Indeed, tide mills, in use on the Spanish, French and British coasts, date back to the 11 th century.
From early Colonial days until the end of the 19th century, the waters of the Mystic were harnessed to power tide mills.
It is not surprising to find that the three tide mills also had substantial quays or piers, enabling the millers to act as merchants for the commerce of the area.
I had at last come upon his mythic littoral, with its tide mill and waters which flowed both ways.
These tide mills were used to grind grain and corn.
Heading towards Eling Hill and the toll bridge, next to the tide mill, I came up against the first of the traffic.
It is the only surviving tide mill in the United Kingdom still working and in production.
The evidence suggests it was a tide mill, bringing the total number of known Island tide mills to seven.
On Friday, October 12th at 12:30 pm, there will be a tour, by boat, of the tide mill.
As it name indicates, the sea mill - or tide mill - is operated by the tides, but not, as is commonly assumed, by the direct action of the ebb & flow.
Long Island used to be awash with tide mills to grind the grain the region produced, and a few remain up, if not necessarily running.
At the beginning of World War II there were just nine working tide mills recorded in Britain, but by the early 1950s Woodbridge Tide Mill was the sole survivor.
This exhibition is being presented for almost 2 years and has already visited several cities and villages where tide mills remain as part of the outstanding heritage of the European Atlantic coast.
The tide mills ceased grinding in 1883, the store house remaining in use until 1900 after which the siding was lifted.