Installing a wood burner within a supported chimney

[Edd_george]

Hi,

I have recently purchased a property and am looking to install a wood burning stove. It's a stone cottage which is around 300 years old and has been heavily modified in the past having had a number of different uses. There is a chimney stack in the centre of the property with two chimney pots. There is a fireplace in the upstairs bedroom but no fireplace downstairs within the wall below, where we are hoping to install the wood burner. Where we believe the chimney stack is downstairs is a narrow doorway between two rooms which has been blocked to form a bookcase. I have a suspicion that the chimney stack has been partially removed to create this doorway. Removing the lintel and back wall. We have created a hole within the top of the doorway and can see several wooden beams which appear to be old. Two larger possibly structural beams on the outside, which I am assuming support the stack and two smaller beams between these. I am pretty sure they aren't floor joists, they are too low and are situated within the wall. Firstly has anyone come across this before and can offer any advice? Secondly would anyone have any thoughts on whether the two internal smaller beams would be structural or were installed just to block up the chimney? With a follow up question if the two internal beams aren't structural could they be removed to open up the chimney and allow a wood burner to be installed with fire boards to protect the two structural beams?

Hopefully this isn't a stupid question and I would appreciate any advice anyone can provide. I have a suspicion the advise might be to leave alone and not install a wood burner.

Thanks

Ed

[Temp]

The two main ways of supporting a chimney after removal are

 

1) Gallows brackets - these look like large shelf brackets.

2) RSJ/UB - steel beam.

 

I think you may need to expose more to see whats been done.

[Simplysimon]

drop small stones down chimneys and listen for them landing, will obviously need two people!