A medieval well has been discovered during regeneration works is set to become a new attraction for shoppers and residents in a North Yorkshire city.
It was uncovered at the Halls department store in Ripon during regeneration works led by Sterne Properties.
A reinforced glass cover will be installed so visitors can safely view the well.
Robert Sterne said: "Contractors unearthed the well while groundworks for a new courtyard were underway.
"The plan is to put a secure reinforced glass cover on it and make the well a special feature that will grab attention and drive footfall."
A safety inspection took place on Good Friday and was carried out by builder Paul Fountain, along with his son Ollie and mountaineering instructor Pete Brecken.
Mr Fountain said: "Mind-blowing. The first person for hundreds of years to go down the well."
The stonework was found to be in excellent condition.
Charlotte Baldwin, who is set to open Sustain, an organic food, drink, and coffee shop, said: "The well will be a brilliant conversation starter and a tangible reminder of Ripon’s deep heritage, stretching back to St Wilfrid in AD 672."
Ripon is home to a number of medieval and holy wells, including the famed St Wilfrid’s Well on Skellbank, which speaks to the city’s long religious and cultural history.
Halls, Ripon’s only department store, is currently undergoing a £400,000 transformation.
Phase one of the project was completed in January 2024, creating additional space for independent retailers, including several who have relocated from Harrogate.
Barry Cooper, director of Halls, said it was "a welcome bonus" alongside new smart display cabinets and the soon-to-reopen route between Tesco car park and the Fishergate entrance.
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Mr Fountain, who carried out the first inspection of the well, became the first person in centuries to explore its depths.
He was assisted on the descent and ascent by mountaineering instructor and safety expert Peter Breckon using climbing ropes and a pulley system.
Photos of the well and its inspection can be seen on the Rejoicing in Ripon blog by Tim Flanagan at visitripon.co.uk/bid-blog/.
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