Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Levesville-la-Chenard windmill, located in the Eure-et-Loir department in the Centre-Val de Loire region, has been a listed historical monument since 1988. This rectangular prismatic mill is erected on a masonry turret serving as a store. It is part of the old windmill battery of the Beauce, in operation until the end of the 19th century, even at the beginning of the 20th century. Its origin dates back to the 16th century, but the current building is a reconstruction dated 1790.

In the 19th century, the mill underwent several structural changes: its foundations were enhanced, the tail was lowered, and the length and sections of the tree were increased. The door to the staircase and the lift is also moved. The mechanism, located on the second floor, rests on a system where the shaft operated by the wings rotates the wheel, which in turn controls the wheels. A brake, consisting of a steel blade, acts on the upper part of the wheel to regulate movement.

This mill illustrates the technical evolution of windmills in Beauce, a grain region where these infrastructures played a central role in the local economy. Today owned by the commune, it visits by appointment and bears witness to the industrial and agricultural heritage of the region.

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