge over the river Gélise.
This and many others can be seen on Lot-et-Garonne’s Mills web site and all are well worth the visit for anyone who wishes to understand the life of the region over the years, or who simply enjoys setting eyes on our ancestor’s environmentally-correct methods of exploiting renewable energy resources. Pictures of the mills - Panorama 360° |
