The working mill

The Mill is built on the seaward side of a dam across a tidal river, when the flooding tide comes in, it pushes open one-way gates and fills up the millpond. When the tide turns and starts to go out again it slowly uncovers the waterwheel, but the sea gates are closed, trapping the water in the millpond, so the level in the millpond stays at the high tide level.

When the tide has dropped to well below the waterwheel axle, the sluice gate can be raised, a blade of water from the millpond strikes the lower blades of the waterwheel, spinning it round, allowing milling to begin.