▪ I. newel1
(ˈnjuːəl)
Forms: 4–5 nowell, (7 noel), 7–8 nuel, (7 nuell), newell, (9 -ill, -al), 7– newel.
[a. OF. nouel, noel, noal (later noiel, noial, mod.F. noyau), kernel, stone, newel, etc. = Prov. nogalh:—Rom. *nucale, f. L. nuc-, nux nut.]
1. Arch. The pillar forming the centre from which the steps of a winding stair radiate; † one of the stones forming such a pillar.
Also called solid newel in contrast to b.
| 1365 in Brayley & Britton Houses Parlt. (1836) 188 [Fifteen stones of Reygate, for the work called] nowells, [bought for the same stair-case]. 1416–17 in Willis & Clark Cambridge (1886) II. 442, Pro x nowelles pro gradibus xvs. 1611 Cotgr., Noyau, the Nuell or spindle of a winding staire. 1655 Marquis of Worcester Cent. Invent. §48 A scrued Ascent, instead of Stairs,..with Back-stairs within the Noell of it. 1679 Moxon Mech. Exerc. 170 Newel, the upright Post that a pair of Winding-stairs are turned about. 1711 W. Sutherland Shipbuild. Assist. 65 A pair of winding Stairs, having a Nuel in the Center. a 1734 North Lives (1826) III. 207, I could go round between the columns and the newel. 1823 P. Nicholson Pract. Build. 184 When the ends of the steps terminate upon a vertical prism or pillar, the prism or pillar is called a newal. 1870 F. R. Wilson Ch. Lindisf. 59 The steps ascend round an oblong newell. |
| transf. 1683 Weckly Memorial 64 The spiral blade of the Cochlea is fastened on the one side to its Nuel. |
b. open newel or
hollow newel, a central open space or well in a winding stair.
| 1625 Bacon Ess., Building (Arb.) 550 The Staires..to the vpper Roomes, let them bee upon a Faire open Newell. 1720 Strype Stow's Surv. (1754) I. ii. ix. 501/2 To the Stairs having an open Newel, there is a rail of Iron. 1727–38 Chambers Cycl. s.v. Stair, The one winding round a solid, the other round an open newel. 1842 Gwilt Archit. 1008 Where the steps are pinned into the wall, and there is no central pillar, the staircase is said to have an open newel. 1851 Dict. Archit. iv. 68 Hollow Newel, a name often given as well as ‘open newel’, to an open well-hole staircase. |
2. The post at the head or foot of a stair supporting the hand-rail.
| 1833 Loudon Encycl. Archit. 125 Deal turned newels (posts firmly framed to which the handrail is fixed) and moulded handrail. 1858 Skyring's Builders' Prices 55 Square framed newill... Inch square bar ballusters. 1878 W. W. Fenn Blindman's Holiday II. 46 The carved oak balustrade, the newels, and the polished flooring. |
b. In ships: (see
quot.).
| c 1850 Rudim. Navig. (Weale) 135 Newell, an upright piece of timber to receive the tenon of the rails that lead from the breast-work to the gangway. |
3. ‘A cylindrical pillar terminating the wingwall of a bridge’.
| 1882 in Ogilvie and later Dicts. |
4. attrib., as
newel-post,
newel-stair(s),
newel-staircase,
newel-step.
| 1798 Hutton Course Math. (1828) II. 86 Take the..girt over its end till it meet the top of the *newel-post. 1881 Oakey Building Home 71 To attain decorative effects in newel-posts and balusters. |
| 1667 Primatt City & C. Build. 66 A pair of open *Newel-Stairs (which are Stairs with a well or light coming from the top). 1851 Turner Dom. Archit. II. iii. 81 Internal communication by a newel stair at one angle of the building. |
| 1859 Jephson Brittany v. 55 We next ascended the broad *newel staircase. 1883 Sir W. H. Cope Bramshill 64 A newel staircase ascending to the attics. |
| 1883 Archæol. Cant. XV. 256 Some broken stone *newel-steps which were found close by. |
▪ II. † newel2 Obs. rare.
Also 6–7
-ell.
[var. of novel, after new a.] A novelty; news.
| c 1475 Songs & Carols 15th C. (Warton Club) 64 Syns that Eve was procreat..Cowd not such newels in this lond be inventyd. 1579 Spenser Sheph. Cal. May 276 He was so enamored with the newell, That nought he deemed deare for the jewell. a 1618 J. Davies Eglogues Wks. (Grosart) II. 20 O! how my heart's ioy-rapt, as I had cought A Princedome to my share, of thilk newell. |