3 18th century limestone staddle stones

3  18th century limestone staddle stones3  18th century limestone staddle stones3  18th century limestone staddle stones3  18th century limestone staddle stones3  18th century limestone staddle stones

A nest of 3 18th century 'South of England'- limestone staddle stones, origin Hampshire

Dimensions: all 3 of them 82 cm high

Condition: good condition, beautiful patina

Reference: JsG022017SYM

Literature:

Staddle Stones were designed to elevate buildings from the ground, predominantly granaries and hay ricks. The idea behind them is that rats and other vermin could not climb round the overhanging top, therefore reducing the amount of crop spoiled by vermin. They also assisted in the lifespan of the building by keeping the timber beams away from the damp ground and creating a good airflow which increased the time taken for the beams to rot.

The earliest known examples of stone Staddle Stones date from the 15th century, where there are mentions of them in the court rolls of the time. However it is entirely possible, and indeed quite likely that they were in use for some time before this, although they would probably have been made of wood at this time. The origin of the word staddle is in the old english word stathol meaning a support or trunk of a tree.

There appears to be some link between Staddle Stones and tenant farming. The idea being that if the barn was suspended on Staddle Stones, then it was the property of the tenant and not the farm owner.