Site is being redeveloped into an exciting new park in Castlegate, Sheffield City Centre.
[B-roll video and photos available]
Archaeologists from Wessex Archaeology, working alongside FlyThru and on behalf of Sheffield Council, have surveyed a medieval well that once provided a vital source of water within the walls of Sheffield Castle, supporting daily life in times of peace and during the sieges of the Civil War.
Located within the Norman motte (castle mound), the well is lined with stones at the top and cuts through solid bedrock. The survey saw a drone in a cage descend into the 12.5 metre shaft, taking hundreds of photos to create a 3D model of its interior, revealing details of the well's construction and showing it still holds water at the bottom.
Ashley Tuck, Research Manager at Wessex Archaeology, said: “This was an exciting day at Sheffield Castle. The medieval well would have been indispensable for the people who lived and worked in the castle day-to-day and especially so during times of siege. With an attacking army outside the castle walls, those inside would have needed water within the castle boundaries for their survival.”
The survey and wider excavation of the castle form part of the development of a new green space in Castlegate. The well will be exposed for people to see when visiting the new park. The project, led by Sheffield City Council is funded by national government, the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority and Environment Agency. The excavation is being conducted by Wessex Archaeology, working in tandem with site construction and with oversight from construction engineering specialists, Aureos.
