A settle is a long wooden bench with a high back and arms, designed to seat several people, and one of the oldest forms of English seating. Many settles have a box seat with a hinged lid for storage, and the tall back, sometimes extending to the floor, was intended to keep out draughts in hall and kitchen.
Settles were made from the medieval period onwards, initially in oak with panelled backs, and remained a staple of farmhouses, cottages and inns well into the nineteenth century, when they were produced in elm, pine and other local woods. Regional forms include curved high-back settles placed beside the hearth and settles with cupboards built into the back for bacon or provisions. The Arts and Crafts movement revived the form, with designs by makers associated with the Cotswold School. Collectors look for good colour and patina, original panels and hinges, and the absence of heavy restoration, since many settles have been cut down, rebuilt from parts or later carved. A settle brings instant country character to a kitchen, hall or beside an inglenook, offering both seating and useful storage, and its substantial form anchors a large room.
