'Floating' chimney breast

[Westholme]

After removing a kitchen unit in my 1894 semi-, I discovered the bottom of a chimney breast more than 3 ft above the floor (poor-quality photo attached). I was rather surprised and I'd be interested to know what filled the gap.

Note chamfered bottom brick and original quarry tiles on floor. Originally there was a fireplace with a range on other side of wall on right. There is hole in this wall near ceiling connecting the two flues. It's blocked up at the bottom but I assume there is half-brick flue in the corner of the 'floating' chimney breast.

Does anybody else have one of these?

 

[Feltwell]

I've got a not-dissimilar spot in my house - it's in the old scullery, it's where the wash copper used to be, the flue of which went into the "floating" chimney breast (which is actually very solidly toothed in to the 2 side walls).

Long gone now, but it would have been something like this:-

https://www.1900s.org.uk/copper-water-heater.htm

Possibly the same for your place?

 

[a twig]

90% what Feltwell says but based on my experience I would definitely make sure it is properly tied in, I had a floating chimney breast which was actually a botched removal and the whole lot was resting on a couple bits of angle iron protruding from the wall. Swiftly reinstated the “gap” and all good now

 

[Westholme]

Thanks for the replies. The brickwork around the wash copper must have been fairly easy to remove but the chimney breast harder as it is toothed into two walls and therefore left in situ. The only part of it that is floating is the bottom brick, probably not like that when built.

I think the quarry tiles on the wash copper footprint are original ones that were relocated from elsewhere in the scullery. A few gaps are too big to have been laid so poorly when house was built (see pic).

A 5 ft by 3 ft corner of the scullery is bricked off and contains the 'outside' toilet. A 5 ft by 5 ft area next to it has a concrete floor and next door is the same. The concrete shows signs of being extended, I guess to replace the quarry tiles that were moved.

Do others have a scullery with part concrete floor? Is this where coal was stored perhaps?

 

[Feltwell]

Like a lot of sculleries mine has been knocked about, but it did originally have an external door into what I presume was a coal shed - an internal dividing wall has been removed.

 

[Westholme]

As 40% has already gone (12 courses), I've decided to remove the rest. Dividing wall on right to be removed beyond one brick from party wall on left. Latter only half-brick thick where sooty so I'll need to use Queen Closer stretchers to make the wall flush. It might be difficult to avoid lots of perps lining up in the corner. Also, half of the bricks projecting from party wall will be sooty.

One brick broke during dismantling, as shown below.

 

[Feltwell]

Mine's being kept. The scullery here is a long, thin room which projects from the kitchen out into the back garden - it was the kids playroom, but they've outgrown that now. It's currently full of new bathroom bits!

Long term plan is it becomes a garden room, a bit like a conservatory but with a proper roof, the front wall - which already has 1 set of french doors - being opened up, it's not original anyway. The old wash copper flue, which I lined when I repaired the chimney a few years ago, will be used for a small wood burner.