About This Structure
An old stone well on Lot 11, north of the swamp, first discovered by Fred Nolan and his son Tom in the 1970s. At the time, the Nolans found pottery in the bottom of the well and subsequently refilled it. The well was re-excavated in Season 10 by Billy Gerhardt after the team's interest in island wells was reignited by Ian Spooner's discovery of elevated silver and medieval-dated wood in the Lot 26 well.
Rick Lagina immediately noted that the Lot 11 well was of identical design and construction to the Lot 26 well - both are crudely and roughly built stone-lined wells, a construction style that Ian Spooner had noted was consistent with significant age and contrasted with the more refined stonework typical of 18th- and 19th-century Nova Scotian construction.
Excavation of the well spoils produced several notable finds, including a wrought iron cargo hook dated by blacksmith expert Carmen Legge to 1650-1690. Tom Nolan recalled the pottery his father had found in the well decades earlier, adding to the evidence of pre-discovery activity in this area.
The well's location near the former house site of Anthony Graves is notable. Graves was a 19th-century Oak Island landowner who, according to local legend, would row to Chester and pay for goods using gold and silver Spanish coins - leading some researchers to speculate that Graves may have discovered treasure on his property. The proximity of this well to the Graves house, combined with the 17th-century cargo hook found in its spoils, deepens the mystery of what activity was taking place on this part of the island before the Money Pit discovery.
No direct C14 dating has been performed on the well structure itself. The date confidence is set to low because, while the identical construction to the Lot 26 well (~1220 AD) and the 17th-century artifacts found within it suggest pre-1795 origins, no lab dating has been applied to the structure. Further analysis of the pottery and wood from the well could help establish a firmer date range.
Historical Context
S10E17 "A Well of Secrets" (re-excavation). Tom Nolan recollection of original discovery with Fred Nolan, 1970s. Carmen Legge analysis of iron hook (1650-1690). Rick Lagina comparison to Lot 26 well construction.
Where It Was Found
Found at Lot 11, north side of swamp, near Anthony Graves house site — the triangle-shaped swamp on Oak Island's southeastern quadrant.
