What is this - drain or soakaway or something else

[JC_DCFC]

This is in the footway down the side of our house, towards the rear garden, its full of stone/gravel which is as it should be i believe.

So my thoughts are some sort of soakaway - unfortunately in heavy rain we end up with standing water that gets quite deep and spreads down the path past the back door meaning if we go out that we are standing in 1cm+ of standing water- obviously it does go eventually but not as quickly as i think it should.

How do i know what it is?
How do i know if its working as it should? - or could do with clearing/unblocking (assuming its blocked with fines or something similar)

I could have this totally wrong but i assumed its a soakaway that runs to/under the grass in the rear garden

Lastly the black circular cover - i cant get that up...is that likely to be a drainage inspection cover....does it relate to the drains rather than the soakaway?

 

[Dereekoo]

Whatever it is I cannot see the purpose of filling it with pebbles because over time fine particles will eventually clag it up. I'd be inclined to clean it out as far as possible and see what transpires and refill with stone if the mood takes you. Re the black cover, who knows? try harder and get it lifted

 

[JC_DCFC]

Thanks Dereekoo, that s what i did previously removed the pebbles and crap as far as i could with a trowel washed them and put them back

the black cover one of the screws has rusted sealed....i don't want to break stuff, it gets annoying

 

[xm77]

I'd suggest that its a bottle or other type of trap in the paving with the grating to collect water from the alleyway and should be totally clear of anything within it: - though it will get filled with sludge every now and then and will need to be cleaned - and I guess it is now full of sh*t which is why its all blocked.
As per previous reply I've no idea why it was filled with gravel....
It probably connects to a drain underneath the back inspection hatch which you cannot as yet open.

 

[Dereekoo]

Thanks Dereekoo, that s what i did previously removed the pebbles and crap as far as i could with a trowel washed them and put them back

the black cover one of the screws has rusted sealed....i don't want to break stuff, it gets annoying

Spray with WD40 everyday for a week and see if that loosens it. If its a metal cover heat it up with a blowlamp.