Restoration of sugar mill
chimney gets under way
MARIGOT--The restoration of a seventeenth century sugar mill chimney in Spring, Concordia, has begun thanks to a 25,000-euro donation from landowners the Fleming family, museum curator Christophe Hénocq announced Wednesday.
Restoration was brought forward as building work in the immediate vicinity of the chimney prompted concerns vibrations might cause the chimney to topple over.
Hénocq said the Fleming family had agreed in 1996 to restore the monument and turn the 9,000 square metres of land into an historical park. Once the land has been handed over to the Collectivité it will become public land and more funding can be requested from Europe and the Ministry of Culture, he added.
The restoration work is being carried out by Christian Steiner, a professional contractor specialised in restoring monuments. Steiner has already restored a chapel and the oven at the base of Fort Louis.
“It will take a few weeks to restore, and they will take out the tree that grew up inside the chimney and caused damage,” Hénocq explained.
Built in 1772, the limestone chimney was part of a plantation sugar mill and used to extract smoke from vats of boiling sugar. The interior of the chimney was lined with heat-resistant volcanic stone and red bricks that were also used to construct ovens.
“The look and originality of this round chimney is unique and not often seen in the Caribbean. There is only one other one, a smaller square chimney in Mary’s Fancy on the Dutch side,” Hénocq continued. “For someone involved in heritage, it’s a pleasure for me to see this restoration begin and my appreciation goes out to the Fleming family.”
General Councillor Louis-Constant Fleming aid his family was happy and proud to be able to donate the property to the public.
“Once the chimney has been completed the plan is to restore the ruins in St. Jean, Bellevue. The objective there is to use them as a backdrop for art exhibitions and cultural events, and to open it up to tourists,” he said. “In the new Collectivité we will have more clout for obtaining financing for these projects. With Guadeloupe there were always hurdles to get over, but now we can go directly to the Ministry of Culture.”
Hénocq said future restoration projects included Fort Louis, which has already been declared a national monument, and the 18th century jail in Marigot, which is in the process of being turned into the new Marigot museum and due to open in 2008.
