05-29-2006, 03:03 AM
Quote: The thing that made them special in terms of medieval technology was the extent to which they were utilised. Even given the paucity of our evidence, there were very few watermills in Roman Britain, for example. But by 1100 AD there were 5624 documented mills in England alone, and that number increased vastly as the population of medieval England rose steadily.
I read somewhere something along the lines that in the Doomesday book over 1000 mills were recorded, but that no mills of that period have been discovered so far. If this ratio of 1000 recorded, but 0 excavated water mills is only remotely correct, then we have to assume for the 50 or so known Roman water mills a vastly greater number to have existed.
Against this background, I found Wilson's comment quite encouraging that the known number of Roman water mills has risen from about 25 to more than 50 by a decade or two of research.
Thanks for the clock reference. Any other good article on the invention of the mechanical clock btw?
Regards
Stefan (Literary references to the discussed topics are always appreciated.)
