907
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posted on 8/4/07 at 11:03 PM |
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Dilemma
So the other half wants a corner of the garden to sit in. Nice and sheltered from the wind,
a little sun trap where she can sup her cup of tea and watch the world go by.
Step one was to remove the greenhouse. We never used it anyway.
Step two was hack through the undergrowth ready for the paved area where the wooden bench is to go.
That's when the broken stone slab came to light.
Soon shift that I thought. Oo er, a hole. Well, well, well.
So what do I do?
Fill it in? Knock the top rows of bricks off and cover it?
Or add a few rows of bricks and make a feature of it, and pave round it?
Wish, (sorry,) I knew what to do.
Any ideas?
Paul G
Rescued attachment well-007-s.jpg
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nitram38
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posted on 8/4/07 at 11:15 PM |
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How about digging it deeper?
You might have your very own water supply!
You might not be able to drink it, but watering the garden will be cheaper than your tap.
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907
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posted on 8/4/07 at 11:18 PM |
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quote: Originally posted by nitram38
How about digging it deeper?
You might have your very own water supply!
You might not be able to drink it, but watering the garden will be cheaper than your tap.
I live on top of a hill.
I wonder how deep I'd have to go.
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ReMan
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posted on 8/4/07 at 11:57 PM |
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An odd concept that, a well on the topof a hill: hmmm
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ex_hustler
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posted on 9/4/07 at 12:03 AM |
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a locost fountain?
I suggest you check the previous owners of the house and garden and ask for the use of this "build with briks" hole...
Maybe that hole is the "top" of a deep well and its is filled in purpose to hide a "crime".
Or maybe a tunnel to... the unknown underground!!!
just kidding... I did non ment to scare you.
Sincerely, I think it's just the top of an old well. You can make a nice fountain out of it and maybe drop some goldfishes
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DIY Si
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posted on 9/4/07 at 12:04 AM |
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I'd make it bigger and make a feature of it. Big brick built jobbie with a seat all the way round? Or, build it up a bit, give it a roof and
then recess the seat into it? Under cover and a feature.
“Let your plans be dark and as impenetratable as night, and when you move, fall like a thunderbolt.”
Sun Tzu, The Art of War
My new blog: http://spritecave.blogspot.co.uk/
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907
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posted on 9/4/07 at 12:17 AM |
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First of all, I've lived here 30 odd years so it's not been touched in that time.
Maybe it was filled and the level has dropped due to compaction.
It looks like it was once a round well and the top at some time was altered to an oblong man hole & smaller square hole.
A metal pipe exits the small hole and has been bent over. Maybe a hand pump or wind pump???
Paul G
Rescued attachment well-011-s.jpg
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RoadkillUK
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posted on 9/4/07 at 12:43 AM |
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Send THESE GUYS in
Roadkill - Lee
www.bradford7.co.uk
Latest Picture (14 Sept 2014)
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Mr Whippy
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posted on 9/4/07 at 12:46 AM |
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Now you've done it...
Rescued attachment samara_well1.jpg
Fame is when your old car is plastered all over the internet
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jollygreengiant
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posted on 9/4/07 at 04:05 AM |
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could be an old original rainwater collector built with the house to provide water for domestic use. The last house I had before this one was a
Victorian terrace built in 1890, that had one out the back that collected water for the terrace originally. Mine was too close to the house & half
in next door to 'do' anything with. Personally I would be tempted to excavate it, build up the top and fit it with either a metal grille
top or a vented glass top/ table like. So that it makes a unique dining/drinking/relaxing area.
Also you never know what useless bits & pieces you might find in thew bottom.
Beware of the Goldfish in the tulip mines. The ONLY defence against them is smoking peanut butter sandwiches.
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cjtheman
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posted on 9/4/07 at 06:28 AM |
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you could just put a seat down there for the other half as you said its sheltered
sun trap and when she's down there ( more time for you spend on the next build )
lol
i would make a feature out of it
it would be a shame to cover it
cheers
colin
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Mr Whippy
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posted on 9/4/07 at 07:15 AM |
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how can you resist not digging it out????
If you don't for years to come you will always have that nagging doubt 'Does it really go all the way to the bottom of the hill?!'
Fame is when your old car is plastered all over the internet
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iank
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posted on 9/4/07 at 07:21 AM |
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quote: Originally posted by Mr Whippy
how can you resist not digging it out????
If you don't for years to come you will always have that nagging doubt 'Does it really go all the way to the bottom of the hill?!'
Sounds like someone read too much Enid Blyton as a child or are you volunteering?
907: think I'd be tempted to line it and made a water feature, bit deep to be kid safe though.
