Identify This Photo

[Thomk]

These photos were taken in an overgrown copse near to my house which we've always wanted to explore and finally did the other day. Can anyone tell me anything about this? I'm guessing it's a pump and the large structures surrounding it were to hold water? When would they have been used? To irrigate or for domestic use? Livestock? Perhaps it's not a pump...

 

[gbb]

Any idea of the history of the land use ?....mining, agricultural, is it near a lake ?
Near a lake might mean the structure is an old ice house, they used to take ice from frozen lakes and store it in (usually) domed structures, the ice could last quite a while in there....but how the cast iron thingy figures in that, i t doesnt make much sense so probably not.
Its industrial, ie not for the general public or it'd be more ornate. I assume the top section rotates, the rods mounted on each leg look like they should be bent like that, but again, figuring out why is a mystery. It looks like its mounted on top of a vertical pipe...or is that me. Is it connected to what looks like a steel pipe in the floor of the second photo.

Its a mystery....

 

[Globalti]

Is the cast-iron thing in the centre of a circular pit? If so it may have been the central support for an umbrella-shaped cover for a small reservoir, or the central boss for a rotating sewage aeration pond.

 

[Thomk]

Is the cast-iron thing in the centre of a circular pit? If so it may have been the central support for an umbrella-shaped cover for a small reservoir, or the central boss for a rotating sewage aeration pond.

Yes it is in the centre of a circular pit! Also around it are the remains of other circular structures!

Any idea of the history of the land use ?....mining, agricultural, is it near a lake ?
Near a lake might mean the structure is an old ice house, they used to take ice from frozen lakes and store it in (usually) domed structures, the ice could last quite a while in there....but how the cast iron thingy figures in that, i t doesnt make much sense so probably not.
Its industrial, ie not for the general public or it'd be more ornate. I assume the top section rotates, the rods mounted on each leg look like they should be bent like that, but again, figuring out why is a mystery. It looks like its mounted on top of a vertical pipe...or is that me. Is it connected to what looks like a steel pipe in the floor of the second photo.

Its a mystery....

Yes it did look to me as though the whole thing should rotate. It does seem to be mounted on a pipe but it could just be a steel rod. there are pipes here and there in the copse so water/sewage is certainly the main suspect.

Re lake - no not really although there is a stream pretty close (100m or so). It is largely agricultural land.

 

[Thomk]

BTW - The village I live in has over 1000 years of recorded history and the copse is about 150m from my house. I should ask the tenant farmer!

 

[Globalti]

Unless I'm mistaken the top of the object is slightly wonky, which would imply that it is free to rotate and "float" and around the base of the rotating bit there is old oil soaked on, which would also imply that it rotated.

Have you tried Googling the terms "water storage reservoir (village name" or "sewage treatment plant (village)" or looking at old maps online?

Look at the "hub" on this boom; amost identical:

 

[Over The Hill]

The base part looks to be part of a pump, the top part looks odd and as the spider legs would foul the ground I would guess the top bit is not linked but someone has plonked it on top of the base.

Any war activity there like an airbase? If it is high up it is likely to be water, if low down - sewerage.

 

[Globalti]

Look at the hub on the boom in the picture above.

 

[Thomk]

Google search indicates that, although the site is known and recorded, it's purpose and use has not been investigated or identified.

 

[Globalti]

Try digging down a couple of inches under the topsoil; if you find coarse stones you'll know it's a filtration bed like the one I've pictured.

 

[TwickenhamCyclist]

View attachment 121044

These photos were taken in an overgrown copse near to my house which we've always wanted to explore and finally did the other day. Can anyone tell me anything about this? I'm guessing it's a pump and the large structures surrounding it were to hold water? When would they have been used? To irrigate or for domestic use? Livestock? Perhaps it's not a pump...

View attachment 121045

Is it a picture of the local children's play facilities after years of Tory cuts?

 

[Tim Hall]

Try digging down a couple of inches under the topsoil; if you find coarse stones you'll know it's a filtration bed like the one I've pictured.

Look for copious amounts of tomato plants too...

 

[Illaveago]

As Globalti has said above it does look like part of an old sewage works.

 

[Thomk]

As Globalti has said above it does look like part of an old sewage works.

Pre or post WW2?

 

[classic33]

What's on the stone behind the piece?