The ecological perspective has focused our attention upon the relationship between human beings and their physical surroundings. It has made us appreciate the relation between changing social patterns and physical surroundings. In this lecture first we will be looking at the interrelationship between the chimney and fireplace in medieval England¹ and the changing social mores.²

Dresbeck points out that early medieval buildings heated by a central hearth required a high ceiling to prevent sparks from causing fire. Thus, whatever warming might come by sitting around the fire in a circle was partly offset by the upward dissipation of heat into the large high-ceiling rooms.

With the structural adoption of the fireplace and chimney being introduced in many homes of the twelfth century, the number of persons sitting next to the fire was reduced by nearly three quarters, thus diluting the functional capability of large rooms. So it could be said that the chimney fostered small room. Though heat loss still took place through the chimney, it was much less than the open hearth. Now rooms could be built with lower ceiling where heating could be efficiently enjoyed by a lesser number of people.