Fleming Mill Quiz
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What is it that makes Fleming Mill (built according to British tradition) so different from French mills?

A- Its semi-spherical roof

B- Its fieldstone masonry

C- Its wooden gallery

D- All of the above

For the answer ...

Answer: D

Compared to the French mills built during the colonization of New France, Fleming Mill stood out for its dimensions and size. It had a semi-spherical roof different from the pointy French calotte. Near its calotte, Fleming Mill had a chain and pulley system called "winding gear", all protected under a shelter. This chain enabled the miller to turn the sails to place them facing the wind. Its mechanism and the skirting that completed the system on the roof, the fieldstone masonry, surrounded by a wooden gallery on the second floor, reflect its British origins.

However, its sails seem to convey a certain influence from Dutch mills, due to the right angle placement of the bars at the centre of the stocks. A wooden board covers half of the perimeter of the tower. Experts agree in stating that this feature is a Canadian adaptation aimed at protecting the masonry from the northeastern winds. It is the only one of this type still standing in Quebec.