Concrete slab found in garden

[Steven Thorpe]

Hi,

I am digging out a shallow pit in my back garden so that I can lay a concrete base for a new shed. When digging in one corner, I found the earth to be a mixture of soil, gravel and builders rubble covering a concrete slab about 1m² and 50mm in depth a few inches below the surface. For me to lay the shed base, this slab will need to come up, but I am a bit concerned about what I may find underneath. Has anyone got any ideas? It maybe that it was used as a tiny garden patio area 50+ years ago, but I'm also worried that it may be covering a pipe or electric cable, in which case I would be a little bit more cautious to remove it.

Thanks in advance
Steven

 

[lostinthelight]

Carefully dig down the side to see if its resting on top of any sort of construction,

 

[RayCaister]

It's the cover for a soakaway.

 

[xm77]

Or capping for an old well......

 

[Steven Thorpe]

It's the cover for a soakaway.

Thanks, but apologies I'm a bit thick, what is a soakaway???

 

[lostinthelight]

Thanks, but apologies I'm a bit thick, what is a soakaway???

Its where the storm water goes if not into the main sewer

 

[Lower]

Thanks, but apologies I'm a bit thick, what is a soakaway???

It’s a leaky under ground tank. Probably a hole filled with rubble.
The rain water from your gutters drains into it, and then gradually soaks in to the ground.

 

[Mottie]

A plague pit.

 

[RayCaister]

https://images.app.goo.gl/C2QcqhXHKGRU9H2t6