Roman well unearthed during shop renovations

A Roman well and other historical artefacts have been found during building renovations.

Georgian wall panels and timber work, believed to date to the 17th Century, were also found at the site in Caistor, Lincolnshire.

The Caister and District Community Trust made the discovery in a courtyard while restoring a former shop in Market Place.

Paul Kirkby, from the trust, said it was a "bit of a surprise", adding: "We found some cappings over what clearly is a Roman well that had been modified at a later date with Georgian brickwork."

Kirkby said tool marks were visible on the Georgian beams.

However, the group did not have the money to restore the well at present.

"It has been capped off again, but hopefully it's something that we can raise money for in the future and make it a real feature," he said.

Caistor was a Roman stronghold and takes its name from the Latin castra, meaning camp.

Part of the Roman wall can be seen on the south side of the churchyard, while a Roman cemetery was found during work on a supermarket development in 2010.

The building where the well was uncovered dates back to Georgian times and incorporates some Victorian structures.

It is being renovated to provide retail and meeting spaces, as well as holiday accommodation, as part of a "heritage hub".

The trust, which is community owned, is looking to raise an additional £25,000 towards the £4.4m cost of bringing the building back to life.

Work is expected to be completed by the end of summer.

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