HomeGeneral InterestHistoric well uncovered during West Midlands Metro construction

Historic well uncovered during West Midlands Metro construction

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An old and forgotten fountain, 8.5 metres deep, has been uncovered during excavation works in Flood Street car park, Dudley, during preparatory works prior to the extension of the West Midlands Metro across Wednesbury and Brierley Hill.

This is not the first time that a lost piece of history has been unearthed during works to extend the Metro across the region. In Summer 2018, an old footpath dating back to the late 18th to mid-19th century was also found during excavations in Birmingham city centre.

Councillor Ian Kettle, cabinet member for regeneration and enterprise at Dudley Council, said: “Dudley has a long and fascinating history, and it is always exciting to discover items of historical interest. The unearthing of the well provides a very interesting look at Dudley in days-gone-by at a time when so much work is taking place to transform the borough through new developments and technological advances, including the Metro.”

Mosin Khurshid, Head of Utilities at the Midland Metro Alliance, which is constructing the route on behalf of Transport for West Midlands, added: “When carrying out excavation works there is always a possibility for items of historical importance to be uncovered.

“We paused our works for a short period while we investigated the find and the utilities have now been re-routed around it. The site will be backfilled to allow a new highway to be constructed in the area.”

When complete, the Metro extension will boost public transport in the Black Country, providing much-needed links to the existing heavy and light rail networks.

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