Water Mills
The Greeks harnessed streams and rivers for the first water powered mills. Observing the apparent power of running water led to the development of water mills known as Norse mills. Horizontal paddles placed in moving water turned a vertical shaft, which would be connected, to millstones for grinding.
Early records show Norse mills working in Asia in 65BC, and their success led to the widespread development of water mills. The Domesday Survey, in 1086, records some 5,624 water mills in England, an average of one mill per 50 households.
