Staddle stones

We were up like a couple of ..larks this morning
(can't resist quoting Jasper Carrott: '...pillarks'.
Apparently the word 'pillock' is believed to go back to the 16th Century, and came from the Scandinavian word 'pillicock', being slang for part of the male anatomy.
Hm. You live and learn.)

Anyway, like early birds, which sounds a bit more genteel, we took the car to be serviced. (Always a slightly worrisome time!)

I had hoped, as our route was rural, to see something in the nature of fauna to blip. But, at the exact same moment we both said 'what about Lains Barn?'
This synchronicity made a detour feel a Good Thing.
Lains Barn is an old barn from circa 1750 and has been refurbed, in the old style, to be a popular venue for weddings/conferences etc.
The above blip is just inside the grounds.
I think of the the supports as 'mushroom stones', but it would seem the correct term is 'staddle stones', from the old English word 'stathol', meaning foundation/support.

And many thanks yesterday to gladders for his definitive dunnock image!
Which was a huge help (and a beautiful capture) but it does mean I now have to identify the little grey job, which I'd been thinking was a dunnock!!!

I'm a pillicock.

Happy Friday All! (The red wine forecast is excellent!)








There you are then.