Olivia and Jack Munro purchased a 400-year old property and during renovations stumbled upon an unexpected discovery in their back garden.
A couple made a stunning discovery whilst renovating their 400-year old property (stock) (Image: Getty)
A couple who purchased a 400-year old property were left stunned after making a shock discovery in their new back garden by “pure chance”. Olivia and Jack Munro, who have been documenting the renovation of their abode on social media, shared footage of their bizarre find on TikTok.
The pair bought the home in 2023 with a view to restoring it to it’s former glory, but they were quoted a huge £200,000 for the necessary work required. Undeterred, Olivia and Jack set about using all of their spare time at weekends to attend to the project themselves.
In the two years that have passed, the duo have stumbled upon a number of features including a hidden fireplace concealed behind the walls.
But it was an outdoor discovery that really caught their imagination. Olivia explained in a video: “It’s a 72-feet deep well.”
She revealed: “We found it by chance when we were doing some work nearby – the digger moved some dirt and we saw a ring of bricks.”
Pointing her torch down the deep chasm, Olivia admitted that “curiosity got the better of them”, prompting them to dig deep.
“We were speechless when we uncovered it,” she continued. However, after leaving the hole covered for a year in order to focus on more pressing matters with the house, work on restoring the well finally commenced recently.
“It’s as frightening as it looks,” Olivia confessed as she revealed a giant grate created by a friend to place over the well to avoid any danger. “I’m so glad we found it, because I think it’s even more frightening that it was unknown that it was there,” she said.
The grate was then sealed with brickwork built on top to keep it in place – and it restored the well’s look to how it would have appeared in centuries past.
Olivia added: “A friend came in and built this up for us – we still have a bit of work to do, but it’s now feeling really nice to have it built up. There will be a lid going on top plus we have electric going in for lighting and hopefully a pump…
“Every time I look down there I am just astounded and amazed by the workmanship – I just can’t imagine how they built this all those years ago.”
The clip prompted a number of TikTok users to suggest the married couple search the well for hidden treasures.
One said: “A lot of wells were used to dump rare items, firearms, and anything of value to stop others stealing them with the intention of going back and recovering them.
“My neighbour is a diver and does this in stately homes and other properties with wells.”
A second asked: “Did you drop a magnet down it?I bet there would have been some amazing finds down there.”
Whilst a third shared a similar tale: “We live in an old bakery and when we dug our well out, it had been filled with all the old baking tins, huge cooking pots, a tricycle, pram, perfume bottles etc.”
A fourth TikTok user issed alternative advice, penning: “I’d be checking the quality of the water and using it to feed the garden. Awesome find.”
To which Olivia responded: “Yes we will be hopefully it’s good enough for more than just the garden, we have horses so it would be great if they can use it. And if it’s good, then for us too!
“I grew up in a farm cortahe that got its water from a well. The water board checked it once a year and they always commented on how crystal clear and lovely it was!”
