Christmas Opening Times

Winchcombe Reclamation will be closing for the Christmas break on Friday December 21st and re-opening on Monday January 7th
During this time we are still contactable by e-mail and, if needed, yard visits can be arranged on an appointment only basis.

We would like to wish all our customers a very Merry Christmas and a happy New Year!!

Staddlestones

Originating from the Old English word stathol meaning a foundation or support, these were early bases for a variety of buildings. The stone staddle was an improvement from earlier wooden feet and was an effective way of supporting various structures from beehives and game stores through to larger grain stores and barns.

The classic design of these staddlestones consists of a circular top upon a seperate base. The usually flat top allowed stable support for the structure above and the large circular profile worked as an early pest control; preventing rodents from climbing up and into the store. This design has lead to them also being referred to as stone mushrooms or toadstools. With the bases standing at around two foot in height, they were an effective way of raising a grain store out of the way of vermin and water and also allowing air to circulate beneath keeping the harvest within dry.

The production of staddlestones became a relatively significant industry with large numbers being hand carved throughout the country. The stone used would be the stone local to the area so you see many variations available. Nowadays, they are an extremely popular accessory  adding character and charm to many gardens and driveways.

We always aim to have a healthy stock of staddlestones available at Winchcombe Reclamation.
Our current stock includes many local Cotswold stone examples including some matching sets of 2, 4 or 6.
We also have a selection of Sandstone staddlestones originating from the Forest of Dean area and a small number carved from a Blue Lias stone.
A mixed stock of tops and bases is also available which can be sold seperately.