I'd leave it as is. Your bricks look like in very good condition . Why not leave it as a feature ? Add a simple mantel?

Or you can expose some of it

It would really depend what overall look you are wanting to achieve? and how much heritage of the home you want to retain or enhance?

We have a fireplace in our front bedroom of a Victorian Semi. We stripped the plaster to expose the brick and have left it like that. Ours still has the cast iron insert and the original mantel. We have custom cabinetry on either side.

I'd be careful of fully removing it, especially if it is Victorian or earlier period. The foot of these fireplaces often constitute major structure support from under the building. You would want to engage an engineer to advise if it is possible. We removed a rear fireplace when we demolished the rear of the building and the foot under the house was about 3 times the size of the hearth. Enormous!.

I'm basing my comment on hobt saying they have removed lath and plaster. This would be a reasonably old house. The chimneys can be absolute hazards. They weren't often built with any technical knowledge of how to draw smoke out, keep heat in and keep rain out. We tried to get ours going, had a gas insert welded into the cast iron insert. Even uncapped, the silly thing wouldn't draw the gas fumes out, and we still get rain in even after capping it and re-doing the flashing. Just not a healthy or sustainable option unfortunately. It just looks pretty and pays homage to the heritage of the house now.

To all so far thank you.The fireplace will be remaining .There has been some sandstone pieces inserted 3/4's the way up. This wasn't evident till I removed the plaster. I was just wondering whether to paint/render- what ever, and leave the arch bricks as the feature or maybe get the 'missing' bricks reinserted and then bondcrete the whole thing-seal the brick?.I need to do something with the inside of it also, have attempted to clean it ,but it is 'burnt on' .haha! Thankyou.

Apparently bondcrete is good to seal the dust but I'm not sure if its ok for a chimney. I'd check with a the manufacturer or a painter to confirm.

I wouldn't actually even seal it or even 'fix' it up too much once given a good clean unless it's unsafe/about to fall down/etc. Keep the sandstone/missing bricks/etc as feature's, love it!

It's part of the character of the house, leave it as it is. TLC is the way to go- no hammering or banging. Ours is far from perfect. Half way up the bricks change colour, suggesting that the chimney collapsed back in the 40's. It is unusual looking, but tells a story.

Don't waste your time trying to clean the inside :-) It was a kitchen, years and years of soot.

Depending on the look you are going for...I personally would leave it as is. It adds character to the home. I would place a timber mantle above, and leave it at that. I would also add built in's on either side. Enjoy. ☺

What a gorgeous feature. I'd leave the brickwork as it is, unsealed and unpainted. You could add a mantle if you wanted and either a cast iron insert or a simple cast iron fire basket. Creating a hearth would finish it off using some pretty heritage tiles.

If that was in my house, I too would leave it as is. The brickwork appears in good shape. Of course, it may depend upon what your plans are for either side of the fireplace and room and the look you are going for, but regardless, for me, I like it as is.

Fireplaces can be a beautiful feature that instantly add character to a room!

The first 2 photos feature working wood fireplaces & other elements like high decorative ceilings & character details.

The rest of the photos are more for decorative purposes that have been rendered and painted for a fresh feel.

Completely up to you!

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Thanks all for suggestions with my little 'problem'. I have come to the conclusion of replacing the sandstone 'insert' 3/4 of the way up-as shown in photo,with bricks.

I am going to clean bricks down and leave as is. Hope that has all happy.Thanks again till next 'problem'.

Just a add on,I'm having a cupboard built in to right hand-side of chimney ,nothing on left hand-side. A photo of my helpers also added.

doesn't seem to like my photo's 1 more go???

and the photo of my helpers

Was a window or door behind wall studs to the right of fireplace? Curious what's on other side.

Bricks are dusty, dirty things and the charm doesn't work for me. Just old bricks really. I would engage a chimney expert and see if its viable. A written appraisal is a good selling point if the room may used as a sitting room again. Consider gas in that case

Dear annb1997,

It is a double storey house .There used to a door on the right hand side. I 'think' it was an entrance door for down stairs into the kitchen from outside -front of house.What's behind that is the bathroom ,just recently 'touched up'. Sorry for toilet seat being up-male.

Dear pooh0272,

Sorry,what do you mean by 'viable' to do what. It is a double storey house .This is the bottom level . The fireplace/chimney upstairs is part of the kitchen.To much involved to remove it.

Thanks for satisfying my curiosity, hobt! That's a really nice modern bathroom. Did you also remodel it? Good job, if so!

Old buildings/houses often have very interesting features. Love the kitchen pic.

By viable I mean workable, functional. A chimney sweep or a builder adept in chimneys will give you a report. Certainly enquire about a future gas fitting rather than logs if possible. I say this as a fireplace anywhere is delightful and, if downstairs, it could heat upstairs through the house, to a certain point too.

If you look at the quality of the brick laying, you will see that its not meant to be a feature which is why it was rendered, but that is choice only. Certainly seal the bricks.

Good luck and stay with it if you can. Everybody loves the romance of a fire.

Dear annb1997,no way could I do a bathroom reno,had very good trades people do it .Very happy with their work.

Dear pooh0272, it is a workable fireplace ,but I think it a bit 'risky' having it going.The bed would be in danger of catching fire,knowing my luck.-Talk about hot in bed.I am going to install a convection panel heater.

Dear annb1997,just for your 'curiosity' I've included a photo of the other half of the
bathroom +laundry update.

annb1997, it doesn't like me sending 2 photos I think.Here is the laundry.