Medieval well discovered beneath couple’s living room

Skooter reporting 09/05/12

A 33-foot-deep medieval well was discovered beneath the living room floor of an English couple after moving in nearly 25 years.

Colin Steer told the London Telegraph that he noticed a slight dent while he was restoring the joists in the floor. It appeared to be filled in with the foundations of the house. Because of the discovery Steer was induced to explore the history of his property, located in the city of Plymouth, near the south coast of Devon, England.

Granted permission from his wife, Steer dug some 17 feet down into the well, which plans show dates to the 16 century.

Steer dug down about one foot but his wife wanted him to cover it back because they had three children running around at the time. He always wanted to dig it out to see if he could find a pot of gold at the bottom, so when he retired at the end of last year that's what he did.

He is asking help from experts to find out exactly how old the well is. For now Steer has fitted lights along its shaft and covered up the opening with a trap door. At one time, Steer and a friend found a sword during his excavation efforts.

The sword was hidden at a 45 degree angle and suddenly it just fell out. The old sword seems like an old peasant’s fighting weapon because it appears to be made up of pieces of metal all knocked together, he said.

Steer’s wife appears to be the only person who was not impressed with the historical discovery. She told the Telegraph that she hates the well, and in the other hand it is quite a feature. When they come to sell the house, she hopes the well would not become a white elephant in the room.

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