Cubby hole in victorian fireplace

[ireneadler101]

Hi all,

We unblocked the fireplace in what was originally the drawing room today, and found the following:



Has anyone ever seen this before? I am racking my brains trying to work out what it was for....

 

[Minkeycat]

What a cool find. I really have no idea so can only theorise. It's not a bread oven - too low, central and I'd have thought, the wrong shape and I'm guessing there are no clues to old hinges for a door that's used to be there. Can you photograph inside it? How big is the inside? Does it look finished inside - ie did it have a definite Could it be the result of an older fireplace being reduced in size? The reason I ask this is because we're uncovering a fireplace at the moment and that's clearly been reduced four times over the years. Are the bricks on the 'back wall' of the fireplace (ie, where the cubby hole' is, tied into the walls either side? This might give a clue as to whether that's a false wall. Other than that, sorry, I can't suggest much but I'm going to be coming back here frequently to find out what the cleverer people than me say!

Thanks for posting.

 

[ireneadler101]

This is what it looks like close up. I've googled the name and I think it's a firebrick.





There was a pipe running from the hole in the firebrick to the front of the bricked up opening. It wasn't connected to anything but my first thought was that it was a gas pipe. Very odd. I can only assume a gas fire was on the front of the bricked up opening at some point. No gas flue liner though.

 

[Feltwell]

No gas flue liner though.

The requirement to line flues when fitting gas fires is a relatively recent thing I believe - if your fireplace was converted to gas some time ago, there probably wouldn't be a flue liner.

Interesting find! Alas I can't add much more.

 

[ireneadler101]

I should add that the hole in the firebrick finishes right behind the plaster on the other side of the wall. I had wondered if there was a fireplace on the other side of the wall in the hallway but it's pretty clear now that there isn't.

 

[ireneadler101]

I've also noticed that on either side of the fireplace, just above the ground and then a few inches above that, there is a gap in the brickwork where a half brick is missing. It's been patched in with modern bricks when it was covered up.

Could, perhaps, there have been a hob grate in there? The house dates from c1865 and in its day, it would have been a fairly grand villa. This fireplace is in what we think was the drawing room - so it would have been formal rather than a working room.

Amy

 

[paulc]

The only time I can recall seeing a niche like that was in a small shrine on a wall in Italy. Not sure which saint or deity would be venerated in such a place (perhaps St Florian).

 

[ireneadler101]

The patron saint of chimney sweeps - who knew?!

I've been doing some research today and so far, my best guess is that it was there to accommodate a vent into the hallway, on the other side of the chimney breast. This would have provided some heat to it and, as the house has Gothic touches, might have been arched?

Something like this: http://www.historichouseparts.com/pdshop/shop/item.aspx?itemid=23325

 

[88v8]

I think you could well be right.
It does not appear that the fireplace was ever backfilled for a fire insert, so either it was used full-size with an open grate, or as you say perhaps a hob grate. At first thought, that seemed an odd idea as I associate them more with utilitarian dwellings, but it seems there were some quite grand versions.
http://www.stovax.com/stove-fire/insert-fireplaces/regency-hob-grate-inserts/

The notion of an open grate falls over as soon as one thinks about it as the vent would have let smoke into the hall. That being the case, it needs something with a solid back, and so very likely you are absolutely bang on.
Going to reinstate the vent?

.....That being the case the firebrick that now blocks the vent would have been later, and the gas pipe later still. Quite possibly the house had a gas carcase at one time - did you find any gas pipes for lighting in the walls?

Fascinating feature. And probably quite rare.

Ivor

 

[CliffordPope]

Is there any sign of a flue at the top, connecting to the main flue higher up?
We have something like that in the fireplace in one of our sitting rooms, only at the side of the grate. It has a flat top rather than an arch.
I assumed it was something to do with regulating the draw, by controlling a metal flap not now apparent.
Or else to admit secondary air at a higher level.

I can't see how either scenario would work though.

 

[CliffordPope]

Is there any sign of a flue at the top, connecting to the main flue higher up?
We have something like that in the fireplace in one of our sitting rooms, only at the side of the grate. It has a flat top rather than an arch.
I assumed it was something to do with regulating the draw, by controlling a metal flap not now apparent.
Or else to admit secondary air at a higher level.

I can't see how either scenario would work though.

Perhaps yours is for placing your lares et panates ?

 

[Alex O]

One of my sister's fireplaces has a similar cubby hole. She's in a Victorian farmhouse. They have no idea what it was for either!

 

[88v8]

One of my sister's fireplaces has a similar cubby hole. She's in a Victorian farmhouse. They have no idea what it was for either!

If it's dead-ended, that is to say not open at the back as the OP's is, it could well have been a place to keep salt and herbs and suchlike that needed somewhere dry in what was inherently a damp house. We have a salt niche in the back of our inglenook.

Ivor

 

[Kearn]

That is a really interesting feature!! Unfortunately I have no idea of its possible function, but as I am soon to reveal my Tudor inglenook, I'm getting myself excited about what mysteries may be found inside (or not - I've had too much good luck so far in my renovations and can feel karma looking over my shoulder!).

What looks interesting to me, but may be the image/condition of the bricks, is that the three courses under the opening don't look tied in on the left side? It appears that the vertical line of the opening continues straight down, which might indicate this as a later addition?

 

[Kearn]

Has anyone ever seen this before? I am racking my brains trying to work out what it was for....

Hi ireneadler101, I was in our Georgian cellar the other day and reading this post again made me realise the similarities with cubby holes we have in our cellar walls.

http://www.periodproperty.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=15944

No idea what ours were for either - did you ever get any closer to your cubby hole's purpose?