Archaelogists from the Musuem of London have discovered the remains of a tidal water mill at Greenwich Wharf, dating back 800 years.
The medieval structure, which has apparently been well preserved for the best part of a millennium, would have included a large water wheel on the Greenwich shoreside, with a diameter of 5 metres.
Staff from the Musuem of London’s Archaeology Department have been working alongside local company, Erith Contractors, to excavate the site with key features being moved to York Archaeological Trust for conservation and research work.
Simon Davis, Contract Manager for Museum of London Archaeology, said: ‘Tide mills may have been numerous along the Thames foreshore in the early medieval period. Four mills in Greenwich are mentioned in the Domesday book of 1086 and over 6000 mills were recorded across the country at this time. However, little evidence of mills in use in the early medieval period has been found on archaeological sites, so the discovery of a 12th century tide mill at Greenwich is very significant and exciting. Detailed recording of the find following its excavation and dismantling by the Museum of London Archaeology field team will enhance our understanding of milling technologies and early medieval economies.’
The discovery was made on the development site for Lovells Wharf.