12th Century Manor House Fireplace

[willpalin]

In the early 12th century did the Normans build Halls with fireplaces (inglenooks) in the gable end?

[DottyH]

this is probably the most famous surviving Norman house i think, it describes the original layout:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jew%27s_House

[jake-the-peg]

Not commonly in halls

You had houses like this
http://www.wealddown.co.uk/bayleaf-tudor-timbe r-framed-hall-house.htm

and this
http://www.wealddown.co.uk/northcray-medieval- hall-house.htm

All the way up to the Tudor period. Fires were lit in the centre of the hall and smoke allowed to percolate through the tiles at the top.

The Smoke-bay house
http://www.wealddown.co.uk/poplar-cottage-17th -century-smoke-bay.htm
was an intermediate stage where you had a false wall with the smoke coming out of a hole in the top,

There were norman chimneys like this http://www.ancientplaces.co.uk/christchurchcas tle.htm but I think Inglenooks are more a 16th-17th century feature

[Octavius]

As said above, up to the 16th century the Saxon tradition of a central open fireplace was the norm in most houses, with a hole in the roof to let the smoke out. In the great houses of the 16th century the fireplace was moved from a central position to an outside wall and an indentation was made to accommodate iron firedogs. However, chimney building was inhibited by a chimney tax imposed by Rome, so smoke continued to leave the house by the roof whether the fire was against the wall or not, until the Reformation. The inglenook fireplace would have been the most typical of the 16th century, with oak beam or mantel above the fire opening. The fireplace would provide both heating and cooking facilities. This simplest form of fireplace has survived through more than 400 years.