First time in about 45 years I've lived in a home with a coal fire. It's a messy way to heat a home, that's for sure. No wonder the other fireplaces in the bedrooms and kitchen were bricked up.

It certainly looked like this fire place hadn't been used in several decades.

I'm going to have to figure out how to start them better, as I can't rely on throwing loads of white spirit on it! #newbie #realfire