✅ SOLVED What are these structures inside of cellar holes?

[DownEast_Detecting]

3 of these structures inside a really nice, large cellar hole. What are they? Root cellars? Storage areas? Why have the stone roof, when the floor from the building would have acted like a ceiling in the basement? Has anybody see these before or know what their use was?

 

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[Blackfoot58]

Interesting find and images.
Probably not a fireplace as there would be evidence: charcoal, soot on the stones, etc.

Also, would the top stone have survived intense heat without shattering?

I agree, but it could be to strengthen the footing under a fireplace; a pylon so to speak.

 

[DownEast_Detecting]

Could they have been foundation support structures?

I mean maybe.... but that doesn't really make since to me. If they were support structures you would think they would..
A: be the same size
B: probably be in the corners, thats how you would add the most strength
C: if they were support for the foundation caving in. you would think there would be some on the longest sides. Thats where the biggest chance for problems would be. Right in the middle of the longest sections. farthest away from the corners.

this is a crude layout of the structures and cellar hole i did real quick on my phone. (not to scale)

 

[Fredneck]

Fireplace foundations

 

[DownEast_Detecting]

Yes, really, seen them before. They do not appear to be part of the original foundation. They were likely built using the barn foundation as a backwall and were made after the original barn came down (either burnt or blown or taken down) hence why they have their own roof on them. They aren't meant to house large animals, just young/small livestock (or maybe dogs, who knows). They probably penned up newborn calves in them overnight so they didn't get eaten or freeze or wander off.

Remember, people only raised a few livestock back in the day, not like nowadays where farmers have hundreds or thousands of livestock. I live on a heifer farm with about 300 ladies just across my yard!

Yes, stone animal pens are a thing but these ain't them. These are foundations for the fireplace and chimney on the next floor up. When the building was there. ( see pics and info below)

Fireplace foundations

winner (see pics and info below)

I know nothing about the process, but could there be a possible connection to the process of making maple syrup? Maybe a big pot sat on that flat top stone.

i don't think so, a lot of places in New England did make maple syrup. But they had separate out buildings called "sugar houses" or just a campsite in the woods.

Interesting find and images.
Probably not a fireplace as there would be evidence: charcoal, soot on the stones, etc.

Also, would the top stone have survived intense heat without shattering?

They support the fire place and chimney on the next floor up. (see pics and info below)

I agree, but it could be to strengthen the footing under a fireplace; a pylon so to speak.

Boom. I think the built the chimney and fireplace right on top of these, Then butt the floors to them(see pics & info below)

Wow! Great site. those can be very very old sites. Your in a good state for them. A great detection site.

Ancient Stone Mysteries of New England​

Amazing Viking Age Village​

i love to wonder about early visitors to America, and i believe the vikings and others did come here.(check this link out The Mystery of Maine’s Viking Penny)But probably didn't stick around for long periods of time. Except for that viking village in Nova Scotia, i think that was a failed attempt at a colony. But almost all of the "weird" stone structures around new England have been debunked or explained by archeologist to be, root cellars, lime kilns, animal pens, etc... Yes a lot face North or at the sun at its solstice but... "Peebles writes that “a strong nineteenth century concern with proper solar orientation” is documented both in the historical record and in observations of colonial structures. The old New England farmers may not have worshiped the sun as a god, but they certainly depended on a detailed knowledge of its movements to warm their homes and nourish their crops." Great article here about cellar holes and strange stone structures in Vermont. 👉 Lost Histories: The Story of New England’s Stone Chambers
Split-Stone Chimney Base
So after some research they are indeed support structures for the fireplace and chimney's on the next floor.(see pics below) Im thinking they probably built the chimneys/fireplaces right on top of these. Then trimmed in or butted the floor to those.
Also these people were extremely wealthy. not only did they have 3 fireplaces and a very large house.( most houses from this time are tiny and had one fireplace in the middle.) The top of their cellar hole is topped with granite, a sign of the people being very affluent. This is the first one ive found with the granite toppers, ill be sure to be on the look out in the future.
some really great stuff in this article 👉 stonewalls & cellarholes
also this dude is dating cellar holes in NH with a pretty cool method called optically stimulated luminescence(OSL) dating. 👉 Forest Journal -- Digging in the Dark: Dating stone structures in NH’s woods. I first viewed it on my phone with an ad blocker browser(firefox focus) you might be able to do the hit X to stop loading the page trick so you can read it before the pay wall pops up. Pretty neat stuff.

 

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[Fredneck]

Winner ? Did I really win a trip to Maine for a 2 day hunt on a killer colonial site Sweet !!

 

[GoDeep]

Some good ol' livestock shelters...

Still make them to this day, only out of plastic :-(

One of your foundations is likely the house, the other across the draw was likely the barn or old bar foundation repurposed as a livestock enclosure with stone shelters added.

 

[unclemac]

have you asked the locals? you may be surprised to learn others know quite well what they are.

 

[releventchair]

We get to guess?

Dense masonry =thermal mass.
Maybe someone was really into wine brewing and storage.
Consistent temps is not a bad thing. And variations during certain stages to.
Storage of finished and during fermentation though , the two biggest desires for consistency.
With out better control of temp and or big temp swings brewing (quality brewing) is more limited as to time of year. And some brewing took months to get a finished drink. Plus aging depending on wine.

