-
Does the rest of the stuff have any structural purpose or can it be cleared out relatively easily?
Yes, it's probably holding the rest of the house up. It can't really be cleared out relatively easily, it can be removed and the basement converted to a full one but it's expensive.
Our flat is a ground floor one in an 1865 terrace and has exactly this, but it's more earth than rubble. Our coal chute is still there as is the cover at pavement level.
I once heard a brushing noise outside and went to the door to find an elderly couple brushing the coal hole cover with a wire brush so they could take a photo of it. Apparently ours is a good one. They live up north and come down to London on the train to 'spot' coal hole covers.
Nowt as queer as folk.
You are reading a single comment by @Fox and its replies.
Click here to read the full conversation.
Fox
I've been looking at a variety of houses recently and a few of them have basements. All are typical terraces dating back to about 1900-1910
The basements seem to be a corridor type clear area going from front to back equivalent to where the hallway above is and then the rest of the house footprint has about 3-4' of rubble or similar and then 1-2' of clear space below the ground floor.
How come they were built like this? A coal cellar and couldn't be bothered excavating the rest? Does the rest of the stuff have any structural purpose or can it be cleared out relatively easily?