Reinstating a well

[tco-lincs]

I've had a look on the forum and I can't seem to see any threads before on reinstating a well (looking up "well" brings up lots so I might have missed the relevant one).

We are fortunate to be near a river (around 350m away) and our property is on raised ground and has an old well. A previous owner has run the guttering from the roof into it but otherwise they boarded it and covered with flowers. Out of curiosity I have now removed the flower bed and taken a peek inside. It only goes down about 10m and hits mud, I suspect it will need to be 25m+ in order to reach the water table.

Does anybody have any prior experience or advice on reinstating it? I plan on doing it later this year or possibly next depending on time, but I always like to get the items I need in well in advance.

So far I have a sold metal cover for safety (kids & cats).
I plan on getting a rope ladder and roped bucket for mud excavation.
Beyond having two people there at all times is there anything I need to do other than hard graft? Anything in order to check the water is safe to drink?

[Yorkshire Andy]

5 point recovery harness and tripod rescue winch.. if you get into trouble the person top side can wind you out asap..

Air / gas monitoring alarm

Forced air admitting fan / ducting


Bracing and liners to stop a collapse burying you alive

It's a very dangerous project unless you know what you are doing

[tco-lincs]

5 point recovery harness and tripod rescue winch.. if you get into trouble the person top side can wind you out asap..

Air / gas monitoring alarm

Forced air admitting fan / ducting


Bracing and liners to stop a collapse burying you alive

It's a very dangerous project unless you know what you are doing

Ohhh a bit more to it than i thought. Might get some companies in to quote next year then in that case. Better safe than sorry i guess.

Cheers Andy

[Nurseandy]

With regards to testing water quality, your local council will do so. Just had it done here in aberdeenshire for house move, cost £184. Tested for mineral content, chemicals & biological contaminants.

[British Red]

I've had a look on the forum and I can't seem to see any threads before on reinstating a well (looking up "well" brings up lots so I might have missed the relevant one).

We are fortunate to be near a river (around 350m away) and our property is on raised ground and has an old well. A previous owner has run the guttering from the roof into it but otherwise they boarded it and covered with flowers. Out of curiosity I have now removed the flower bed and taken a peek inside. It only goes down about 10m and hits mud, I suspect it will need to be 25m+ in order to reach the water table.

Does anybody have any prior experience or advice on reinstating it? I plan on doing it later this year or possibly next depending on time, but I always like to get the items I need in well in advance.

So far I have a sold metal cover for safety (kids & cats).
I plan on getting a rope ladder and roped bucket for mud excavation.
Beyond having two people there at all times is there anything I need to do other than hard graft? Anything in order to check the water is safe to drink?

Are you sure that's a well not a cistern? Cisterns were in place in much of Lincolnshire because the groundwater is salt contaminated - and they gather rainwater in exactly that manner. If its a cistern just hire a sludge pump to pump out any debris & it's back in use.

[tco-lincs]

We only moved here last year so I'm only going off what the previous owner said, there's two wells that I know of (the other is still capped at ground level).

I do have some of the original house plans and one of the cellar rooms was the pumping room which is where the rainwater was originally harvested so I don't think this is likely to be a cistern, I've not stepped into it yet so don't know the bottom other than a fishing magnet hit it at about 10m (its perfectly straight down and not a cavity) and its pretty solid (another rumour was a previous owner threw a load of old fireplaces down the well so maybe they have been covered?

Either way given the work I think i'll pass this onto a professional to quote for when funds allow.