Centre post of winding or spiral staircase Concealed dungeon having a trap door in its ceiling as its only opening, where prisoners were often left to starve to death, sometimes in total darkness
The upright post about which the steps of a circular staircase wind; hence, in stairs having straight flights, the principal post at the foot of a staircase, or the secondary ones at the landings
{i} pillar around which steps wind; post at head or foot of a stairwell for handrails
The central pillar or post of a stair to which the balustrade is attached Newels are used at the base of a stair and wherever the stairway changes direction
The post anchored to the floor at the bottom of the stairs This post is also used where the stairs change direction at a small landing As styles change, the newel post can remain simple and plain, as for example during the Georgian period, or fancy and carved into shapes like acorns as in Victorian times
The major support for a balustrade system Newels are larger in diameter than balusters and are located at the bottom and top of a stairway or at a turn in the handrail
The upright post, top or bottom, which supports the handrail of a stairway or landing In circular staircases it is the main post that the staircase winds around