1910 chimney

[Steve]

In my new house (1910 2 up 2 down), the chimney is unlike any I've seen before.

In the lounge is a chimney breast, with a brick archway off to the left, filling in the alcove at the top. Initially, I assumed on the other side of this archway (the kitchen) there would be another chimney breast.

However, this is as yet unknown, because in the kitchen, where the fireplace would be, is a diagonal stud wall! I have no idea whats behind this! But it appears too small an area to fit in a full sized breast and fireplace.

Upstairs, the chimney breast is one unit, split between the front and back bedrooms.

The chimney pots give nothing away on my house, however other identical houses have only three pots at most.

What I want to know, I guess, is what to expect behind the diagonal stud wall in the kitchen! I want to loose it, but its obviously there for a reason! Would a house of this period and size have a fireplace in the corner of the kitchen? Or would it rely on the heat from the lounge to heat a utility space?

Picture of the archway:

Untitled

• Steve
• 2 Jun 2010
• 2

 

[theoldun]

Steve, Sorry, not enough information to tell you exactly what you have, however, if you provide the following information, I should be able to tell you where flues are going, and whats what.
Is all of back wall of alcove in kitchen?
Tap the arch, is it solid or false?
Position of breast up stairs in relation to lounge breast?
Can you take photo of kitchen and bedroom?
old un.

 

[Nige F]

Diagonal stud wall over a diagonal brick structure that held a " copper" open boiler with small fire under for washing . I`d lay £ on it . Used to be one @ my gran`s house - and she used it - also for boiling the bathwater - bucketed out into a tin bath - I have been in it a few times . Happy Days in 1960`s Rural Sussex.

 

[Steve]

Steve, Sorry, not enough information to tell you exactly what you have, however, if you provide the following information, I should be able to tell you where flues are going, and whats what.
Is all of back wall of alcove in kitchen?
Tap the arch, is it solid or false?
Position of breast up stairs in relation to lounge breast?
Can you take photo of kitchen and bedroom?
old un.

Sorry, the kitchen has no alcoves. As far as i can tell, if there is a breast it is entirely covered by the stud diagonal - can tell its stud, it sounds very hollow and moves slightly if pushed hard. If a breast exists, it is in the corner of the room.

Arch in lounge is solid.

Position of breast upstairs - right alcove is a lot wider. About 9 foot compared to about 6 foot downstairs. Breast is about 3ft wide in both bedrooms, but joined through the dividing wall, so 6ft wide in total. The dividing wall is approx in the centre of that arch.

The kitchen is a straight rectangle, apart from the diagonal corner.

Im gonna get a holesaw and saw out a bit of the diagonal i think. can always patch it up!!