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Set in the midst of the crumbling ruins of an old sugar factory, a
short drive northeast of Farley Hill, with a tall chimney poking
defiantly from the overgrown grass, Morgan Lewis Sugar Mill
(Mon-Sat 9am-5pm; B$10) is the only windmill in Barbados still in
operation.
The island once boasted more than five hundred mills, all grinding
juice from the sugarcane that covered the island like a blanket, but
twentieth-century mechanization has all but eliminated them from the
countryside. The Morgan Lewis mill, if not an essential object of
pilgrimage during your stay on Barbados, provides an attractive and
atmospheric testament to this part of the island's history.
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Though it's no longer in commercial use, the mill - first built in
the nineteenth century - is still in perfect working order. The
sails, wheelhouse and British-made machinery have been thoroughly
restored over the last few years, and you'll get a demonstration of
how the thick bamboo-like stems were pushed through mechanical
grinders to extract cane juice, subsequently used for making sugar.
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Caribbean guide
Barbados Travel Guide
Barbados
Where to go
When to go
Getting there
Money and costs
Getting around
Food and drink
Phones, post
Brief history
Best of Barbados
Information, maps
Festivals, holidays
Sports, outdoor activities
Tours |
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