Fireplace - no lintel, problem?

[wahahey]

I am opening up an old blocked up fireplace, but I'm not intending to put a burner or fire in.

I've stripped back the plaster looking for a lintel, and about 1.65m from ground and not found one. Plus the brickwork shape is making me wonder if there will be one at all - can't find any other examples of this online.

It's a 1930s terrace, so can't be that unusual??

I'm not sure if it's safe to knock out the lowest side bricks and install a lintel, or whether I need to support the top of the opening. Have been looking for a lintel to give me confidence.

Has anyone got experience of this type of opening / can offer any advice?

 

[Dereekoo]

Can't offer any info on that type of opening other than its corbelled brickwork and so self supporting and is indicative of what a lintel needs to support in coursed brickwork wall, i.e. the triangular wedge above it. If you want to close it up just remove the 1st half bricks below the triangular section, insert lintel and brick up triangular opening. Taking the half bricks out will just extend the corbelled opening and will therefore not require any temporary supports

 

[wahahey]

Thanks, that is helpful.

So if I want to go higher than that I'd need supports before knocking any bricks out?

 

[Dereekoo]

Fraid so