Storage Settle
A storage settle combines a high-backed wooden bench with a compartment beneath the seat, offering a practical seat and a concealed chest in one piece.
Storage Settle
A storage settle provides a high-backed seat designed to block draughts in hallways and living rooms, with a hinged seat lid revealing a deep box beneath for blankets or coats.
The storage settles on this page span several periods, from the eighteenth century to the Edwardian era, taking the form of oak box settles, pine farmhouse benches, and carved hall seats.
Rural examples lean towards plain pine and painted finishes, while larger country house pieces often feature solid oak, carved panels, and marquetry inlay.
How storage settles were made
Carpenters built these settles using solid timbers like oak, ash, and pine, joining panels with traditional frame and panel construction to allow the wood to move naturally with humidity changes.
Many early examples utilise heavy oak planks joined with pegged mortise and tenon joints, while later nineteenth and early twentieth-century pieces often incorporate applied carvings, turnings, and brass or iron hinges on the lift-up seats.
Storage Settle Retail Price Guide 2026
Typical asking prices for storage settle among the pieces listed under this phrase on Sellingantiques today, from the lower quarter to the upper quarter. They describe what is for sale here now, not the wider market.
Common regional variants include Hungarian painted pine benches alongside English oak country house box settles.
What varies in quality
The grade of timber and the depth of the carving separate standard country utilitarian benches from high-status country house pieces.
Originality determines value, with untouched surfaces, period hinges, and intact baseboards holding more interest than pieces with heavily replaced panels or altered seats.
James Shoolbred & Co.·Shapland & Petter·Liberty
The Storage Settle Glossary
- Settle
- A wooden bench with a high back, solid arms, and an enclosed base used for seating near hearths.
- Box settle
- A variant featuring a hinged seat lid that opens to reveal a storage compartment underneath.
- Cassapanca
- An Italian wooden bench with storage beneath the seat and a backrest, often panelled or carved.
- Monk's bench
- A multi-functional small settle with a hinged back that folds down to form a table top.
- Marquetry inlay
- Decorative patterns formed by fitting contrasting pieces of wood veneer into prepared recesses.
Storage Settle: Frequently Asked Questions
What is a storage settle?
A storage settle is a traditional wooden bench featuring a high back and a concealed compartment beneath the lift-up seat. It served both as a seat and as a chest for household goods.
Historically placed in draughty hallways or kitchens, these pieces kept occupants warm while providing secure storage for items like blankets and boots.
How do I date a storage settle?
Dating relies on timber selection, construction methods, and stylistic details. Eighteenth-century examples typically display pegged oak construction and hand-planed surfaces.
Later Victorian and Edwardian pieces often incorporate machine-cut elements, applied mouldings, or revival styles such as Jacobean or Arts and Crafts.
Where should I place a settle?
These benches suit hallways, boot rooms, and large kitchens where their high backs provide structural presence and shelter from draughts. The internal compartment offers practical storage for everyday items.
Ensure adequate clearance for the seat lid to open fully if you choose a box settle variant.
Are all settles made of oak?
While many early examples use solid oak, other timbers appear frequently across different regions and periods. Pine and ash are common in country pieces.
Mahogany and walnut appear in later or more formal commissions, sometimes complemented by marquetry inlay or painted finishes.