And , what was more common than wine and even water at times? Aye. Cider.
Once keeping air and foreign air born yeast out of the finished product to prevent it becoming vinegar more than cider, unless you had a springhouse to help keep things cooler in summer or set a barrel in a run/creek ect...We're back to using the earth and cooler night temps.

Under the floor. Out of sight. Less risk of being seen. Less potential theft or temptation.
Very small holes could be used to keep something cooler than an entire basement. Undermining only parts below the structure.


An old house we lived in was seen again a couple weekends ago.
Hada coal burner in the basement. With a coal bin of course.
But there were wooden "bins" we'd go in during bad storms.
I was told they were for vegetable storage.

Your huts look about right to roll a standing barrel under.
And some veggies store better away from certain others.
A barrel can allow dried grass straw corn husks sand or whatever for insulation if desired.
With additional barrel outside structure barrel goes in removing the contents for periodic inspection is easy as putting the good in the additional barrel.
As with a root cellar (and burying a barrel in a bank of earth is a basic start)humidity being steady is good.
If the structure above was still intact there might be seen a way(s) to control air in and out. (Trap cooler night air in addition to steady / constant below ground temp.
Sprinkling water wouldn't be difficult if needed to raise humidity. Or a previously soaked lime or sandstone swapped out.

 

[Back-of-the-boat]

Maybe a butchering area for game. Or protection for glass jars of food. Another possibility would be an area to build fires for smoking the meat.

 

[DownEast_Detecting]

OK..not part of the foundation then. Any idea of the age of the place?

not yet, but am thinking probably 1800's with a chance its older. I cant find the other cellar hole on any map yet.
found the big one on an 1857 topo. also dug a 1917 merc and flat button 1917 Merc w/Full Split Bands? & the nicest cellar holes I’ve seen

Some good ol' livestock shelters...

Still make them to this day, only out of plastic :-(

One of your foundations is likely the house, the other across the draw was likely the barn or old bar foundation repurposed as a livestock enclosure with stone shelters added.

Really though? they are really tiny and only 3 of them. the biggest could hold a pig maybe, with no room to move or turn around. The smallest a few chickens at best. And again why would you need a stone roof for that when the floor of the building would be right there acting as a ceiling. Seems like a lot of work for a livestock pen, when if it was a barn they could just be constructed out of wood upstairs.

 

[Blackfoot58]

Fireplace foundations

This was my thought also. I’m sure the hollow would have been used for storage too.

 

[PetesPockets55]

Interesting find and images.
Probably not a fireplace as there would be evidence: charcoal, soot on the stones, etc.

Also, would the top stone have survived intense heat without shattering?

 

[GlowingArtist]

I swear they have been covered on Ancient Aliens as Fairy Houses.

 

[Fredneck]

So this would be the firebox then? Was there an opening for a chimney?

No just the supporting foundations under the main floor... in his pics. The one GoDeep posted 2 replies prior is not the same style.
Why 3 ? Appears to be a good size house and not unusual to have 3 fireplaces, likely at least one up on the 2nd floor for the bedrooms, maybe 2, and one on the main floor.

 

[DownEast_Detecting]

I could get behind that idea. I would have expected some remaining stone work on top of the supports though from the old fireplaces, but someone could have removed the fireplace stone to repurpose the stone or brick. Regardless, they are little critter shelters now...

Yes, that did happen all the time. Either the owners themselves would take apart the house for moving it or new house. Or someone else comes along after its abandoned and takes building materials for their house.

No just the supporting foundations under the main floor... in his pics. The one GoDeep posted 2 replies prior is not the same style.
Why 3 ? Appears to be a good size house and not unusual to have 3 fireplaces, likely at least one up on the 2nd floor for the bedrooms, maybe 2, and one on the main floor.

chef's kiss! (not sure if you know that expression but its basically means that's perfect)

So this would be the firebox then? Was there an opening for a chimney? Why three so close? Maybe it was an open air shop that required heating some material. Better check under the floor of those things, could have been the hidey hole.

no... as Va Dave explained
but i also drew you a crude picture to help you visualize it, as a one story house, with the granite toppers from my cellar hole... (Most 1 floor, 1 room houses would just have the stone foundation)

 

[DizzyDigger]

OK..not part of the foundation then. Any idea of the age of the place?

 

[GoDeep]

Really though? they are really tiny and only 3 of them. the biggest could hold a pig maybe, with no room to move or turn around. The smallest a few chickens at best. And again why would you need a stone roof for that when the floor of the building would be right there acting as a ceiling. Seems like a lot of work for a livestock pen, when if it was a barn they could just be constructed out of wood upstairs.

Yes, really, seen them before. They do not appear to be part of the original foundation. They were likely built using the barn foundation as a backwall and were made after the original barn came down (either burnt or blown or taken down) hence why they have their own roof on them. They aren't meant to house large animals, just young/small livestock (or maybe dogs, who knows). They probably penned up newborn calves in them overnight so they didn't get eaten or freeze or wander off.

Remember, people only raised a few livestock back in the day, not like nowadays where farmers have hundreds or thousands of livestock. I live on a heifer farm with about 300 ladies just across my yard!

 

[Sandog]

I know nothing about the process, but could there be a possible connection to the process of making maple syrup? Maybe a big pot sat on that flat top stone.

 

[michael NY]

I would think it is a place that stays cool dry store food fish meat salts keeping it away from the animals and other unwanted pests
Or a bathroom for midget's🙃