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Posted: Wed Sep 03, 2014 7:19 pm
by sy76uk
I'm doing a big old driveway and I came across what looks to be a very deep inspection chamber full of water.
I dropped a brick on a string line down and it turned out to be 4m deep.
It's a 1930's build.
The best I can think of doing with it is putting a manhole cover on it but I'd also like to know what it's for?
Any ideas on how to find out without spending a few days with a bucket on a rope?
Posted: Wed Sep 03, 2014 8:36 pm
by seanandruby
Could be anything from a disused well to a soakaway. If it is a manhole with deep water then where is the shite going because at that age it may be a combination manhole. Can you see any pipework going into it coming from the downpipe, or gullies etc? I would expect it to be brick. are there any other manholes local that you could compare depth with. It would definitly need a manhole cover.
Posted: Wed Sep 03, 2014 8:41 pm
by GB_Groundworks
Get a jetting company out, Flowjoe on here does mine for me
We've done man hole chambers down to 6.7m on a domestic job
Edited By GB_Groundworks on 1409773344
Posted: Wed Sep 03, 2014 8:57 pm
by sy76uk
Sean, it is a brick chamberand I can't see any pipework going into it. there are 2 gullys and a cast iron foul pipe up against the house not far from it and there are 2 inspection cambers running paralell with it.
7m Giles? any further and you'd be hitting China.
I'll take some pictures tomorrow.
I just hope it's not going to lead to time team coming in to explore an old roman bath lol.
Edited By GB_Groundworks on 1409777263
Posted: Thu Sep 04, 2014 12:43 am
by lutonlagerlout
might be an old cesspit or soakaway
LLL
Posted: Thu Sep 04, 2014 10:53 am
by seanandruby
My deepest well over 100 ft.
You'll. Are the other chambers filled with water?
Posted: Thu Sep 04, 2014 6:20 pm
by sy76uk
The points for the right guess goes to Sean. It's a dis-used well.
The 98 year old man that has lived next door since his house was built remembers it in use.
Shame it's in the middle of a car port and not in the back garden as the cleint would have made it a feature and I would have liked to have build it.
Posted: Thu Sep 04, 2014 8:25 pm
by seanandruby
Be careful because as far as i can remember anyone has access to a well ancient by-law :;): You can either fill it in, keep as a soakaway, or as you say put a cover over it. I thought it was a well because you would of known if your sewer was blocked, also the brickwork would of been honeycombed 
Posted: Thu Sep 04, 2014 8:34 pm
by sy76uk
I knew that whatever it was wasn't in use but I thought it was a really deep IC that was full of water.
I might get a magnet on a line tomorrow to see if there are any old coins down there 
Posted: Thu Sep 04, 2014 8:58 pm
by lutonlagerlout
magnets dont pick up gold si
pump it out
we have found them from time to time make great soakaways
have to say 4m is a very shallow well
got any pictures?
LLL
Posted: Thu Sep 04, 2014 9:12 pm
by sy76uk
I'll take some tomorrow when I expose it properly Tony.
Posted: Sat Sep 06, 2014 7:21 am
by seanandruby
Could be pumping for a long time if water table there is high ??? Maybe it was deep and has been filled to that level. What was covering it thick timber,sleepers etc:? I was bottoming out a trench once in Brighton, next thing old rotting timber under my feet gave way, i went down but managed to splay my arms and was dangling in a very deep well. The machine driver managed to pull me out. It was a complete perfectly formed deep round shaft in chalk, no brickwork etc, imagine that being dug, no camera phones in those days to record it. Found lots of wells over the years, one in Littlehampton, around the outside of it was filled with mostly. old bottles.
Posted: Sat Sep 06, 2014 9:44 am
by lutonlagerlout
theres plenty round these parts as we are on the edge of the chilterns lots of chalk
found this which may interest you sean
brighton well
LLL
Posted: Sat Sep 06, 2014 9:57 pm
by sy76uk
It was just burried under a 3x2 Sean. I didn't take the slab up until I took this photo for safety reasons. I'd say it's definitly a well.
[img]https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3863....mg]IMG_1752 by sy76uk, on Flickr