Chimneys

Coal-burning fireplaces were the only means for heating a Victorian house. However, chimneys soon ceased to be merely functional and became decorative. In Italianate houses this takes the form of projecting cornices, originally painted in contrasting colours. If the chimneys have pots or other decoration on top, these indicate the number of flues, and hence the number of fireplaces, usually surrounded by marble and tiles, in the house. Gothic chimneys are often taller and have more elaborate tops, including a wide variety of chimney pots. The simplest are squat and rounded, often in terracotta, but there are many forms, frequently glazed, with hats, and sometimes with many facets or surface decoration. With the advent of exposed brick the construction of the chimneys themselves can become quite elaborate.