Brick or plaster for fireplace?

[Anonymous]

My house (1850 terrace cottage) currently has a 16" open fireplace. In my neighbours' house, someone opened up their (most likely identical) fireplace and uncovered a lovely big opening, which has been cleaned up and they've got a multifuel stove installed. I plan to do the same thing, only I don't know whether to keep the chimney breast plastered, or to expose the bricks as they have. In part the decision will depend on the state of the bricks once we remove the modern facade. Does anyone have an idea whether the fireplace would have been plastered originally? Are there special considerations for plastering around a fireplace opening? Thank you.

 

[Anonymous]

Originally probably a cast iron grate, not an open fireplace, for a house of that age.

 

[Anonymous]

From the point of view of historical authenticity, it doesn't really matter whether you plaster the bricks or not, because the firehole would almost certainly not have been used in that way in the mid 19th century. It would have had a cast iron insert with a small fireplace, and a (probably) painted wood surround and mantlepiece.
The more "high class" the house was, the more likely that the surround might have been marble (genuine or faux).

 

[Anonymous]

I had the same concerns as you, but when I took out the super 70s job all the original bricks were all shot as they had used a very hard cement plaster and just ruined all the faces of the old bricks, the arch was held up by cement blocks so we removed them and used an oak lintel which we wire brushed and then lime plastered the entire breast and it looks great. I overkilled on the size of timber but it is 12ich in section and looks nice.

not the most authentic for an 1800 terrace but much better than the brass gas one before as the wood burner smells better!!

 

[Anonymous]

I reckon the 'lovely big opening' would have been either an open hearth or more likely a simple range - either way, it's where the occupants of your house would have cooked in all probability.

How large is the opening yor neighbour has?

 

[Anonymous]

Ask your neighbour a question like that, and you're likely to get your face slapped.

I've assumed this fireplace is in the "parlour", in which case surely the range would have been elsewhere?

 

[Anonymous]

Oh dear David - only VERY posh houses - like wot mine is- had parlours. The assumptions of the Middle Clarses etc...

Most places had a kitchen (for dry work cooking etc) and a scullery.

 

[Anonymous]

Oh, OK then Smartyknickers - Froont Rume, or whatever tha calls it. The room that wasn't the kitchen.

 

[Anonymous]

For many, the front room was the kitchen!

 

[Anonymous]

More gruel, vicar?

 

[Anonymous]

The fireplace is in the front room and there is a separate room on the ground floor that I thought would've been the kitchen from the beginning. But come to think of it, there's no chimney in the kitchen, or sign that there ever was one, so maybe the cooking did take place in the front room. I'll try to take a picture of the neighbour's fireplace to post.