Why would an old utility room have a large concrete slab full of dirt?

[Scanson]

Why on earth would someone have a concrete structure like this inside a utility room !?

House built 1800 we presume this used to be an outbuilding before being attached to the house via an extension mid 1900s.

Under the tiles is a thick slab of concrete, then a plastic membrane and then filled with dirt & rubble.

Its massive. Could we be looking at an old outhouse area? (Why fill with dirt though?) Or a weird potting area before they got a greenhouse? Again wouldnt you clear it before tiling over it? I dont think it was a cold slab because it is underneath a south facing window. PRAYING its not some unsolved missing persons case 🥶

No idea but it would be relatively recent as plastic like that wouldn’t have been available until the 1959’s/60’s.

Shamelessly following 😳

House near us has something similar in their kitchen. It's a disused well. That place dates from the 1790s.

Was the house owned by a MNer who didn't want a 'new patio'? 😁

A family member of mine had a well under their utility room floor

I’d say an old well.

old well with dead body hidden in it…….

Maybe excavated it from somewhere and wanted a place to put it and couldn't be arsed taking it out the house.

I know someone who found a tree branch in an old cottage wall and someone else who found a folded up piece of carpet in the wall of another fairly modern build.

If it's out of sight builders will generally dump any old crap there.

A well?

Have a look at the wall and the ground outside for clues.

Is it a solid floor?

Builders are intrinsically lazy, and rather than cart rubble away they prefer to hide it in disused fireplaces and under floors. They may have see your workbench as a handy cavity.

Is it terrible that I’m here for the potential murder investigation

Earth closet?

Old coal shed, old well, cellar steps 👀

With a house of that age, I wouldn’t assume it is just rubble or an old well from photos. Before taking more out, get a local structural engineer or an experienced older-building surveyor to look at it. Check whether the concrete is carrying the wall or tied to the foundations, and whether there are clues outside such as an old well head, drain or blocked opening. If you do expose it further, support nearby masonry, keep children out, and watch for standing water or contamination. A well or former earth closet would need proper safe, engineered treatment rather than simply filling it with more concrete; an infilled cellar or void can also settle. Photograph and measure the layers, check old plans, and ask the council or Building Control whether the extension had approvals. It may be harmless historic infill, but the cost of a site inspection is small compared with undermining an old wall.

Outside toilet?

I had one like that in my house it turned out to be a witch's tomb. Be careful op.

This is terrifying!! Can you tell me more about this? How did you know it was a witch tomb?

Thank you for this! Ill attach some pics of the outside it lays into as thats abit odd too but will be sure to get proper evaluation now

Appreciate all of your comments, ive popped the tiles back ontop for now and left it until I have more advice and time to properly investigate (mum of 2 little livewires and dont want to open a can of worms just yet!!)

Will update thread when I do it.

We have a well already on the property so im not convinced it would be another one so close by. I believe it was an old workers cottage to the big house close by historically. Hadnt consirered a cellar and not sure that would be on my wish list!!

Definitely a body….

Could also be a cold food store.

If the house was built in 1800, it could be a listed building and you can look up the list description on line (Historic England). This might give you some information or you could ask the council's heritage officer/conservation officer for advice.
Listed buildings of whatever grade are protected in the inside as well as the outside.

Its not listed, suprisingly as the windows here really are special! Not much history to find before 1931 when it was split from a larger estate when they passed.

Builders do this to save having to remove rubble from the site, easier just to pop it in a concealed place that no one will look at for decades.

Image as promised of the wall behind it. Its a puzzler for sure.

My mum has thrown another idea that it may have housed animals and be an old manger or goat milking area.

Someone else thinks maybe an old bricked up door from looking at the outside too