Brick Pipe found on Cape Cod Beach

[Toms14086]

I found this section of brick like pipe and carried to for 3 hours... Does anyone have any idea what it was used for, and when or where it came from?

 

[woodstock]

It's a drainage pipe for water .. some are possibily still being used in remote area's on the East coast . IMHO , Woodstock

 

[surf]

Hello Toms,

Welcome to the wide world of "What Is It?" It looks like vitreous clay pipe to me. There's lots of uses for it, even today. That stuff lasts a very long time...

 

[Toms14086]

Hello Toms,

Welcome to the wide world of "What Is It?" It looks like vitreous clay pipe to me. There's lots of uses for it, even today. That stuff lasts a very long time...

All I know is that it weighs a lot more than you would think by looking at it. The piece is not perfectly straight which leads me to believe that it could be hand made. The tool marks on the outside seem purely decorative and maybe some kind of downspout for rainwater?

 

[testing123]

I'll go with sewage pipe . I really have no idea

 

[Jason in Enid]

sewer pipe

 

[woodstock]

Years before the DNR and water pollution issues cottages built almost anywhere on lakes , rivers and the coast used to drain greywater directly back into whatever waters they were built on . But please note that graywater is different than the waste water from what goes down your toilet . Gray Water is dirty from the usage for washing and cleaning and even though they are not in use today there remains are still there and I bet others have seen them too , just like outhouses . I'm not sure but the material of this might be called "terracotta" and it could be hand made .
I believe this is what I said before about this being a drainage or sewer pipe and could have very well been removed from it's resting place by the bad storms that hit the east coast last year . It could have also been removed by a landscaper in your area and tossed into the drink only to wash up again .
Don't feel silly about dragging this home cause I would have myself if I didn't know it purpose ... Put it in your garden ! Happy Trails , Woodstock

 

[Toms14086]

Knowing it wasn't my million dollar find it will be seal coated to bring out some color and converted into one fine looking flower pot/door stop. Next time I walk the beach and see one I will kick it into the water before the wife sees it! Thanks for the fast and helpful feedback.

 

[mical66]

i agree with surf, all the clay water drains or sewer lines i have seen have always been round on the outside and the chimney pipes are square , this one having the decorative grooves on the outside tell me they were made to be seen not buried .
also looking down inside it , it looks to be darker like years of soot build up.
just my guess.

 

[Toms14086]

The inside of the pipe has a glazed surface, kind of what you would see on a clay pot. I was assuming that this glaze would have been applied to make the inside of the pipe waterproof or at least resistant. Being decorative I am tending to follow the idea of a gutter downspout.

 

[confederate83]

Definatly clay tile drainage

 

[Toms14086]

The Cape Cod area was well known for its brick manufacturing. There are many recorded ship wrecks along the Cape of ships carrying bricks. I thought that maybe this was from one of those wrecks.

 

[CoilyGirl]

I think it's really cool looking and would probably picked it up too.

 

[surf]

The inside of the pipe has a glazed surface, kind of what you would see on a clay pot. I was assuming that this glaze would have been applied to make the inside of the pipe waterproof or at least resistant. Being decorative I am tending to follow the idea of a gutter downspout.

Hello again, Toms,

I believe the "glaze" that you are seeing is the result of it having been vitrified. The outside was also likely the same glassy surface, though that has been lost due to the effects of sand and surf tumbling.

I don't believe it would have been a downspout due to the heavy weight factor.

You might drop a line to Mr. Edward Sikora at the following link or at the National Clay Pipe Institute for more insight:

ASTM Vitrified Clay Pipe Standards​

 

[Toms14086]

Great assistance on this site. Thanks for the link.