Grandad Finds ‘500-Year-Old Well’ In His Living Room!
Colin Steer from Plymouth, UK, was decorating his front room when he noticed a dip in the carpet. Surprisingly, it turned out to be a 500-year-old well sitting under the floor in his living room. It is an incredible historical find that interests everyone and is like a window to the past. After digging 5 feet into the well, Colin understood that the well could be medieval. He even went on to drink some water from the well as well. Colin has some surprising plans with the medieval well including building a coffee table over it. Let’s dive into the details about this Grandad’s amazing discovery.
Unexpected Discovery Of The Old Well
This grandad having refurbished his front room, stumbled upon a weird dip in the floor. He looked into what could have caused the sink.
“Around ten years ago we were doing some decorating and I was replacing floor joists when I noticed the floor dipped near the bay window in our front room. I immediately thought someone must have buried someone under there or that we had a sinkhole. Since that moment, I decided I was going to dig it out and see what I would find”
Colin Steer the Grandad
The Grandad set to work right away investigating. To his amazement, he found a 500-year-old well under the floorboards. This ancient stone well is in remarkably good condition.
Colin, 70 years old first wondered if the dip could have been something structural or even a hidden grave. But then he continued digging, knowing he was onto something big. The well has been around 17 feet deep and uncovered several historical artifacts, including this 1725 coin and a leather casing of a sword.
History of the 500-Year-Old Well
The well proved very old in date, ancient looking at a glimpse of history as the Grandad dug deeper. He has still not been able to know why there was a well based on his study of ancient maps. This mystery added to the intrigue, and Colin is now more interested than ever in learning more about the well’s origins and significance.
“The house was built around 1895 and we moved in in 1988”
Colin Steer
Even then, the origin of the well is not very clear. People speculate that the well probably served communal purposes, benefiting more than one family or possibly livestock. The discovery of a well in a residential area built around 1895 indicates that the well must be many centuries older than the existing structures.
The Discoveries Within
During his excavation, he found numerous artifacts that hinted at the history of the well. Most exciting, perhaps, was a 1725 coin. Again, this was far from definitive proof of age, yet it added to the record. Digging deeper he found what seemed to be the leather casing of a sword. This proved that the well is actually much older than was initially thought.
“I found what seemed to be a leather casing of a sword when I was about 5ft into the dig which leads me to believe that the well could be medieval”
Colin Steer
The well is now about 17 feet deep, and the grandfather said he’s going to dig another four to five feet to see what else he can turn up. The bottom of the well is saturated with about four feet of water, which is clear and consumable. He even spoke of bottling the water, if it passes bacterial tests.
Community Reactions to the Grandad
Since this grandfather found this ancient well, he has virtually become a local celebrity. Neighbors and visitors alike try to get a glimpse of the well, where Colin got the nickname “the man with the well.” The well has turned into a talking point as people stop to take photos and gawk at this unique feature.
“I don’t think my wife, Vanessa, would be too keen if I got that all over our front room. Although she does find the whole thing very interesting too”
Colin Steer
Vanessa, who is Colin’s wife, expressed her fascination with the discovery, even though she had concerns about the mess by the excavation. The couple’s grandchildren were amazed by the well and spent many hours looking at it through the cover that currently protects the opening.
Grandad’s Plans for the Well
The Grandad has big plans for the well. He will dig it a few feet deeper, and then afterward, he will build up the walls so that the well extends into his living room. He envisions a very unusual coffee table—a round tabletop over the well. That will certainly be a conversation starter and a beautiful, practical addition to his future home.
“I would extend the walls of the well up through the floor and then add a round tabletop on top to make it into a coffee table”
“I think it would be a great feature for our front room”
Colin Steer
It’s not just about the aesthetics; it’s about folding the well into his living room design. Grandad said it was about saving a part of history and sharing it with others. If he turned the well into something that he could use in his home, the story would live on through him to the future generations.
Mysteries of the Ancient Well
Its mystery has only added to the allure of this find. There are so many questions yet to be answered. The Grandad himself mentioned ancient maps and historic records, but nothing seemed conclusive as to the origins of the well.
“The hole is currently 17ft deep and there is about another four or five-foot that I want to dig out when I eventually get round to it. At the bottom of the well the is about 4ft of water, so everything that I did out now will be wet and mucky stuff”
Colin Steer
Conclusion
This grandfather’s discovery of a 500-year-old well in his living room is way more than just a fascinating historical find. It is the inimitable mix of past and present, turning something so ordinary as a living room into a place of historical influence. Planning to turn the well into a coffee table, the story shows us that sometimes, special jewels could be right under our feet waiting to be discovered.
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