I wouldn't buy a house that didn't have a proper chimney. Like Granny Mac, I wouldn't want it to be the only form of heating, but many houses here we also have oil heating. Our friends with the smallholding have an Esse wood burning range that heats their house, provides hot water and is used for cooking. They also have electricity as a backup.
Later this month, I'll get a load of logs delivered. Depending on the type of wood, a load is 1 1/2 to 2 tons.