Hi Richard,

This geography you describe sounds to me very much like what I know of Sweden where they build storage cellars separate from the houses, sometimes in the side of a hill or sometimes more or less back filled.
The lime mortar would be an important component in these foundations I guess along with structural and finish materials that were not all to stiff or brittle. What about advantages and disadvantages the way you see it?

Greetings,

Don Wagstaff