In definition, a well is an excavation or structure built into the ground by digging, driving, or drilling. This is to gain access to liquid resources, most commonly water.

Did you know that…

“In medieval times, external wells were often poisoned, usually with a decomposing body, in order to force a garrison to surrender. But wells sunk within the castle itself could not be poisoned from outside during a siege.”

What if there are gems, artifacts, and structures thought to be from the medieval period beneath your house?

A grandfather discovered something strange under the living room floor of his Victorian home in Plymouth, Devon.

Colin Steer uncovered a medieval well with an old sword hidden within its walls.

When Colin first moved into the house 34 years ago, he was intrigued by a slight indentation in the floor.

In one post, Colin shared,

“The house was built around 1895 and we moved in in 1988. 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.”

The 70-year-old grandad spent the last decade clearing the well.

He recognized it while redecorating his living room. Then five feet down, he discovered the old sword.

“It was hidden at a 45-degree angle and sort of just fell out.”

“It looks like an old peasant’s fighting weapon because it appears to be made up of bits of metal all knocked together.”

He stopped digging the well at 17 feet, but who knows it might be deeper.

Colin mentioned that,

“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.”

He recently dug up an old ring and a 1725 coin.

He hopes to eventually extend the walls of the well up into his living room to create a feature coffee table.

“I think it would be a great feature for our front room. We still aren’t really sure about why the well is there,” Colin said.

He added that they have looked at old maps to try to figure out where it came from, but they couldn’t find anything.

“But because of the sheer size of it, we have guessed that it could have been used for feeding animals or for two to three families,” Colin pointed out.

Colin had three small children when he found the well. So his wife Vanessa asked him to cover it up again, but when he retired in 2012, he took it on as a project and began digging.

Meanwhile, a Perspex sheet and a trap door are covering the 17-foot hole in the couple’s living room.

The couple’s grandchildren enjoy peering down the hole through the sheet of Perspex. And Colin says it’s a popular topic of conversation with his neighbors.

The extraordinary revelation inside the house captivated many people.

One commented saying,

“Seems like it may be for a castle, 2 ft thick walls, you wouldn’t put that much into a well for a little house. If they explore the surrounding area, they may find walls.”

And this one is even happy to help.

“Very cool. I kinda want to help him dig it. I’m intrigued myself!”

See the well for yourself in the video below!

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Article Sources:

YouTube – Caters Clips

Daily Mail

Wikipedia – Well

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By Mary Rose Garra

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Mary Rose Garra is a contributor at SBLY Media.