Watch: Homeowners found a 200-year-old well under the floorboards while renovating their house

Watch more of our videos on ShotsTV.com 
and on Freeview 262 or Freely 565
Visit Shots! now
Video shows a secret 200-year-old well which a couple discovered in their home - and have turned into a stunning feature for their hallway.

The homeowners were shocked to find the 27ft hole by the front door - and amazed that it still contained crystal-clear water! Victoria Ellington, 36, and her husband Andrew, 40, couldn’t bear to cover up the 200-year-old well - so they turned it into a stunning hallway feature. After months of hard work, Victoria and Andrew managed to install a pump to create their very own wishing well, with decorative lights and covered by protective glass.

Before and after - Victoria Ellington, 36, and her husband Andrew, 40, found an old well under their new home. Right: The well is now a decorative feature, with decorative lights and a toughened glass floor.Before and after - Victoria Ellington, 36, and her husband Andrew, 40, found an old well under their new home. Right: The well is now a decorative feature, with decorative lights and a toughened glass floor.
Before and after - Victoria Ellington, 36, and her husband Andrew, 40, found an old well under their new home. Right: The well is now a decorative feature, with decorative lights and a toughened glass floor. | SWNS

Andrew, a builder, had begun renovating the cottage, shortly after buying it in 2020. He sensed something wasn’t quite right when the foundations started slipping. Mum-of-two Victoria said: “He was digging at the foundations and all the soil was falling into this hole. He just sent me a photo and said: 'Oh my god, have you seen this?' We knew then that we couldn’t build an extension so Andrew just decided to make it part of the building and we could rent the cottage out.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Instead of paving over the well the couple covered it with a glass walkway and lined the walls of the shaft with lights. The couple, from Redcar, North Yorks., now rent the beach-front property, called Bute Cottage, to holidaymakers who can enjoy the quirky water feature.

“We can pump water into the well and we’ve got a little slot for people to make wishes. You can see right down to the bottom. Andrew tried to measure a few times and I think it is around 27ft deep.” The couple completed the renovation earlier this month and now rent the two-bedroom cottage out for £629-a-week.

Comment Guidelines

National World encourages reader discussion on our stories. User feedback, insights and back-and-forth exchanges add a rich layer of context to reporting. Please review our Community Guidelines before commenting.

News you can trust since 1895
Follow us
©National World Publishing Ltd. All rights reserved.Cookie SettingsTerms and ConditionsPrivacy notice