Vertical Mortar lines on Victorian House

[dssr]

I’m taking on this early to mid-Victorian property. For now – just to keep things simple- can anyone explain the vertical mortar lines circled red?  One is on the gable end (next to the door), the other on a different side of the house close to the corner (left of the window).

 

The property was subject to works during early 2000 according to local planning; however, I’ve not been successful in finding out what was done.

 

Ignore the blocked up door, and vertical line upwards on the left side of the door frame. That can come later !

[PeterW]

Just be where things have been bricked up previously. Could’ve been an old entrance ..?

 

Old plans, you may have to visit the council office as they are stored on microfiche so only access is to go down and search. 

[dssr]

That was my original thought, but all the original entrances are the same height as the one bricked left of the red circle.

 

If both these vertical joints suggested an entrance, it would be very low at around 4 foot,  also the vertical joint on the corner does not go all the way to the ground, which is very odd. I wondered if it could indicate a structural repair of some sort.

 

The council have no plans except for a ground layout when surface water drains were added. The architects who were part of the updating work back in 2000 no longer exist. 

[dpmiller]

coal store/ larder or such?

[Gus Potter]

4 hours ago, dpmiller said:

coal store/ larder or such?

Yes, dp's point is worth exploring.

 

Have a look at your floor levels. Also, lift the carpets etc and look at the old floor boards if still there. If it was a coal store, now removed, you may be able to see how the floor has been patched up where the old coal cellar walls have been removed, all these clues a can help.

 

[dssr]

I managed to speak with a local resident in their 90s who has lived in the area since birth. He told me the coal was kept in an outside bunker, and has no knowledge of any house in the village having coal storage attached to the house. The house has never had a seller either.

 

I've since found another similar vertical mortar line on the other side of the window in the second picture. The two would be about 7 foot apart, with the window in the middle.

 

I'm becoming more concerned its some form of structural repair / bodge, but for the life of me, I 'm unable to image what !

 

I've yet to come on to - what I term - the extension!