BUILDERS have unearthed a piece of Clitheroe's heritage -- and left local historians mystified.

Workmen have discovered an old well while excavating a site in Market Place for an extension to the Skipton Building Society.

Builders from Langshaw's construction company of Whalley discovered the 20ft deep well five feet below ground.

Chris Haworth, contracts manager at Langshaw's Builders, said: "Two of our lads were excavating the site and came across the well. It has stone walls and is situated in what might have been a ravine.

"It certainly is a reasonable achievement of work and very well made. It is a substantial construction, but mystery surrounds its identity."

Langshaw's and Skipton architect Richard Pearson, who is overseeing the project, has drawn a blank after conducting a search of local historical records.

Chris Haworth continued: "We always work to an archeologist's brief and the well wasn't mentioned in any of the documentation, nor does the well appear in local documents. It really is a mystery.

"It is unusual that nothing is known about such a prominent feature and we have no idea how old it might be, although it certainly appears to be very old."

Builders have fitted the well with a concrete cap to preserve it and construction work at the site has now resumed.

Langshaw's was established as a family firm in 1864 and in nearly 140 years of trading workers have never found a well.

Mr Haworth added: "We undertake a lot of ecclesiastical work and over the years have found various tombs, time capsules and even the odd body, but never a well"

Philip Bailey, chairman of the Clitheroe Civic Society, said: "This well is certainly an interesting find.

"I wouldn't have been surprised if it had been found in Wellgate, where there was a tannery for many years.

"It was quite possibly a private well and the civic society would certainly be interested in knowing more about it."

Stephen Bull, curator of military history and archaeology at Lancashire County Museums, added: "This is a significant find and suggests Clitheroe was a viable place to live.

"We already know the town could withstand a siege, because of Clitheroe Castle, but the discovery of a substantial well backs this theory further.

"It would not be viable to investigate the well further, because of the cost, but I am glad the well has been preserved."

Clitheroe has three documented wells -- Stocks Well, St Mary's Well and St Nicholas Well, all in the town centre.

St Nicholas Well, sometimes known as Lower Well or Heald Well, is situated outside the Dog and Partridge Sports Bar and was once the town's main water supply.

It has existed since at least the 16th century and leads to Mearley Brook, the site of the town's former ducking stool.

A well-dresser was employed to clean out the town's wells twice a year until the mid-19th century.

But these days local community and service groups take it in turns to keep St Nicholas Well attractive with hanging baskets and flower tubs.