Why is there a large wooden beam in a brick wall in my house?

TomThumb123

So I have recently bought a mid-terraced house, built around 1910 I believe, with a single story rear extension. The extension has a pitched roof but a flat ceiling so there is a small loft space above it. I've been up there and noticed a large wooden beam embedded in one of the walls. below it there appears to be a thick layer of cement. Can anyone thick of why this is there?

The rear of the house where the wall is situated has subsided a bit, which has caused cracking in between the wall in question and one it meets perpendicularly. The building survey said this was historical and nothing to worry about, but perhaps this is a clue re the purpose of the wooden beam?

stuart45

You often find timber in the brickwork of older houses, usually it's quite rotten and has to be removed.
https://hurstpm.net/FCKfiles/File/Bond_Timbers.pdf

JohnB47

TomThumb123 wrote: »

So I have recently bought a mid-terraced house, built around 1910 I believe, with a single story rear extension. The extension has a pitched roof but a flat ceiling so there is a small loft space above it. I've been up there and noticed a large wooden beam embedded in one of the walls. below it there appears to be a thick layer of cement. Can anyone thick of why this is there?

The rear of the house where the wall is situated has subsided a bit, which has caused cracking in between the wall in question and one it meets perpendicularly. The building survey said this was historical and nothing to worry about, but perhaps this is a clue re the purpose of the wooden beam?

It's possibly a lintel, above what would have been a doorway or entrance of some sort. Maybe a window. Is there any brickwork below it that is visible? If so, you would probably see a difference in the bricks, pointing etc. below the beam, compared to those further to the left or right.

You see this sort of thing all the time in old buildings. They brick up the void but don't bother to remove the beam.

stator

You mean the whole beam is inside the wall, or the beam is sticking out of the wall, like a purlin?

konark

Check to see if it's rotten, if not leave it alone, if it is you'll need to take it out and infill with brick/block/stone.

dunroving

Was it used to support something heavy like an old water tank?