What is this?

[SpookiePookie]

Hello everyone,

Can anyone shed any light on what this is (hopefully pics work)?

I've been in my house a couple of months now. I think it's a 40s or 50s house. I'm slowly getting around the rooms to decorate and I'm now on the second bedroom, which is going to belong to my son when he's born in October.

It's in the corner of the room, which has floorboards elsewhere. My initial reaction was that there must have been some kind of built in wardrobe that was removed at some point. My wife has floated the idea that there might've been a fireplace there at some point. It looks a bit like concrete, it's really cold and has a chalky texture where it's worn. I can see evidence that is has been painted a number of times, which makes me think my theory is right.

That said, if was a fireplace at some point then I wonder if that increases the likelihood of it being asbestos. I know the only way to know for sure is to have a sample sent off and tested, but I wonder if anyone has any clues in the interim? I'm hoping that there's a common reason for this "thing" to exist in a bedroom in a house of this style.

Either way, the room itself has clearly been decorated a number of times and I'm confused why it hasn't been tidied up. Any help / experience appreciated.

[SpookiePookie]

[SpookiePookie]

Thanks everyone. It's nowhere near the chimney though. It's above the bathroom (downstairs bathroom) so maybe there was a boiler there at some point (probably too small though)

Either way it looks pretty crap. I suppose I can skim it then paint it or just carpet over it. I'm thinking the latter.

[SpookiePookie]

Is it possible that someone did have a stove there and used a wall flue pipe system? I don't know how common these things are. There's no space in the loft and on the face of it no evidence that a chimney has been removed from that part of the house.

I think we're both coming around to the idea of putting some carpet down.