Mystery well discovered at 'haunted' Bridgnorth pub

The Bassa Villa in Bridgnorth has long been popular with ghost hunters because it is rumoured to be haunted by a mother who lost her two children.

A plaque in the 16th century restaurant at the bottom of Cartway tells of a mother's undying love for her two dead offspring, who were believed to be tragic victims of an innocent game.

Rumour has it that in the 1600s Charlotte and William were playing hide and seek and were inadvertently locked in the cellar of what was then called Magpie House, close to the River Severn.

They had no means of escape when the river flooded and suddenly burst its banks, filling the cellar with water and tragically drowning the unfortunate children.

The grief-stricken parents erected two marble images of their lost children, which can still be seen in the Terrace Gardens.

Today a black lady is often reported to have been seen walking through the house with her soul tormented by the tragic loss of her children.

Nick Bevan, who recently took over at the Bassa Villa, said the discovery could shed new light on what happened to the children all those years ago.

"We found a 10-inch hole in the cellar of the pub, which opened out in a well that looks to be pretty old," he said.

"It's strange how is happened because the floor just gave way when one of our bottle collectors walked over it.

"It's had 18 gallon barrels and 22 stone men walking over it for years but nothing's ever happened and no-one ever knew it was there. We've got sewerage plans dating back to the 1850s with no mention of a well but I have spoken to a local historian who believes it could have something to do with the old Castle Gate Brewery.

"We want to find out if it has any historic significance because it goes quite a way down.

"Two children are believed to have drowned down there and their mother is still said to haunt the cellar."

He added: "What we're wondering now is they actually drowned in the well and it had nothing to do with the river bursting its banks.

"The well will have to get filled in and capped over for safety reasons but at the moment we are just trying to find out as much information about the well as possible."

Mr Bevan, who worked for the previous owners 10 years ago, said he was well aware of the "haunted" nature of the building before taking it on.

"I've done a lot of research on the pub and I have always heard things down in the cellar," he said.

"I've even been grabbed on the arm down there but now I just shrug my shoulders and get on with it.

"We're constantly getting people telling us they heard something or felt something whenever they're near the cellar."

Anyone with information about the well is asked to call Mr Bevan on (01746) 765326.