Tyquin Corn Staddle

 

Corn Stand

Christy Cunniffe

 

Corn stand

Christy Cunniffe

This is a fine in-situ example of a set of seven corns stands or staddles in Tyquin Co. Galway. Corns stands consisted of a circle of short pillars with circular or square stone flags resting on top, to support a stone or timber framework on which stacks of corn were built. In this instance six pillars form a circle around perimeter while the seventh is set in the middle of the ring.

Their purpose was to raise the corn off the ground – the flags stopped rats and other rodents who might climb the pillars from getting into the bottom of the corn stack or rick.

A wonderful book on the subject by Michael Conry 2004 “Corn Stacks on Stilts” provides one of the best discourses on the subject.