18 SEPTEMBER 2023 WorldWide Drilling Resource® A Different Kind of Kitchen Surprise Compiled by Editorial Staff, WorldWide Drilling Resource® While renovating their centuries-old home in Cheshire, UK, a family found an ancient water well buried under the kitchen. The project involved laying underfloor heating, so they were pulling up the kitchen foundations. When removing some of the sand underneath, they came across a strange gravelly mixture. Further digging showed the area was hollow and full of water. It was thought to be a leak of some sort, but more digging just produced more water. Expanding the width, they encountered a seemingly circular brick wall. More investigating showed it was indeed a ring of bricks. They are fairly certain the discovery is the house’s original water well. The house is estimated to have been constructed in the 1700s, so it’s very likely the well was also dug then. The homeowners decided to dig down to see if they could get to the bottom. After days of pulling out sludge and rubble - with the occasional unshattered bottle, chamber pot, and old window pane - they reached the bottom at 17 feet. Now, there’s a flow of clear water, which fills to a constant level of eight feet. The homeowner said he fell into the freezing water twice during excavation. The well was deep cleaned and then built up to match the height of the current floor. Surprisingly, they incorporated the old well into their new kitchen by placing a reinforced safety glass panel over the top so it can actually be walked on - if you have the stomach for it. Editor’s Note: In between our print issues, the WWDR Team prepares an electronic newsletter called E-News Flash by WorldWide Drilling Resource by WorldWide Drilling Resource®. This newsletter is filled with articles not included in our print issue. Based on readership, this was the most popular article of the month. Get in on the action and subscribe today at: worldwidedrillingresource.com WTR
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NDk4Mzk=