--
Never argue with an idiot. They drag you down to their level, then beat you with experience.
Anonymous
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Guinness
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posted on 9/4/07 at 07:41 AM |
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That's a great find!
I'd recommend a visit to Alnwick Gardens for inspiration!
They have a fountain there which is in a lined shaft, just like your's, with water in the bottom few feet, then some spot lights, then a sheet
of really thick glass on the top of it. You can walk over the top of it, as the water shoots up the middle, bounces off the glass and drops back
down. Unfortunatley it doesn't photograph very well and it's not very locost.
Cheers
Mike
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smart51
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posted on 9/4/07 at 07:50 AM |
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Your other half wanted a quiet place to sit. Pave the bottom with slabs, put a chair their. Job done.
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Mr Whippy
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posted on 9/4/07 at 07:50 AM |
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quote: Originally posted by iank
quote: Originally posted by Mr Whippy
how can you resist not digging it out????
If you don't for years to come you will always have that nagging doubt 'Does it really go all the way to the bottom of the hill?!'
Sounds like someone read too much Enid Blyton as a child or are you volunteering?
yeah I was a great fan of Noddy
I'd volunteer but it's my back...
Fame is when your old car is plastered all over the internet
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907
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posted on 9/4/07 at 07:57 AM |
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Hi All
Thanks for the replies.
I live about 200m from a church. Behind the church is a farmhouse which used to be a monastery.
The other side of the church is a big pond called Monks Pond. This is the same level as my house
and has a spring under it.
Water overflows from this pond 10 months of the year into a ditch that runs down the hill.
When I say I'm on a hill, it's really a plateau of about a square mile, and I'm on the edge.
(I've always lived life on the edge. )
Lots of good ideas, although the wife didn't think much to sitting inside it.
I like the table top one the best.
Suffolk Reds are not going to be locost though.
Any more?
Paul G
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Mr Whippy
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posted on 9/4/07 at 08:06 AM |
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It would make one monster barbeque just use an old iron gate as the grill
Fame is when your old car is plastered all over the internet
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Peteff
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posted on 9/4/07 at 09:46 AM |
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Line it and make a jacuzzi/hot tub where she can sit.
yours, Pete
I went into the RSPCA office the other day. It was so small you could hardly swing a cat in there.
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BenB
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posted on 9/4/07 at 10:50 AM |
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I'd excavate it... Looks fairly dry stuff down there- I'd be tempted to chuck a bit of water down to soften it up before getting spade
out.....
I'd use it to store rainwater for watering my tomatoes
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the_parson
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posted on 9/4/07 at 10:53 AM |
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Well I never. Short of calling in Tony Robinson, I think you should excavate all the brick work, reconstruct it running horizontally on the front lawn
and, hey presto, you have a wind tunnel.
Either that or turn it into a porn dungeon...
Have you done six impossible things before breakfast?
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Mr Whippy
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posted on 9/4/07 at 11:19 AM |
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quote: Originally posted by the_parson
Well I never. Short of calling in Tony Robinson, I think you should excavate all the brick work, reconstruct it running horizontally on the front lawn
and, hey presto, you have a wind tunnel.
Either that or turn it into a porn dungeon...
LOL and I thought mine were bad
Fame is when your old car is plastered all over the internet
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Peteff
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posted on 9/4/07 at 11:50 AM |
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Just a thought,
It could have been a cess pit if it had a vented lid
yours, Pete
I went into the RSPCA office the other day. It was so small you could hardly swing a cat in there.
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907
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posted on 9/4/07 at 12:26 PM |
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quote: Originally posted by Peteff
It could have been a cess pit if it had a vented lid
In that case I'd better set some rhubarb down there,
or maybe celery. It would blanch it a treat.
Flood with salt water and it could become a prawn den Mr Parsons.
Paul G
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ex_hustler
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posted on 9/4/07 at 03:35 PM |
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a few more funny suggestions :
1. Why don't you call ghostbusters to check it out before you dig deeper? just in case...
2. You can place one of those yellow "Fbi-Investigation" tapes to a perimeter around the well and put a sign saying "Don't
come close, it is still hungry". That would work as an attraction also!
3. Have you ever thought that it may be the exit from an ancient underground tunnel that connected your backyard to the monastery? Some monasteries
and castles also had that kind of hidden exit tunnels so they can survice an attack and used them as run away exits at times of great danger...
If that is true... you might find down there some underground rooms and maybe
some really worthy artifacts...
Maybe you should start.... digging!
Carefully though , because it might collapse and take you down... for safety reasons put a rope around your weist or even better get a climbing kit of
ropes and the rest stuff....
now... i gave you a digging project for the
summer !!!
George
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