More on the original ‘Original’ Stone fireplace
So on we went with the renovation: The external works were done first, as we were doing the job in the Autumn, and we needed to get the place properly weather proof before winter set in. The mullions were in pretty good condition, but the small workers cottage annex attached to the side was in worse condition. We suspected this had been the original farmhouse before the grander one was built, but even this had employed stone for many of its features including stone mullion windows
After great efforts, the exterior was made secure before the bad weather set in, and we embarked on the massive amount of interior work. Much as it is a cliche, the interior was really a time capsule. Certainly the retiring farmer had not done any works to the inside and he had lived there for 50 years. I suspect his father before him had done little more. This of course is a good thing when one comes to renovation, as hopefully a lot of original features remain.
In this case they did; beautiful fine timber architraves round all the doors; lovely tall moulded skirtings, and in the main reception rooms some fine dentil moulded plaster cornice. The one horror though, was the wall where a fireplace used to be. On the wide chimney breast, there was a green tiled 1950s gas fire. It’s hard to describe how horrendous this looked but I suppose it gave some efficient heat in the days before central heating.
We pulled out this monstrosity, and behind it was the still intact fire recess, actually in perfect condition. On the floor where some quarry tiles and attached to the wall were some slivers of limestone……. evidence of a stone fireplace?