hollow newel stair

hollow newel, hollow newel stair

1. The newel or central shaft of a winding stair built as a hollow cylinder.

2. The open well in such a stair when built without the hollow enclosure.

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open-newel stair

A spiral stair constructed around an open cylindrical space without a central post, in contrast to a solid-newel stair built around a post.

McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Architecture and Construction. Copyright © 2003 by McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.