Donkey powered wells?

A nostalgic visit to Carisbrooke Castle, Isle of Wight (last seen during a childhood holiday), revisiting its centuries old well (49 metres deep) along with the donkey treadwheel previously used to lift water for use in the castle.

Today’s donkeys for show only and one turn of the wheel with an empty bucket was quite enough for this donkey!

I had thought that this might be unique but have learnt recently that such systems were used to draw water from the nearbly Chiltern Hills' farms as well.

The empty bucket ... not wanting to stress the donkey these days. Apparently in the past they would have been on eight hour shifts ....