Is this tarmac in my garden likely to be covering a service mains?

[mart]

I have been digging over a strip of garden area at home in preparation for planting 2 fruit trees and some shrubs. I got lot of stones out by digging, and swinging a large pick for the stubbern parts.

After turning over about 90% of the area I have discovered/uncovered tarmac. I don't know why it was put there. It is not in a small pile, but appears to have been laid for a purpose...or not?

Best thing I can do is show photos. I don't want to put a pick through any pipe.

 

[voipio]

You've uncovered an ancient road, lost to civilisation for decades.

 

[weldingnovice]

Seems unusual, best try and borrow a cat

 

[Ton-up]

Roman?

 

[mart]

Seems unusual, best try and borrow a cat

English Springer spaniel, and they follow commands

 

[Pete.]

Looks more like lean mix in the photo. Is it definitely aphalt?

 

[mart]

Roman?

1953

 

[octo0072000]

cable tv?

 

[weldingnovice]

You could try a dog, but probably start digging without knowing what's there

 

[weldingnovice]

Unlikely to damage anything though if you get a small one

 

[Bornfree]

Roman?

Less Roman villa. More Roman council estate

 

[Agrismith]

Seems unusual, best try and borrow a cat

A cat scan is very unlikely to be any help especially without a gennie and training. Disturbed ground takes a lot of practice to weed out false signals.
Also no use for water or drainage.

We use digging bars far more than pics. Can be more careful delicate and precise with them. And the chisel end breaks out material but does less damage when if it where to hit anything.
There is no reason that with a digging bar and a bit of fore thought you couldn't dig out that tarmac safely.


There are millions of reasons someone might have put it there and most likely you will never find out why

 

[mcostello]

Buried peices of eight.

 

[winchman]

Ask here and you should have a reply in a few hours, put all services

LSBUD - Home

LSBUD is the free to use Safe Digging Platform providing Utility Asset Maps for over 3,9 million searches every year across the UK.

lsbud.co.uk

 

[CompoSimmonite]

Many years ago I was given some healthy Laurel bushes so decided to plant them at the side of my drive as I live on a corner and therefore council said I couldn't have fencing. Digging down probably 18" I came across tarmac despite it being under a lawn ! Took ages to dig the holes for the bushes as it continued around 20' of my land perimeter. No idea how far it encroached under the lawn, nor bothered as it later became another parking area.

 

[gaz1]

your pic isnt wide enough to show the lay of the land

best suggestion i can say is

its a raised bed that has been layed over the old tarmac garden level layed by someone that had possibly a shed or even used as a seating area

 

[Pigeon_Droppings2]

Bet theres an interesting story...maybe a previous owner worked on road repair and "happened" to have something useful left overs that came in handy perhaps?

 

[mart]

your pic isnt wide enough to show the lay of the land

best suggestion i can say is

its a raised bed that has been layed over the old tarmac garden level layed by someone that had possibly a shed or even used as a seating area

ok

 

[mart]

I had a go with hammer & chisel, then progressed to pick.

 

[mart]