Tide Mill bassin near Ritthem

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A tide mill is a specialist type of water mill driven by tidal rise and fall.

A dam with a sluice is created across a suitable tidal inlet, or a section of river estuary is made into a reservoir. As the tide comes in, it enters the mill pond through a one way gate, and this gate closes automatically when the tide begins to fall. When the tide is low enough, the stored water can be released to turn a water wheel. The water can also be released without a water wheel., In that case there is a relatively strong stream beack to the sea the `cleans´ the river from deposit and keeps it open for transport by ships towards the inland.

Tide mills are usually situated in river estuaries, away from the effects of waves but close enough to the sea to have a reasonable tidal range. These mills have existed since the Middle Ages, and some may go back to the Roman period.
For references of tide mills in England, Scotland, Ireland, Spain, Portugal and France: www.stedengeschiedenis.nl/Downloads/WG/TWG1999_057-066....