Stage 2

Well they have hardly stopped since they arrived, except briefly for coffee and Tony's home made sausage rolls, which went down a treat. 

The old fireplace was out quickly but then the big job was opening up the gap to the original Victorian hearth which was chocker with bricks and rubbish.  Then, despite the chimney sweep doing an excellent job of clearing the jackdaw sticks, there was still a nest remaining up there that had to be shifted.  Surprisingly, the chimney liner went down without a hitch.  The decorative back wall has gone in, which looks great, and the new hearthstone.  The chaps are just clearing up now at the end of this first day and then they will be back tomorrow to fit the stove and surround.

Apparently, it has been a mucky job but then there is a couple of centuries of soot up that chimney, so once they've gone I'll be out with the damp cloth and the hoover!