I am looking at a 1901 extension to the rear of Mount Grace house.
There is a lintel over a window which appears to be
constructed from tiles and cement. It spans around 2.1m and is only 200mm
deep.
We have removed a brick next to the timber beam bearing over the centre of
the lintel, expecting to reveal an embedded RSJ - the former owners were
apparently closely connected with the steel industry. With very restricted
access, the lintel appears to be solid.
This would seem very unlikely from an engineering viewpoint! Has anyone
come across a tile lintel like this, and could we expect hidden ironwork
somewhere inside it? It is Grade II* listed and we cannot remove more fabric
without good reason.
The concern is the central longitudinal line of cracking to the soffit, revealed
when finishes were removed for conservation. I thought initially this was to do
with expansive rusting of ironwork within. The crack is wider under the beam,
so it could also be indicative of a fracture due to the applied point load.
Thank you for your help!
Gez Pegram, Alan Wood & Partners
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