Ceiling issues - help!

[Oldhouseissues]

Hello all,

We have purchased a Victorian property and this is the state of the ceiling. We havent moved in yet so have only had limited time to view it! There is a leaking chimney above this ceiling. Can anyone advise if they think this is dry / wet rot or the effects of water ingress?
Yours - a panicked pair!

 

[Matt Green]

It doesn't look like timber decay, it's plaster cornicing that has spalled very badly

 

[Oldhouseissues]

It doesn't look like timber decay, it's plaster cornicing that has spalled very badly

Thanks Matt, we’re not sure how bad the roof timbers are up above but we think the house will need completely re roofed so hopefully this will sort the damp issues.

 

[paulc]

Looks like a gypsum skim over something along with B&Q type coving. So if there is any rot in the ceiling joists, there isn't anything of historical importance that needs saving.

 

[Stevers]

The coving looks more like it was moulded in place so probably original. Not impossible that it's the original ceiling plaster, just badly stained from the water coming through the dirt in the loft.

Personal experience tells me that that paper would have been very hard to put up. An 'interesting' colour choice for a ceiling!

 

[a twig]

We have exactly the same pattern on the downstairs ceilings in our current place but in white, that was put up mid 80s. I am slowly slogging through its removal whenever I can summon up the enthusiasm