The Mill is the only working tide mill in the country and is a remarkable example of early Industrial Revolution technology, now saved and in use. The present mill was built in the 18th century and only stopped working in the late 1950s, but history records a mill on this site since the 12th century. After being left in decay for many years the mill was finally fully restored in 1982 and today the wheel can be seen working again.

Tide mills will be found along shallow creeks, usually some miles from the coast, safe from the buffeting waves of the sea but well within reach of the tide. Behind the mill there will be a pond, and some mills have created these ponds by building a bank right across the estuary, often capturing stream or river water as well as tidal water. At Woodbridge a pond of over seven acres was constructed.

The incoming tide opens lock-type gates in the banks of the pond and fills the pond. As the tide falls, the first out-flowing water closes the gates and they are then held firmly in position by the pressure of the trapped or impounded water. When the tide has fallen sufficiently - that is when the water wheel is completely clear of tidal water - then the sluice gates are opened releasing the water, which rushes out, turning the wheel and the machinery. The mill at Woodbridge used to work for approximately two hours either side of low tide and the miller's day depended upon the movement of the tide, and so his working hours were quite irregular. No two consecutive days would be the same for him and the variation of tides at different seasons added to his difficulties. The sluice gates were so constructed as to allow the use of every last drop of available water. 

The Tide Mill at Woodbridge is open from May to September when you can see the wheel being turned and the tide mill operating as it did in years gone by.

Further information www.tidemill.org.uk