Seventh century monks living along the shores of Strangford Lough were surprisingly sophisticated in their use of renewable energy, according to research by the Centre for Maritime Archaeology at the University of Ulster.
 
The research is published in Harnessing the Tides: The Early Medieval Tide Mills at Nendrum Monastery, Strangford Lough which won the Best Academic Archaeology Book 2008 at the biennial British Archaeological Awards ceremony held in the British Museum, London.
 
Popularly known as the archaeological Oscars, the British Archaeological Awards celebrate and showcase the best in British archaeology. The Best Academic Book category is awarded for a publication which displays extremely high quality research and which changes understanding of the past.
 
Thomas McErlean, a Research Fellow in the Centre for Maritime Archaeology at the Coleraine-based School of Environmental Studies and principal author of the book, says he was totally surprised and very honoured to receive such a prestigious award.

The book was chosen from a nominated long list of archaeology books published between 2006 and 2008, a period which has seen the publication of many outstanding works on the subject.
 
Harnessing the Tides describes the excavation of the tide mills at Nendrum Monastery, one of which is the world’s earliest discovered tide mill, dating to AD 619.

Thomas says: “This discovery of these early medieval tide mills has attracted considerable international acclaim and make Nendrum Monastery a key site in the history of waterpower and human technology.
 
“The original tide mill of AD 619 was surprisingly sophisticated. It was replaced by another mill around AD 789 and there is clear evidence that considerable technological advances were made - particularly in wheel design - during this time.”
 
He added that the research has caught the imagination of the green-energy lobby and “the discovery of the use of tidal energy at such an early date has come as a considerable surprise”.
 
It is the second British Archaeological Award for the Centre for Maritime Archaeology. In 2004 Strangford Lough, an archaeological survey of the maritime cultural landscape won the Maritime Archaeology category.
 
Harnessing the Tides: The Early Medieval Tide Mills at Nendrum Monastery, Strangford Lough was published by The Stationery Office Ireland (TSO), for the Northern Ireland Environment Agency. Michael Coulter, Director of NIEA: Built Heritage, said he was delighted that the quality of research and excellence of publication within Built Heritage had been recognised.  
 
Congratulating everyone involved with the book, Dan Lavery, TSO Director of Operations for Ireland and Scotland, said TSO Ireland and its local consortium partners were pleased to be associated with such a detailed piece of work.
 
“It is rare to get the opportunity to work on such a high quality product which has been so passionately and painstakingly researched. TSO Ireland is especially proud that the research has been recognised and rewarded by such a prestigious group of its peers.” 
 

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