Terrace property in Barnsley has/had a cellar which was around 6/7ft high and as stated by others above provided a firm foundation for the house built upon it!

Our cellar had a separate stone sort of table (acted as a "fridge" and a number of "rooms" with stone steps down to it and one of the "rooms" was the coal cellar, or coal 'oil (the basement) the whole area was damp

Yes miners received as part of pay free coal which was "loose" coal and often large pieces or "cobbs" the coalcame whilst the father was at work by and large and either the kids with help from the mother and neighbours would shovel the coal down the opened grate (metal and round often) and the coal would then need to be pulled down inside the cellar to make room to get it all in!

The main source of heating was the front room coal fire which would have to be lit using sticks (chopped wood) and pages of the Barnsley chronicle and topped with coal slack ~ getting it to tek owld was a work of art and H & S would cringe at some methods employed!! including use of shovel and paper sheets to create a draught!! Petrol and parafin not recommended

Coal hole = cellar 'oil, = coil oil

Basement not a word we would know in Barnsley

So the song can be found at www.yorshirefolksong.net the tune is that of a German folk song and was/is still current in older peoples memory!

Provenance is still very illusive, Yorkshire /Lancashire and it seems many places in UK know it! the Lancashire version may well be traceable to Harry Boardman as he lived in Oldham some 3 miles from Greenfield and Saddleworth on the edge of Yorkshire/Lancs.

and the song itself sung on charabanc trips from Working mens' clubs by kids mothers and all going on their holidays to Blackpool or Cleethorpes alternated with "Barnsley Anthem( [we're all dahn int cellar/coil oil and "You can't put your muck in our dustbin" and We're off in a motor car
Ray