Elizabethan wells and Victorian heating system unearthed as Colston Hall transformation continues in Bristol
Surprising historic finds have been discovered during the multi-million pound renovation of Bristol's Colston Hall.
Builders have discovered Elizabethan wells whilst digging out the new foundations deep in the cellars. They sink below the level of the floating harbour and it is believed that they were created for the Elizabethan Great House that once sat on the site.
Victorian heating ducts and two stoves have also been unearthed deep in the 150-year-old building's bowels, which were part of a historic heating system for the original 1867 Hall.
Above ground, a number of delicate masonry arches and features have been uncovered during plaster removal, while the dismantled Lantern performance space revealed previously blocked up windows.
Colston Hall has not undergone any major refurbishment since the 1940s and is the only major concert hall in the UK not to have been recently redeveloped.
The auditoria closed in June 2018 for the refurbishment work to begin and is due to be completed late next year.
In mid June, the trust which runs the venue reasserted its commitment to renaming it by removing the ‘Colston Hall’ lettering on the outside of the building. The new name is planned to be announced in Autumn 2020.
Louise Mitchell, chief executive of Bristol Music Trust said: “It is an incredibly ambitious transformation we are delivering which, when complete, will give Bristol a world-class music venue for everyone to enjoy. It will be one of the best arts and learning facilities in the country, fully accessible and highly sustainable.
"Now, more than ever, we can all appreciate the unity and joy that music can bring, and we want to give everyone something to look forward to with this project. We estimate that when the building is fully open, we will be welcoming around 340,000 people every year.”
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