Wellway rooms allowed dungeoneers to descend to the second and third levels in the early series of Knightmare.
- Series | 1, 2, 3
- Level | 1, 2
Wellway rooms were found at the end of Level 1 and 2. Dungeoneers had to climb into the well to descend to the level below.
Level 1
The room used for the Level 1 wellway remained the same for three years. It was stone-blue with an exit in the right wall.
Teams might face a variety of threats here.
The room might be guarded by Gumboil or the mindless Automatum. In Series 3, Mrs Grimwold was often found here.
The wellway was not always present or visible. Dungeoneers may need magic or some other device to light the room or create a wellway.
Level 2
The Level 2 wellway room lasted two years before it was replaced by a minecart tunnel for Series 3.
This has more rock formations, and steam or smoke might arise from the wellway.
The Level 2 wellway was originally guarded by Gibbet. Other guards included Cedric the Mad Monk.
In Series 2, teams often had to collect a quest piece from this chamber. This put them at risk of Mogdred's magic.
Half a dozen teams perish in wellway rooms or an alternative end-of-level room, including the very first dungeoneer.
Virtu-well Reality
The well itself was a blue prop designed by Production Designer, Ros Inglis.
The painting had to include a well at the right size and perspective for the illusion to work. The Level 2 wellway room sometimes included boulders.
These had to be included the same way, so items in the painting perfectly covered the blue props in the studio.
This remained true in Series 4, when location images were used as the basis for backdrops in addition to handpainted scenes.
