Tar deposits on fireplace

[CHRIS]

I have just removed some 30 year old plaster board and woodchip paper from the back of a chimney breast area in a small bedroom and have exposed some great quality 1800 bricks that have been lime washed and are still very white also the wallls that used to be external have some nice pargetting (faux stone work blocks) and I want to give them a nice fresh coat of limewash.

The problem is that the brick has tar deposits coming through and when I repointed a small area as soon as I damped the area with water it sucked the brown tar straight to the surface. Is a good mix of Wattle and daub (mucho crapo ) the only way around this? or is there a way of leaving the bricks exposed? they were originally, or should I just plaster over to avoid staining. I would like to avoid PVA but if someone has used it with great success I may be open to ideas.

thanks

 

[biffvernon]

Are you still using the chimney fo a fire? I mean is smoke still going up it possibly adding more tar or is it historic?

 

[CHRIS]

The flue is still in use but has been lined using one of these double skinned jobs and I use it with a wood burner.