More Concrete floor questions!

[biffvernon]

No it is not a stupid question at all. But, strangely, water will soak its way through concrete, albeit quite slowly. You can make a water tank out of concrete and it will not leak but the concrete will get damp throughout. Water vapour, on the other hand, will pass through lime mortars much more quiclky than through concrete. Hence it is regarded as a 'breathable' material. Generally, lime mortar keeps a place dry and cement keeps it wet.

 

[GK]

I assumed the two 'wells' were connected as the water levels seemed to be the same.

No, they're not connected. There's something about the square well which I think is very strange. At the base, 15 feet down, is a slab with neat grooves cut in it and a central hole like a plug hole. Just like a draining board or what you might expect to see in an old cowshed. Where on earth do you suppose the water could have drained to? Very odd.

 

[biffvernon]

Weird. How did you see that? Have you pumped the water out to the bottom? I wonder whether it all predates the house and forms part of some pre-existing structure. Maybe someone accidentally dropped the draining board down the well.

 

[GK]

Yep, pumped all the water out and bucketed out a few feet of slurry. You can just about spot the grooves in the picture. It was all very neatly done. I think it's weird.