Medieval well surveyed during Castlegate scheme

Archaeologists have sent a caged drone 12.5m (41ft) down a medieval well, which once provided a vital source of water within the walls of Sheffield Castle.

The well was revealed during construction on the city council's £15m Castlegate project o create a new public park and 500-capacity event space.

Once completed, the remains of the castle - where Mary Queen of Scots was held prisoner from 1570 to 1584 - will be left exposed for the first time in centuries.

A specialist team from Wessex Archaeology surveyed the well - which is lined with stones and cuts through solid bedrock - and took hundreds of images which will be used to create a 3D model of its interior.

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 Castlegate scheme has encountered delays and rising costs as a result of archaeological finds uncovered during construction.

The council says its latest forecast shows an £8.5m shortfall, and it now intends to bid for further funding.

A report from the council previously said: "The significant unexpected archaeological finds have been a huge success for the project, but have necessitated several major redesigns to sensitively and appropriately preserve and interpret the heritage assets."

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