Old well discovered inside Gorey’s Market House will be used as water feature

By Simon Bourke, Wexford People

An old well discovered during excavation works at Gorey’s Market House is to be converted into a water feature when the building is redeveloped. Since appointing a design team last April, Wexford County Council (WCC) has been carrying out a number of surveys at the site and, in addition to the well, has also unearthed cobbled pathways which will be incorporated into the new design.

At the January meeting of the Gorey Kilmuckridge Municipal District (GKMD), Daniel Roche of WCC’s special projects team provided an update on the status of the works. Confirming that a contractor would be appointed in Q2 of this year to begin construction, Mr Roche said the estimated completion date for the Market House was currently Q4 of 2027.

In terms of what the public can expect when the building reopens, Mr Roche said it will include a multi-function space and café, a 100-person seating area, as well as changing room facilities, a new lift, and stairwell.

On the discoveries of the well and the cobblestones, director of services Liz Hore said both would be utilised by the design team.

“We want to retain the cobble on the floor because it is a heritage building and we intend to turn the well into a water feature,” she said. “Maintaining the heritage element of the building and telling its story is important to us, it’s about incorporating the old with the new.”