Waterwheelshave been around for centuries and were first used in agriculture and heavy industry to power processes, from grinding flour to hammering iron.
As the industrial revolution gained a foothold, most waterwheels were eventually replaced by stationary steam engines, but many survived and examples have been restored to working order as tourist attractions.
There are three main types of waterwheel: stream, breastshot and overshot, whereby the head race of water is diverted from a river, pond or stream onto certain areas of the wheel depending on its position and height in relation to the water source. There’s a wealth of information about the design and operation of waterwheels freely available online, making for fascinating reading.