In urban houses of two or more stories, there were frequently one or more back stairs that servants would use to move about their chores and to their garret rooms. Over the years, these stairs were abandoned. They are usually too steep and with insufficient headroom to meet modern building Codes.

Witness the stairs below at Graceland:

Source: *

This post was edited by worthy on Fri, Mar 8, 13 at 9:47

EEP! In one instance I know of, they found a body. Some sleuthing revealed that the deceased had been there since about 1860.

You can use a "flexible inspection camera" - it can be inserted through a hole and scan the area.

Here is a link that might be useful: Like this one

I think the most likely would stairwell as suggested above, or a huge cooking fireplace or built-in cast iron range, both indicating that it was the original upstairs kitchen.
Casey

Please tell us what your structure is made of. I live in an 1820s brick. In those days, brick homes were triple course, and the exterior walls quite thick, with essentially an air space between the courses. Even the interior walls are plaster over brick and at least a foot and a hall deep. Each room had a fireplace, of course since it was a very large home for its time. The hearths and chimneys are quite large, since each one must accomodate two fireplaces. The one in the kitchen and the room above it is exceptionally large to accomdate cooking, and spans most of the wall across the room, and is three feet deep jutting into the room. If you add the three foot firebox and hearth to the two foot depth of the brick wall you will have five feet. I'd also guess that is was an old hearth somebody has just closed off, but not left inglenooks to either side.

You don't even need a fibre-optic camera if you can make a hole big enough for your digital and the flash. At least it would be a smaller hole than needed for your head and a flashlight.

If it's servant's quarters I'd bet on stairway. Maybe it needed repair at about the time there were no more servants, so they decided not to bother.

Karin L

Are you on one of the historical Underground Railroad routes? A friend of mine in Palmyra, NY found a dead space behind her daughter's closet that was accessible only through the attic floor, and was just the right size for a person to stand upright. Escaped slaves were frequently smuggled through this area on their way to Canada. We wondered if it was a hidey-hole to conceal the presence of a slave if the police came around.

Here is a link that might be useful: {{!gwi}}

So Old Home Lover, are you going to just leave us all hanging....?

Yeah!! What was the outcome?

Inquiring minds want to know!