~1803 Georgian

[Chad Fabry]

On Tuesday I inspected a late 18th century or very early 19th century center chimney Georgian. The house is fairly typical for the genre- a warming room opposite the front door, 5 bays, two rooms deep with an ell addition to the rear.

At the base of the chimney, in the basement are two square boxes let into the stack. They are made of slabs of stone- no connection to the flue and no evidence that there ever has been a connection to the flue. (someone broke the back out of one-it's solid earth behind) Any idea what their purpose is/ was?

pictures

[Tom Raymond]

Why so fascinated with the attic? I'm sure there were much more interesting things to take pictures of.

[Chad Fabry]

Why so fascinated with the attic? I'm sure there were much more interesting things to take pictures of.

The online album is there for a few reasons. I took almost 300 photos.

There is some nice joinery in the attic though, and white oak framing is rather unique in my area. Most everything is beech or fir.

[Tom Raymond]

I'll have to make popcorn for the when you post the other 273.

[kurt]

Beech framing. wow.

Did you claw around in the mortar at all? Was it lime putty, lime chunks, or had it all gone "sandy"?

[Chad Fabry]

Beech framing. wow.

Did you claw around in the mortar at all? Was it lime putty, lime chunks, or had it all gone "sandy"?

I should have qualified that with most timber framed or most post and beam is beech or fir.

The mortar had some nice chunks of lime and was largely intact .

What does one call a mortar joint

[Bill Kibbel]

At the base of the chimney, in the basement are two square boxes let into the stack. They are made of slabs of stone- no connection to the flue and no evidence that there ever has been a connection to the flue. (someone broke the back out of one-it's solid earth behind) Any idea what their purpose is/ was?

Sorry that I didn't get back to you the other day. I don't know of any purpose (function of the house) for the boxes. I do see many cubby-hole compartments built into stone walls and occasionally into chimneys and large fireplace walls.

I should have qualified that with most timber framed or most post and beam is beech or fir.

Almost all chestnut and oak timber-frames here.