Given the way the downpipe was installed originally, it stand to reasons that the surface water was just designed to run to ground and soakway over time. Chances are that concrete wasn't there to start with. Subsequent changes to the property and grounds has obviously changed that without any thought as to why it was arranged like that originally and to then divert the water from that downpipe away (from a doorway?) it was then jury'd to run to the gulley.
