Does anyone have any opinion on this fireplace? It's in an old 1700s building but something doesn't seem quite right - I have a suspicion that the hood and alcove etc aren't 'original', but what would be behind etc? Is it worth giving is a bash about to find out or am I SO wrong it's unbelievable? https://ibb.co/kJ2msd
- Thread starter TheSpid
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plasticpigeon
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I'm no expert on that age of property but I would agree I don't think it looks 18th Century more mid to late 20th century. I would expect a fire basket within the inglenook and the inglenook to be deeper. Is your house brick or stone?
88v8
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As PP said, does this echo the construction of the house - Is that how the walls of the house are built - random rubble?
Tbh, the whole thing puts me in mind of Essex
Ivor
Tbh, the whole thing puts me in mind of Essex
Ivor
If they had wanted a small fire when it was built, that's what they would've built. Bricks were expensive and not too be used unnecessarily. the size of the inglenook allowed access for sitting, drying, cooking around what would've been a huge bonfire rather than our modest controlled heat. It was also a show of wealth externally 'hey, look at all the bricks I can afford'
The hood looks like it was intended to be 'in keeping' with the original, but a later addition, commonly done. You'll likely see the soot markings on the rear of the bressumer from the original roaring fires and also higher up in the chimney on the plaster if it remains. In terms of depth, mostly you would assume it was 3-4 foot deep and 8-10 wide, with beam at eye level when standing on the original floor. So yours looks potentially shallow, but then our turn of the 17c inglenook is only about 2 foot deep originally, yet 9 ft wide and built in a wealthy house so unlikey to be a financial constraint.
Can you access the rear of the stack, or see the brickwork detail on the sides externally to see if changes have occurred? Narrowing a fireplace is much more feasible them reducing the depth, if we're talking replacing the structure and not just infill. So if you can see the rear and measure to the front of the piers, you'll be able to make a judgement call with the back wall commonly being 1.5 bricks thick, so 13.5 inches.
Once you start on a fireplace though, you've got to continue!! The dust is like nothing else...
The hood looks like it was intended to be 'in keeping' with the original, but a later addition, commonly done. You'll likely see the soot markings on the rear of the bressumer from the original roaring fires and also higher up in the chimney on the plaster if it remains. In terms of depth, mostly you would assume it was 3-4 foot deep and 8-10 wide, with beam at eye level when standing on the original floor. So yours looks potentially shallow, but then our turn of the 17c inglenook is only about 2 foot deep originally, yet 9 ft wide and built in a wealthy house so unlikey to be a financial constraint.
Can you access the rear of the stack, or see the brickwork detail on the sides externally to see if changes have occurred? Narrowing a fireplace is much more feasible them reducing the depth, if we're talking replacing the structure and not just infill. So if you can see the rear and measure to the front of the piers, you'll be able to make a judgement call with the back wall commonly being 1.5 bricks thick, so 13.5 inches.
Once you start on a fireplace though, you've got to continue!! The dust is like nothing else...
Toby Newell
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+1 for 1960's
Doesn't look like original construction, the stones do not tessellate, then the shape, then the mortar, then the actual fire. May be a modern facade to a previous hearth.
Doesn't look like original construction, the stones do not tessellate, then the shape, then the mortar, then the actual fire. May be a modern facade to a previous hearth.
Many thanks - house is stone walls with a crux timber frame - I was also of the feeling this was 1960s - we are buying the house (not yet exchanged) historic survey to be done soon.Will have a good look around when we finally get in and will get rid of anything 1960s ish (I don't really like the hood etc)
Pennyviz
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Do the stones match the rest of the house out of interest?
Penny
Penny
A bit tricky to see from the image, but the top of the added hood looks almost flush with the rear of the fireplace, which obviously isn't possible. So, given there would be a throat which sits further into the rear wall at this point, it made me wonder if this rear wall had been added too...
https://ibb.co/gn2Zhd Pennyviz Rest of the house is painted stone so it is difficult to tell - there is a little bit exposed but this has been 'historically" dug out the hillside so isn't very 'pretty'
At the side to the right there is a 'bread oven' lined with brick (where the Toby jugs are) to the left just solid wall.
It does seem a very odd thing to do, just add a false wall with 'shelves' and a hood - hopefully it will be a 'simple' job (famous last words)to get back to a normal wall and chimney
At the side to the right there is a 'bread oven' lined with brick (where the Toby jugs are) to the left just solid wall.
It does seem a very odd thing to do, just add a false wall with 'shelves' and a hood - hopefully it will be a 'simple' job (famous last words)to get back to a normal wall and chimney