The discoveries have been made at the old A. Cheers & Sons Ltd shop, in South Street, Boston, by property developer Shane Gostelow.
Shane, 40, of Boston, took on the building last April.
Ahead of its closure shortly before last year’s handover, Cheers had traded from the site since the early 1900s.
However, the history of the building dates far beyond that – as illustrated by numerous finds Shane has made in the past 12 months.
These include:
- a tunnel beneath the property that is thought to lead to the Guildhall and perhaps also the riverbank.
- an oak-panelled and flock wallpaper-lined office on the first-floor, believed to date from the 18th century, that was previously hidden behind shop fittings, chipboard, plaster, more than half-a-dozen layers of wallpaper, and Hessian sack.
- two rooms with barred windows in them – one on the ground-floor, hidden behind a cupboard and laid with flagstone, the other on the first-floor sealed behind a wall.
- a large range on the ground-floor, too big for domestic use, hidden behind shelving, board and concrete blocks.
- part of a ship, reclaimed as a ceiling beam
Shane’s connection to the building goes back to his days at Boston Gramar School.
“I used to walk past it every day,” he said.
He said he was ‘curious’ about the building when it went on the market and then ‘fell in love’ with its ‘size, scale and potential history’.
At that time, his idea was to create a coffee shop or some kind of eatery on the ground floor. That plan remains in place; however, in light of the historical discoveries, Shane wants to open the space further so the community is able to appreciate the heritage on site, describing the building as a ‘historical asset’.
“ I want to share it with the Boston public,” he said.
Ahead of its closure shortly before last year’s handover, Cheers had traded from the site since the early 1900s.
![This large range was hidden behind shelving units, boards and concrete blocks. "It's too big for domestic use," said Shane, who wonders instead if it related to the beerhouse or perhaps the courtyard area and the buildings that once stood there or maybe even The Guildhall. Curiously, it has a lockable storage space above it.](https://www.lincolnshireworld.com/webimg/b25lY21zOmJjNjgxOGYzLTFjZGYtNGU3NS05ZGNhLTkwZjBlYTk4OGYxYjo1ZjE1Y2U1Zi03ZDllLTRjOGMtOGYzNi1kMjE0NTUwZGExMjY=.jpg?crop=3:2&width=800)
9. Peeling back the years at Cheers
This large range was hidden behind shelving units, boards and concrete blocks. "It's too big for domestic use," said Shane, who wonders instead if it related to the beerhouse or perhaps the courtyard area and the buildings that once stood there or maybe even The Guildhall. Curiously, it has a lockable storage space above it. Photo: David Seymour
![When Shane bought the former Cheers building, he thought he was getting a two-storey property. In fact, it turned out to have four floors. This photograph show steps leading down to the lowest-floor - a tunnel. The passageway is blocked with rubble (material from an old roof was put down a chimney and collected there). Shane plans to excavate this area, but describes it as a 'long, expensive process with lots of health and safety'. He suspects the tunnel connects with The Guildhall, but also the Haven, saying he notices he can smell salt at high tide. Finds in the area include: an antique bottle, the tops of old lamps, and a complete goat skeleton.](https://www.lincolnshireworld.com/webimg/b25lY21zOmEyYzM0Yzg2LTZlMGItNDMwYy04ODI3LWU4MzM0OGM0OGVkMzphMmNiMzcyYy1kOTU2LTRjNjktYmNiMS0xNTY3Y2YxYjAwNzI=.jpg?crop=3:2&width=640)
10. Peeling back the years at Cheers
When Shane bought the former Cheers building, he thought he was getting a two-storey property. In fact, it turned out to have four floors. This photograph show steps leading down to the lowest-floor - a tunnel. The passageway is blocked with rubble (material from an old roof was put down a chimney and collected there). Shane plans to excavate this area, but describes it as a 'long, expensive process with lots of health and safety'. He suspects the tunnel connects with The Guildhall, but also the Haven, saying he notices he can smell salt at high tide. Finds in the area include: an antique bottle, the tops of old lamps, and a complete goat skeleton. Photo: David Seymour
![The other side of the barred window.](https://www.lincolnshireworld.com/webimg/b25lY21zOmMyMmUyOTQ3LTUwODctNDI4My05OGM0LTBmNjQ0MTdlZDg3MzpmNGViMDdhNy04ZmMzLTRhY2ItYjA3Yi0wYWRjMDUxZGNhOWI=.jpg?crop=3:2&width=800)
11. Peeling back the years at Cheers
The other side of the barred window. Photo: David Seymour
![Found in the tunnel, the bottle reads J. E. Ridlington & Son, Wine & Spirit Merchants, Boston, Gall. The Ridlington's name dates back to the early 18th century. It was originally based in South Street and as well as being a wine merchant it was also a ship chandlers and coal merchant. It was later based in Sibsey Lane, but that site closed in 2010.](https://www.lincolnshireworld.com/webimg/b25lY21zOjNiZWMwNWZjLTM4MWItNGY2Yy04MjI5LWFiMTU5ZDNhZWI3ZDplMjQwMTQzNS1lMGQwLTQxZjQtYTY1ZS1kM2Q1ZTY4ODQ3ZWM=.jpg?crop=3:2&width=800)
12. Peeling back the years at Cheers
Found in the tunnel, the bottle reads J. E. Ridlington & Son, Wine & Spirit Merchants, Boston, Gall. The Ridlington's name dates back to the early 18th century. It was originally based in South Street and as well as being a wine merchant it was also a ship chandlers and coal merchant. It was later based in Sibsey Lane, but that site closed in 2010. Photo: David Seymour