Not sure where to ask about this. I was digging in a long-neglected bed at the edge of my property, and discovered a hole, 3-4 feet deep, and 2 feet across, lined by a rusted corrugated steel pipe. Empty inside, with gravel at the bottom. Had been covered by a layer of topsoil and clay about 3 inches thick. Only reason no one had ever fallen into it was because no one ever has reason to step there.

House was built in 1951, I suspect this structure dates to then or before. I would have guessed it was meant to be some sort of dry well, but can't for the life of me understand why it would have been left empty, instead of filled with stone/gravel. I don't see any sort of opening into the sides, but they are rusted pretty well.

Not sure how the topsoil and clay got on top of it, since it's too wide to support anything like that. Possibly it was once covered by wood or metal that decayed.

Does this sound familiar to anyone here?

Would everyone else fill it in? Guess I'm uncertain, since I don't know what it was for.