As you may read in The Medieval Machine: The Industrial Revolution of the Middle Ages, by Jean Gimpel, 1977, in the 12th century (A.D.) began what should be called "The Mechanical Industrial Revolution". Monks -- desiring to raise their food and other needs, yet have time for prayer and meditation -- were given special permission by the Pope to read pagan texts showing how to build watermills and windmills.

In this century and the next, these mills spread across Europe. (The Domesday Book of 1086 lists 5624 water-wheel driven mills in England south of Trent, or about one mill for each 400 persons.)

Many of these mills were owned by the Cistercian Order, which provided a chain of hostelries across Europe, a kind of "Ramado Inn" System for travellers.

The Cisterian Abbott was shocked to learn what sometimes happened at this mills. The lines of peasants waiting to grind their grain were so long that porostitues plied their trade while the men were waiting. Hearing this, the Abbott threatened to close down these mills, but did not because their returns were lucrative to the Cisterician Order.