Norse Mill by Breacleit
The Norse Mill of Breacleit is on the Hebridean island of Great Bernera ( Scottish Gaelic Bearnaraigh ) in Scotland . It is connected to Lewis and Harris Island by a bridge on the B8059 . The location of the horizontal wheel watermill has been used for centuries - with “Norse” referring to the technology and not to the builder of today's mill.
Former mill dams can be seen on the lake above the mill when the water level is low. Parts of earlier millstones that were found in these places are now at the mill. In the 1880s, the mill was restored with new stones and was in use until the First World War . The Bernera Historical Society "Comunn Eachdraidh Sgire Bhearnaraidh", founded in 1991, restored the mill in 1995 with the help of a local stonemason.
The type of mill is called "Norse Mill" (Norseman = Norman), which indicates that it came to Scotland from Scandinavia . However, similar mills were found in Ireland from the 6th century, long before the Norman era. Either the indication of the origin (the type of mill is also called Click or Clack Mill) is incorrect or the Normans have further developed the type of mill, which could originally have come from China.
Great Bernera is known for its Iron Age settlement , possibly founded by the Picts . It was exposed by a strong storm in 1992 and has now been covered with sand again to protect it. A replica of such a house can be found near Bostadh in the north of the island.
Dun Bharabhat is an Iron Age Broch on the island.
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Coordinates: 58 ° 13 '50.3 " N , 6 ° 49' 38.6" W.