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It's just a ditch filled with gravel.
Which is often good enough - depending on why it was put there - in the picture @apc posted, for example, a gravel soakaway, cut against the wall, would stop the worst of the wicking up the rendered bit.
I'd go so far as to suggest, though, that a cement plinth / parging as an effort to mitigate damp is utterly bonkers.
NotThamesWater
Rich_G
It's just a ditch filled with gravel. cowboys and my trusting nature from long ago when we 1st moved in. Having done some more reading I think a proper French drain with piping and have it drain off to a drain point will help. But also read that it being a clay soil French drains are not that effective. 🤔.
I think I'll try to get a 2nd opinion. Anyone got a good builder to recommend for this sort of thing?