Chimney breast #2

[plasticpigeon]

Hello again folks.

A simpler question now. I have unblocked the fireplace in the front room of my house. There is a very high arch, maybe 5ft or so. The two protruding bricks on left and right just at the base of the arch are at the perfect hight to allow a 36" insert to fit in nicely. My builder is taking a while to get round to the job and it got me thinking, what was there originally? The builder wants to knock out the two protruding bricks and insert a concrete lintel which is fine by me. I can't see any evidence of how the area within the arch was bricked up originally however. There is no metal strap or anything. I am thinking that either a second smaller opening was built within the bigger one, or that some kind of steel angle might have just been placed onto the 2 protruding bricks. I know the weight of the bricks within the semi circle is not great, but if a lintel was just put over the two protruding bricks that isn't a big area to rest on. I know there are hundreds of houses with similar arches round here which would have had metal inserts in originally.

What do people think??

Many thanks

Jerome

 

[middi]

Looking at the radius of that circle there would have been no need for support of any kind. No chance of collapse there.
I have a feelinf that a large cast iron " fire front " with integrated fire cradle was covering that opening.

As to the protruding bricks it is difficult to say, They may be an " innocent" design feature.

Middi

 

[plasticpigeon]

Ah, I wasn't at all worried about the arch falling down!!! However it is very high so I assumed that the area below the arch was bricked up perhaps with a lintel around the height of the protruding bricks so a normal cast iron insert could be put in. I see what you are saying though, if a large grate with integrated cast iron surround was used it could fill that space. It would have to be a very big surround though to cover up to the top of the arch!

 

[middi]

I dont see the point of building a structural arch and then inserting a lintel or an iron to brick up again.

High cast iron chimney fronts with integrated fire cradle were not uncommon during that era.

Middi

 

[Lime]

Housebuilders did not know what type or style fire would be used.
Therefore they built a high arch support to allow for anything.
i.e. One size fits all.