The long island of Öland off the south-east coast of Sweden is famous for its windmills.

Whilst the vast majority were flour mills, there is a unique survival at Jordhamn on the north-west coast of the island near Sandvik. 

It is described on a notice board at the site as “the only wind driven scouring machine in Sweden”.

It was used to polish limestone flags (for flooring) from the adjacent quarries.

It was invented by a “man from Öland around 1850” and was last used in 1938. 

According to the notice “every summer the local history association starts the machine to demonstrate this industry”.  

The square flags were attached to a rotating frame as seen in the close-up photo and dragged round a circular paved track.