I have removed carpets, underlay and plywood lining to an upper floor in my grade II property, to find the slate hearth cracked into 3 pieces and all sunk into the floor.
After carefully removing the slate pieces, I have found it was supported on a brick arch that had collapsed onto the ceiling below (how the ceiling and cornice below didn't collapse or at least crack is a miracle!).
After reading about this method of hearth support, I think it is called a trimmer-arch.
Can this be repaired without disruptive access from the room below? I do not want to damage the ceiling below, but would like to reinstate the slate hearth.
Could this be supported on timber somehow?
After carefully removing the slate pieces, I have found it was supported on a brick arch that had collapsed onto the ceiling below (how the ceiling and cornice below didn't collapse or at least crack is a miracle!).
After reading about this method of hearth support, I think it is called a trimmer-arch.
Can this be repaired without disruptive access from the room below? I do not want to damage the ceiling below, but would like to reinstate the slate hearth.
Could this be supported on timber somehow?
