Grandfather Discovers '500-Year-Old' Well Under His Living Room Floor

A grandfather discovered a 17-foot-deep well under his living room floor.

Colin Steer believes the find could date back to medieval times, making it 500 years old.

The 70-year-old spent the last decade digging the well after discovering it while redecorating the living room of his home in Plymouth, Devon.

While doing some DIY, he noticed a hollow in the ground, which led him to discover the well.

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While digging, Steer found what he believes to be the leather sheath of a sword, which he said could date the structure to the 1500s.

(PICTURED - Colin admits that when he finally reaches the bottom of the well, he would love to extend it out of the ground and turn it into a coffee table) - A grandfather has spent the last decade digging a 5m-deep medieval well in his living room after noticing a slight depression in the ground while redecorating. Colin Steer, from Plymouth, discovered the well after noticing a depression in the ground while redecorating his living room a decade ago and has since spent the last decade digging the 5m well. The 70-year-old believes the well could date back to medieval times after discovering an old sword while digging the well and site plans suggest the well could date back to the 1500s. Colin said: — Colin Steer found the well while redecorating his living room. (Caters)

(PICTURED - The 5m medieval well in Colin Steer's living room) - A grandfather has spent the last decade digging a 5m deep medieval well in his living room after noticing a slight depression in the ground while redecorating. Colin Steer, from Plymouth, discovered the well after noticing a depression in the ground while redecorating his living room a decade ago and has since spent the last decade digging the 5m well. The 70-year-old believes the well could date back to medieval times after discovering an old sword while digging the well and site plans suggest the well could date back to the 1500s. Colin said: — The 17-foot well under Colin Steer’s living room. (Caters)

“About 10 years ago, we were decorating and I was replacing floor joists when I noticed the floor was bowing near our living room bay window,” he said.

“I immediately thought that someone must have buried someone down there or that there was a sinkhole.

“From that point on, I decided to dig it up and see what I would find.

“The hole is currently 17 feet deep and there’s still about 4 or 5 feet more that I want to dig when I finally get there.”

Steer said there was about 4 feet of water at the bottom of the well, which would make future digging a muddy process.

“I don’t think my wife, Vanessa, would be very excited if I put this all over our living room,” he said.

“Although she finds it all very interesting too.”

He said he would eventually like to extend the walls of the well into the living room and turn it into a coffee table.

(PICTURED - A ring and coin Colin Steer found under his house) - A grandfather has spent the last decade digging a 5-metre-deep medieval well in his living room after noticing a slight depression in the ground while redecorating. Colin Steer, from Plymouth, discovered the well after noticing a depression in the ground while redecorating his living room a decade ago and has since spent the last decade digging the 5-metre well. The 70-year-old believes the well could date back to medieval times after discovering an old sword while digging the well and site plans suggest the well could date back to the 1500s. Colin said: — A ring and coin found by Colin Steer in the well under his house. (Caters)

(PICTURED - Grandad has spent the last decade digging a 17ft-deep medieval well in his living room after noticing a slight dip in the ground while redecorating) - A grandfather has spent the last decade digging a 17ft-deep medieval well in his living room after noticing a slight dip in the ground while redecorating. Colin Steer, from Plymouth, discovered the well after noticing a dip in the ground while redecorating his living room a decade ago and has since spent the last decade digging the 17ft well. The 70-year-old believes the well could date back to medieval times after discovering an old sword while digging the well and site plans suggest the well could date back to the 1500s. Colin said: — Colin Steer, 70, found the well under his home in Plymouth, Devon, 10 years ago. (Caters)

“I think this would be a great feature for our living room,” he said.

Steer found a coin dating from 1725 in the well during the excavation and believes the depth of the structure means it could have been used to feed animals or up to three families.

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The hole in the couple’s living room is covered with a sheet of plexiglass and a trap door.

Their grandchildren love to look through it to enjoy this unique feature, Steer said.

(PICTURED - Colin Steer sitting next to the well in his living room) - A grandfather has spent the last decade digging a 5m deep medieval well in his living room after noticing a slight depression in the ground while redecorating. Colin Steer, from Plymouth, discovered the well after noticing a depression in the ground while redecorating his living room a decade ago and has since spent the last decade digging the 5m well. The 70-year-old believes the well could date back to medieval times after discovering an old sword while digging the well and site plans suggest the well could date back to the 1500s. Colin said: — Colin Steer would like to turn the well into a coffee table. (Caters)

“It’s a good thing to show yourself to people because it’s not something you see every day,” he said.

“I even tasted some of the water at the bottom of the well. It was very clear and tasted good in my opinion.

“I’m going to have it tested for bacteria and if it comes back positive, I might even bottle it and sell it.”

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