Old unknown wire.

MarvinDay

I'm shortly going to getting some of the pointing on my property (bungalow built in about 1960) and prior to this, I've been removing some old screws and nails from the brickwork.

I have an old cable running up the front of the house and I was wondering if anyone knows what it would have been used for.
It's very hard uninsulated twisted wire and it appears that it originally went through the soffit into the attic. It's now just hanging loose so I'm going to remove it at ground level but I'm just curious as to what it was for.
Any ideas?

Section62

MarvinDay said:

I'm shortly going to getting some of the pointing on my property (bungalow built in about 1960) and prior to this, I've been removing some old screws and nails from the brickwork.

I have an old cable running up the front of the house and I was wondering if anyone knows what it would have been used for.
It's very hard uninsulated twisted wire and it appears that it originally went through the soffit into the attic. It's now just hanging loose so I'm going to remove it at ground level but I'm just curious as to what it was for.
Any ideas?

Possibly part of the electrical earthing system, or an earth for an old 'wireless' (radio) set up.

But if it doesn't actually go into the attic, just very close, then it might have been a plant support wire.

sheenas

It looks like the wire used to support plants. 

DullGreyGuy

what's at the other end?

Andy_L

is it a catenary wire that was used to support an overhead phone line back in the olden days?

gefnew

old style telephone cable to earth point.

MarvinDay

DullGreyGuy said:

what's at the other end?

It just appears to go straight into the ground beside the front wall of the property.

Andy_L said:

is it a catenary wire that was used to support an overhead phone line back in the olden days?

I've seen these catenary wires (but had no idea what they were called until your post) but I don't think this is one as it runs the full height of the front of the bungalow.

gefnew said:

old style telephone cable to earth point.

As it goes down into the ground, this would make sense.



Thanks for all the info and suggestions.
Whatever it was for, it's coming off the wall tomorrow and I'll just snip it at ground level.
I've been in the property for 20+ years and as it's not been needed in that time, I can't see it ever being used again.