Newport couple Kieran and Cody Allen have transformed a 200-year-old well found in their kitchen into a quirky feature.
The pair were shocked to discover a 17ft well in their kitchen when renovating their property in West Street, Newport.
The well – which a building inspector had found under a flagstone – is believed to be at least 200 years old. Before the flagstone was lifted, no one had any idea the house was built over a well.
Undismayed, Kieran – a builder – set about transforming the well into a unique kitchen feature.
Cody – owner of Cody’s Brows on Newport High Street – told Island Echo:
“We brought our first full renovation project at the end of 2021. We knew the whole place would need completely gutting before putting our stamp on it. Thankfully, my husband has his own building company – Isle Build – and has been able to complete most of the work himself along with friends and family.
“Every room in the house has had to be pulled apart. Loft converted, all new electrical, all new central heating and radiators, plastering, all new doors, floors, carpets – you name it, and we have done it.
“But the largest part of the project has been the kitchen. After knocking out the dining room wall, a 4.4m structural steel was installed, and the external wall to the outbuilding that was beside the kitchen was taken down opening up a large kitchen/dining area and adding an extension.
“We were at the last hurdle and the building inspector was coming to sign it off. He requested we pulled up the flag stone flooring in the extension to expose the external wall, ensuring there was adequate footings to support the building before we finalised.
“Beneath the flagstones – which had been laid over 100 years ago when the house was originally built – was our hidden well which we believe to be 200 plus years old.
“There’s no evidence in the houses deeds that the well ever existed. The house was originally built in the early 1900s, but the documents for the house are only dated from the 50s onwards when the house was divided in 2.
“We had to dig down over a meter, to expose the well at its widest point. Lots of disruption, materials moved, and man hours went into it; then, we rebuilt the well up 18 courses of bricks and added lighting inside. We did all this adhering to building regulations.
“We’ve managed to source the frame and glass, having it made to measure, and it’s finally safe to walk over our 17ft deep well. Our once 2-bed home is now a 5-bed with a feature well in our kitchen.
“Talking to neighbours, a few wells have been found in gardens along the street over the years. Island residents have said before West Street was built on, it was the boundary between Carisbrooke and Newport, and it was an orchard. Another said it was a cricket ground.
“I guess whoever built the houses covered it, thinking it wouldn’t ever be found.
“There wasn’t any damage inside the well when it was unveiled. It does still have water in it. We had to clear the water after some rubble was knocked down and it has risen again.
“My husband was tempted to bury some fake bones under the base of the well for whoever decides to go down there in the future.
“For now, the glass is secure, and it would be difficult to get back out, given its weight and its tight fit.”
Island Echo asked Cody how much it would cost to transform a well into a house feature were another to be discovered.
Cody said:
“Depending on the size, between £5,000 and £10,000. Not a cheap feature to keep, but worth it.”
All’s well that ends well nipper!
And what if a bulb blows
Oh well, it’ll just go dark.
We can use suction to get the glass out if needed ☺️
I know of another house on the Island where they have done the same thing with a well they found under their sitting room.
Theres a house in yarmouth as well, in the kitchen.
Perhaps they should hire the donkeys from Carisbrooke Castle.
Fortunate that so many impoverished ‘muvers’ who apparently can’t afford to feed their children, can STILL have nails, lashes, spray tans, botox etc all done at the ‘states’ expense, or, in other words OUR expense.
Still an interesting find and good luck to them both.
I’m unsure what that has to do with the finding of a well in a property but thank you
Not really sure what your implying here buddy, but Cody is a very successful business woman, she can more than afford to feed her child and take care of herself. Your comment is just bitter and ignorant.
Think they’re implying that Cody is paid by benefit mums getting their nails done. 8% tax that goes to the benefit system and I’m sure a large percentage of Cody’s customers work too.
Of course I was not dissing Cody, it is directed to some of the customers who pled poverty, get extra help for food for their brood and more help with ‘energy costs’ but can always manage to pay to glam themselves up, with long nails and eyelashes, spray tans, yet apparently can’t feed or pay the rent on a home for what they bring into their ‘impoverished’ world
Many pretend to be single parents, yet never sleep alone, and many ‘invisible’ partners deal to gain even more in tax free undeclared income.
THAT is my point. Unpopular ‘because’ it is true.
But still this had absolutely nothing to do with this news article at all. As cody and her husband are not on benefits, so you’ve popped your very biased comment on here went its not needed here at all. So what if cody has nails, lashes etc she works her dam butt off and built an amazing reputation for herself so if she wants to make herself feel good so she can. But again nothing to do with finding a well and making it a feature. Absoloutly mental comment
Apsolutly amazing well done you 2 what a lovely thing to have as a feature
As a nipper I lived in St John’s Place (not far fom West Street) and we had a well in our back garden complete with a hand pump. I guess the water table is not very deep in the area.
£5000 to £10,0000!!! What a total waste of money and effort. Could have spent that money much more wisely. For example, they could have gone for a great holiday in the Caribbean for that amount of money. Better than an illuminated hole in the ground. If they have more money to waste, I would gladly take it off their hands!
But I really, really wouldn’t want a creepy well with a glass cover in the middle of my kitchen. If they ever try to sell the place, most potential buyers will feel the same way.
We don’t have money to waste, we invested our hard earned money in to this property to renovate and sell on. It wouldn’t have been cheap to fill either. The well has only added more value on to our property so essentially it’s a gain on our behalf then we can waste our profits in Caribbean if we want or building our property portfolio
I am pretty sure that the list of things that add value to a home does not include creepy hole in the kitchen floor covered in glass. Actually belongs on the list of things that do not add value, such as body under the patio and monster in the attic.
You sound jealous, they can spend their money on whatever they like. Perhaps you should go on holiday, it might help you to be less bitter ♀️
Pretty sure I am the opposite of jealous. They are on here bigging up a hole in the kitchen floor and I wouldn’t want one because it is creepy and weird. Sometimes people actually write what they mean.
10000% jealous
We was approached to comment on the well .I didn’t expect anybody to get so vexed over our find. Thousands liked our find on the Isle of Wight heritage group so one negative Nancy isn’t going to dampen our day with there unpopular opinions.
Sadly Island Echo comments are infested with nasty people like luxado. They do nothing to validate email addresses are genuine.
Well jel for sure.
So a body down a well would be a no go for you then?
Deal breaker for me if dead. A living one might have some short-lived entertainment value.
Oh wow thank you for sharing your interesting find! I love it! It is so nice to read something other than the normal daily doom and gloom.
That creepy hole in the ground is all doom and gloom to me. So many people are impressed by a hole in the ground. They really should get out more. In fact, you can all come and look down my toilet if you want. Just as interesting and it even flushes! Wow!
Bit odd that building control didn’t ask to inspect the foundation before you built the extension
The extension was partially built in the 80s before we purchased. The building inspector made regular visits prior to this find and all guidance from the department was followed.
I’m not implying that you didn’t carry out the works without regs.
I’ve done many jobs that require structural steels and engineers calculations. All have been done with inspection holes at the request of building control before I’ve carried out the works. So I just found it strange that they’ve waited until you’ve completed works then make you rip it up.
Due to the shape and size of the extension where we opened out there was an existing party wall that had partially been built up off before so there was an over site it wasn’t until we went to lay the floor the building inspector just wanted to double check the party wall was picked off the neighbors footing. It wasn’t until we exposed and did and inspection hole for the inspector that we noticed there was no sub base so the initial job was to under pin the party wall whilst exposing this we discovered the well which happened to fall central to the extension in the kitchen. Not what we expected so late on but it worked out well