Hello All:

This question is about a standing building, but since it pertains to the
footprint that would be found in an archaeological survey perhaps someone
out there up on Mid-Atlantic / Southern US architecture and archaeology
would be able to confirm or comment (I've checked Herman, Vlach, etc.):

The other day while exploring the crawl space under the "Ballroom" at
Castlewood, my office and the 1817 home of Parke Poindexter at
Chesterfield, VA:
http://hometown.aol.com/angenatree/castlewood.html
(the Ball Room is on the right in the picture)

I found that there is actually a fireplace in the crawl space.  There is no
surround, no hearth, no mantle, but definitely a flue and what appear to be
fire marks indicating usage.

I know it is NOT simply an arched support for the chimney and fireplace above.

The floor of the crawl space is dug down about a foot or two below grade
and the whole space is but 4 feet high with no evidence of it being any
higher.  As you can see from the pictures, the Ballroom end of the house is
a bit lower than the rest of the house (about 3 feet lower), and it appears
to have been built that way without later modification (note that the
rooflines are at the same height).

The rest of the house has full cellars and there is even an "English
Basement" kitchen with tile floor and mantled fire place in the cellar
under the main room.  The only access to the crawl space is by a small door
on the outside.

My question is that perhaps this was sort of a hypocaust, not quite as
elaborate as that at Calvert's in Annapolis
http://www.annapolis.org/aia/calvert%20house.htm , but still intended to
warm the floor of the room above?

Is there any other evidence or record of such structures and usage in the
Mid-Atlantic, South?  I see a definite interpretation problem with this
type of feature if only the very bottom courses of the foundation were
excavated.  With the flue gone, would the evidence of fire be enough to tip
us off that this was indeed fireplace and not just a support for the chimneys?

        Dan W.