From the Ayrshire Post. February 9th, 2001

A HIDDEN part of Maybole's history has been uncovered - by accident. Workers involved in a roads project at the A77 junction with St. Cuthbert's Road made the discovery. For many years this area was known as The Pump as the water for Maybole Castle was provided from a well under­neath. In more recent years the pump was removed and covered by an island containing a flower bed. Road changes put in place last week meant removing the island to make way for new pavements. As Workmen demolished the island, they found the old well shaft. Maybole Community Council chair­man Jim Shields - a clerk of works with South Ayrshire Council - told the Post: "The well at the junction of St. Cuthbert's Road is constructed of masonry stone. It has a shaft from road level of about 1.2 metres (3.5 feet) which opens into a chamber which we were unable to size as we cannot enter the well. "The depth of the water in the well from our measurement on the day was three metres (9ft9ins). "We were meeting resistance at that point, although we were not totally convinced this was the bottom of the well. "It may be that the feeder to the well is offset from the shaft. As we were unable to gain access to the chamber properly due to the lift pipe for the castle, any other comments would be purely speculation." Maybole Councillor Andy Hill visited the site and commented that he was glad the site of the well had been identified and could be marked.