Found hole in garden

[PearlHeart3]

Hi all, posting here in traffic as I posted something over in the garden section that never had a response.

We are in the process of ripping up decking in our garden that was laid by previous owners approximately 8 years ago. We discovered a hole straddling the boundary separating our garden with the neighbour's. At first we thought it might have been an old sewage pipe and the hole an access point, but I've shoved a torch down there and took some photos. There appears to be an armoured cable in there which is coming out/in to my neighbours side.

The hole is approx. half a metre wide but underneath it goes back further in a round shape and is approx. 2 metres wide. The next door neighbour appears to have put concrete over the top on their side and lots of gravel. I've attached some photos of the area to give you an idea of scale. It's really hard to describe!

Does anyone know what it might be? Or who I should contact about getting it checked out? Would a surveyor know? Feel free to ask more questions!

Nothing helpful to say except ‘how exciting’ and give you a bump

Have you asked the neighbours if they know what it may be?

Can you see bones / old trunk / rolled up carpet?

I would think it is either electricity or a phone line. Ask your power supplier if they know about it and also BT. Does it go under your house?

It looks like the conduit that electric cable goes through when it's run underground. I think it's made of plastic these days.

Maybe next door are nicking your lecky, OP!

I’m guessing an old sewer collapse, and a big settlement.

Or a sink hole?

It looks like limestone rock which might have worn away with water? No idea who to call though! I’d ask neighbour first and then maybe call house insurance?!

Are your ndn a couple or is one missing???

@EdwardsNewJumper

Have you asked the neighbours if they know what it may be?

I haven't asked my neighbours yet, no. They moved in after their garden was landscaped so I'm assuming talking to their previous owners might have been more fruitful. I'll endeavour to ask them tomorrow if he ever decides to open the door to me.

@EdwardsNewJumper

Can you see bones / old trunk / rolled up carpet?

(Un)fortunately not. That would have been much more gruesome and exciting.

how interesting! The hole looks intentional to me, it seems to have tiling around the entrance.

@BrownOwlknowsbest

I would think it is either electricity or a phone line. Ask your power supplier if they know about it and also BT. Does it go under your house?

I suspect it's more an electricity cable than a phone line. I can't see if it goes under my house as the fence is in the way and I can't get a good angle to see underneath to my side.

I'm assuming I'd have an identical set up to the neighbours regarding cabling though?

I'll try the electricity company as a last resort - I've found them pretty unhelpful for everything except submitting a metre reading - go figure.

@LakieLady

It looks like the conduit that electric cable goes through when it's run underground. I think it's made of plastic these days.

Maybe next door are nicking your lecky, OP!

Good to know the modern ones are made of plastic, thank you.

The armoured cable is definitely going in and out of the next door neighbour's side, so I don't think they are nicking my electricity. Although saying that, I found out we share the main water pipe and I was paying for their usage for the first few months when I moved in. The water company have switched me to an unmetered rate now.

I had exactly the same kind of set up in my old house. It was a cable running electricity from the house to the shed.

Well well well!
Well?
(Sorry I'm feeling a bit daft - I mean could it be a well? )

@Fanthorpe

I’m guessing an old sewer collapse, and a big settlement.

Or a sink hole?

I don't think it's a sinkhole. As a later poster has pointed out, there a brick border around the hole as if it used to be a manhole cover at some point. Maybe an access cover?

Our sewage manhole is about 3 metres up from where the hole is. It's possible the sewage has moved though through the years. Our house was built in 1906 and the original deeds show a shared sewage system but it's much further down the garden than where this hole is.

@Haggisfish

It looks like limestone rock which might have worn away with water? No idea who to call though! I’d ask neighbour first and then maybe call house insurance?!

House insurance is a good shout, thank you. I'll try and find out what it is first though before alerting them (and also before doing any further groundwork.) I'd like to ideally lay a patio.

@Windyatthebeach

Are your ndn a couple or is one missing???

Funnily enough, my next door neighbour has two children but no partner. It's hardly a crime of the century to be a single parent but I've always wondered where the other parent is. The next door neighbour is a guy fyi.

@PolPotNoodle

how interesting! The hole looks intentional to me, it seems to have tiling around the entrance.

These are my thoughts too. It looks like an old metal manhole cover would have sat on the top. Back in the good old days (1900s), I doubt the neighbours would have had a fence up to separate their gardens.

@VapingHot

I had exactly the same kind of set up in my old house. It was a cable running electricity from the house to the shed.

Oh that's interesting. The next door neighbours do have a garage at the end of the garden. Behind our house is the next street and a pavement runs alongside our boundary fences. Some of the neighbours have a proper garage they can drive their car into from the street behind. Some have a garage/work shed but is only accessible from the garden. And some neighbours (like me) have nothing!

I don't know if the next door neighbours garage has electricity. It's something to consider when I go round and speak to them. Thanks.

@onalongsabbatical

Well well well! Well? (Sorry I'm feeling a bit daft - I mean could it be a well? )

We did spy a frog down! I don't think it's a well. If it is, I'm not sure having an electricity cable down there would be a good idea. Eek.

It could be an old manhole/chamber to do with redundant drainage. Manholes have a smaller entry and then a larger diameter underground. It could also be a well or a mine shaft (if you live in a mining area). you might find a clue on www.old-maps.co.uk.
Do you know if you live over water bearing ground where someone might have made a well? see www.bgs.ac.uk/research/groundwater/shaleGas/aquifersAndShales/maps/aquifers/home.html

Would it show on the land title deeds for your house (depending on age of property?)
It’s easy and cheap to get yourself a copy online in about 20 mins from Land Registry.

As another poster says, it looks rather like a chamber that would Ordinarily have been covered with a manhole cover, it doesn’t appear sinister from the pics.

I would be reluctant to contact house insurer without doing my own research first (I think they put a record of the call on file?)

Forgot to say, it may not be relevant, but in a commercial works situation, we were advised by a surveyor to infill a similar hole with large bore stones and rocks - so that rainwater could still percolate, but no one would fall into the hole.