Never seen too much strange, but an explanation for the chimney in the field could be that according to an ancient English law, if you could erect a fireplace and chimney, and spend the night in the field, you could lay some sort of claim to it.
I will find the book tomorrow, and confirm the exact details. Might work in the UK but here in NZ you would probably get molested by a sheep, or shepherd, become the subject of a land claim, or get shut down under the Resource Management Act.
cheers