Framboise Posted July 17, 2008 Share Posted July 17, 2008 We have started the long process of rebuilding an old barn on our land, during clearing the rubble off what once was the floor we discovered what we thought may have been the "missing well" of the property. Strangely it does not appear to be the well we thought it might be.What we have is a circle of bricks marking out the top of the hole of about 1metre diameter, its smooth walled inside, about 1m depth with a concave base. There are no drain holes or anything else inside that might indicate a purpose for this hole and we have no idea what it could possibly be used for. Oddly enough its situated right underneath a rather large window.We think the barn was built late 19th century but of course it could be a remnant from an older barn on the same site, or it could be something created later. We just wondered what it might have been, whether we ought to keep it when we rebuild the barn or whether we should just fill it in again. Any ideas? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clair Posted July 17, 2008 Share Posted July 17, 2008 Cesspit? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Framboise Posted July 17, 2008 Author Share Posted July 17, 2008 No we thought that after we discovered its not the missing well, but it has no drainage hole at the bottom and is perfectly smooth all around without any other inlets, outlets or fixings. Its also rather small for that purpose, plus its right underneath a shutterred window. We then thought maybe it was some sort of a hidey-hole but its too small for that and not deep enough to keep you safe from bombs or whatever. Its a puzzle isn't it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Russethouse Posted July 17, 2008 Share Posted July 17, 2008 Some sort of cold store ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cat Posted July 17, 2008 Share Posted July 17, 2008 Bread oven? Cuve a vin?A photo might help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woolybananasbrother Posted July 17, 2008 Share Posted July 17, 2008 Wine sounds feasible as it needs to be kept cool. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christine Animal Posted July 17, 2008 Share Posted July 17, 2008 Not much wine where they are. For holding water? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIG MAC Posted July 17, 2008 Share Posted July 17, 2008 a fire pit for smelting or kiln? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gyn_Paul Posted July 17, 2008 Share Posted July 17, 2008 A vegetable clamp seems more likely. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krusty Posted July 17, 2008 Share Posted July 17, 2008 sorry coudn`t resist [;-)]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sTi7CbQn84I Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thunderhorse Posted July 18, 2008 Share Posted July 18, 2008 A photo would be interesting. Smooth-walled - how? Colour? Any residual smell? Do the neighbours have any idea? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thunderhorse Posted July 18, 2008 Share Posted July 18, 2008 [quote user="krusty"]sorry coudn`t resist [;-)]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sTi7CbQn84I[/quote]Nice to have a laugh so early in the day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Framboise Posted July 18, 2008 Author Share Posted July 18, 2008 Here is the mystery hole, complete with investigator who happens to like it very much.You can see the last remaining wall of the old barn, there is a large window right behind the hole oh and the inside is smooth. It appears to have been either painted or a black mix used to darken the mortar - its not charred.We are not quite sure what to do with it as we don't want to risk refilling it with rubble before the new base is laid only to discover we ought to have kept it.[IMG]http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t285/moya011/IMG_1183_2.jpg[/IMG][IMG]http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t285/moya011/IMG_1184_2.jpg[/IMG] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Russethouse Posted July 18, 2008 Share Posted July 18, 2008 What is the area destined to be, or to be used for ?First thoughts are make a water feature or use it for an in-floor wine cellar ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Framboise Posted July 18, 2008 Author Share Posted July 18, 2008 Eventually it will be a storage barn for the tractor, dumper truck and cars, plus one end will be OH's new workshop. It won't be habitable accomodation although I guess we could have a secret stash of vin tucked away in there for emergencies! [;-)] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christine Animal Posted July 18, 2008 Share Posted July 18, 2008 It's inside a barn, not on the outside? Why is it round and not square, there must be a reason. Could it have been some sort of well which was filled in? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woolybananasbrother Posted July 18, 2008 Share Posted July 18, 2008 You are all wrong. Really, look at the foto again, the answer is staring you in the face. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woolybananasbrother Posted July 18, 2008 Share Posted July 18, 2008 Ok, it is so obvious. It is a dog's summer daybed, close to the window for watching and jumping out, out of draughts, easy to hide in and pounce from. Definitely to be kept, but perhaps a nice blanket at the bottom and a bowl of water near by. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Framboise Posted July 18, 2008 Author Share Posted July 18, 2008 Yep it was definately inside the old barn. We don't think it was a fosse or anything like that as there are no drainage holes or pipework anywhere on it nor is it stinky, its rather small for a sheep dip and if it was used as a slurry pit for stables then surely it ought to have been bigger, again with drainage?Unfortunately the old gentleman from whom we bought the house is no longer around and the neighbours are as bemused as we are with the strange, round hole that appeared from under the rubble, but if this was our missing well-head (indoors!), why would they not fill the hole right to the top and why finish it off so neatly inside?Well at least the dog is pleased with it.................................... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mint Posted July 18, 2008 Share Posted July 18, 2008 Framboise, if you suspect that the hole was an old well, on no account let the dog near it!Please fence it off in case he falls in! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Framboise Posted July 18, 2008 Author Share Posted July 18, 2008 No we don't think it was a well firstly because it would have been inside the old building and we have another well already some 50m away. Its highly unlikely a well would have been put into a barn either. Secondly it is solid earth underneath, no water or anything. OH has dug beside the hole and banged in rods , then if you hit the base it doesn't resonate so he knows its solid underneath, plus divining rods picked up very little trace of water there. However we think it must have had a purpose, we just have no idea what that purpose was which is the whole puzzle of it. If it was a well it just seems rather odd that they didn't just back-fill the whole thing right up to ground level instead of leaving this basin which later vanished when the old barn fell down around it. Maybe its just a peculiarity of this old place - or which there are many. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
powerdesal Posted July 18, 2008 Share Posted July 18, 2008 In days gone by, before the barn was the way it is today, there was a windmill on the site and the hole was the bottom bearing location for the central shaft of the windmill. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christine Animal Posted July 18, 2008 Share Posted July 18, 2008 That's a thought, it could have been something built up, which was destroyed when everything collapsed, just leaving the base. Not a bread oven though? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
powerdesal Posted July 18, 2008 Share Posted July 18, 2008 The blackening would be caused by crude axle grease being used as a lubricant to allow 'easier' turning of the windmill orientation, which was done by hand of course in those days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kittycat Posted July 18, 2008 Share Posted July 18, 2008 We have the same type of thing in our garden, almost identical in diameter and depth. I originally thought it to be a well but discounted that as it's not deep enough. Then in the course of renovations to our arriere-cuisine I discovered some pieces of old drainage pipes, which pointed in the direction of this 'pit'. On re-examing it I found traces of where someone had filled in the pipe entry points (ours is made with layers of dressed stone, as per the house walls). My conclusion is that it's either part of a very old fosse/cesspit system, or that it was used as a sump for the sink water to drain into the water table naturally. I lean towards the later as this pit sits at the lowest point of the garden, which is also the terrace level outside our back door, so it makes sense that they wouldn't of wanted all their dirty sink water sitting on the floor outside if they'd just run a pipe out the wall as a lot of other properties did. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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