The Roman well was found in the Butts in Worcester
It contained a wealth of Roman material including mosaic tiles
The well has now been backfilled with sand
The discovery of an almost intact Roman well in the centre of Worcester is being described as being "of potentially regional significance".
The find was made by Worcester archaeologist Mike Napthan:
"It's a very unusual find for Worcester in that it's the first bit of masonry of Roman date that we've found intact.
"Usually we find little tiny fragments of foundation but this is actually a Roman structure."
Mike Napthan was asked to do a site investigation of the area in the Butts in Worcester, where Victorian stables had once stood.
Originally the well was so well preserved that he believed it to be medieval, but the debris found inside the well put it at a much earlier date.
"The material inside included painted wall plaster, pieces of an underfloor heating system for a Roman building, lots of mosaic cubes from floors.
"Very unusually for Worcester, in fact the only piece I know of, (there was) part of a stone column."
Much of the material showed signs of burning, suggesting perhaps that Roman Worcester came to a sudden and dramatic end.
The well has now been backfilled with sand and covered over to preserve the site. The announcement of this exciting find was delayed pending the appointment of the building contractor, for security reasons.
PANORAMIC PICTURES OF AN EARLIER DIG AT THE BUTTS IN WORCESTER
