Staddle stones

 

Virtually unchanged in design for many hundreds of years, Staddle Stones, (also known as mushroom stones) were originally used to raise barns and granaries off the ground.
This kept the produce from spoilage by damp, and also prevented mice and other vermin from interfering with it, as they couldn't climb past the staddle stone caps.
Due to regional influences,they come in various types of stone with slight variations of form. They are extremely popular as garden ornaments especially in rural areas such as The Cotswolds and The West Country (UK).

In Middle English staddle or stadle is stathel, from Old English stathol, a foundation, support or trunk of a tree.

1Staddle stones used as garden ornaments. Source here

 

3An old barn supported on several Staddle Stones at Boscombe, Wiltshire. Source here

 

5A building sitting on staddle stones, at the Somerset Rural Life Museum. Source here

 

6Granary, Weald & Downland Museum. Source here

 

2The store house in the garden of Sheldon Manor is built on staddle stones, designed to keep out the rats. Source here

 

4Granary on staddle stones, Lower Bottom House Farm, Chalfont St Giles. Source here

 

8A haystack standing on staddle stones. Source here

 

7Source here

 

12Assorted staddle stones Source here

 

9 A set of 6 staddle stones for sale. Source here

 

Nowadays these gorgeous ‘mushrooms’ are used as decorative garden ornaments.

16‘Mushrooms’ in the garden. Source here

 

15Staddlestones along the driveway. Source here

 

21Staddle stones as a garden fence. Source here

 

13Source here

 

10Source here

 

11Source here

 

Where to find staddle stones for sale?

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Here are only a few addresses of so many to find in the UK.

Below Stairs of Hungerford

English Garden Antiques

MASco Architectural Salvage

Beeston Reclamation

Leominster Reclamation & Architectural Salvage

 

 

I wish all my American friends and readers a HAPPY THANKSGIVING !!!

784px-The_First_Thanksgiving_Jean_Louis_Gerome_FerrisThe First Thanksgiving (1621), painting by Jean Leon Gerome Ferris (1863-1930)   source here

 

xx

Greet

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