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Inglenooks and Chimney Breasts: Using an Old Fireplace in the Kitchen

How old houses put a range cooker, stove or shelves into the kitchen fireplace, and what to check before you do.

By HarrietAI-assistedApproved for publication by BeneRecipes Editor on 15 October 2026Updated 8 October 2026
An old iron range set into the great kitchen fireplace at Chastleton House
Photo: Michael Garlick · CC BY-SA 2.0 (cropped)

Many old British kitchens were built around a big fireplace, sometimes an inglenook wide enough to sit inside. In Victorian houses it held the cast-iron range. Today the same opening can frame a range cooker, a wood-burner or simply shelves.

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What can go in the opening

UseNeeds
Electric or induction range cookerNo flue; an extractor above; a heat-resistant surround
Gas range cookerFitting by a Gas Safe registered engineer; an extractor
Wood-burning or multi-fuel stoveA lined flue, a proper hearth and a HETAS-registered installer (Building Regulations Part J)
Shelving or storageThe flue capped and ventilated to prevent damp
A rusting cast-iron kitchen range in a stone chimney recess
A rusting cast-iron kitchen range in a stone chimney recess · Photo: Virginia Knight · CC BY-SA 2.0

Before you start

  • Check the lintel (the beam or stone above the opening). Old timber lintels can be charred or cracked.
  • Measure carefully: range cookers come in standard widths (often 90, 100 or 110 cm); allow the gap the manufacturer specifies either side.
  • Extraction: a hood inside the opening may need ducting through the chimney or an outside wall; a builder or installer can advise.
  • Listed building? Changes to a historic fireplace may need listed building consent. Check with your local council first.

Finishing the opening

Lime plaster, brick or tiles behind the cooker are practical: see traditional kitchen tiles and splashback ideas. For choosing the cooker, read our range cooker kitchen guide.

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Frequently asked questions

Do I need a professional to fit a gas range cooker?

Yes. Anyone working on gas appliances in a home must be a Gas Safe registered engineer.

Do I need Building Regulations approval for a wood-burner in the fireplace?

Yes. Installing a solid-fuel stove or relining a flue is notifiable work. A HETAS-registered installer can self-certify it; otherwise you apply to local authority Building Control before work starts.

My house is listed. Can I change the fireplace?

Possibly, but you may need listed building consent first: works that affect the character of a listed building need consent. Ask your local council before you start.

Sources

  1. Domestic gas: frequently asked questions, Health and Safety Executive. Checked 1 October 2026.
  2. Combustion appliances and fuel storage systems: Approved Document J, GOV.UK, 30 September 2022. Checked 1 October 2026.
  3. Building Regulations guidance for wood burning stoves, HETAS. Checked 1 October 2026.
  4. Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990, section 7, legislation.gov.uk. Checked 1 October 2026.