Historic cast iron newels.

Cast newel post. 19/NP114

A brief introduction.

Cast iron newel posts have been used on many prestigious staircases. Historically they would have been used on high end properties set over a feature tread at the start of a geometric staircase, when used on stone flights they would have been complemented with cast spindle either stringer mounted or tread mounted. When used on timber flights they more often than not would be paired with turned spindles but in some cases would be paired with the cast spindles.

The post will normally be used to support opening caps, Ram’s horns or Monkeys’ tails.

The bottom of the post is traditionally drilled and tapped with about a 3/4″ metal stud, that runs down either into the flooring joists, noggings, or feature tread and is bolted from the underside to give it stability.

When set onto a timber staircase, the feature to the tread end is made of solid timber to allow the bolting of the newel post.

Often when a staircase has had its feature end removed from the feature tread, as happened a lot throughout the U.K. in the 1970’s. when surveying to replace the feature end, you can often find tell tail holes through the floorboards where the original bolt was set, this will aid in knowing where the centre of the feature was set to be able to recreate the original shape of the tread.

3D model

We will be adding 3D models scanned from original castings,

Here we have a sample of one of these models, I am still working or rather learning how to clean these up and get them good enough to use for 3D printing, I will test these in real life by getting them cast at a foundry before I publish them for use.

This style of newel comes in two standard sizes.

19/NP114 P53 TWO SIZES.

Height 785 mm – 30 7/8″

Width 125 mm – 4 15/16″

Base diameter 125 mm – 4 15/16″

Weight cast iron.

16.60KG – 36lb 9 1/2oz


Height 900 mm – 35 3/8″

Width 125 mm – 4 15/16″

Base diameter 125 mm – 4 15/16″

Weight cast iron.

17.20KG – 37lb 15oz

Large model 32mb may take a minute to load.

Download to be added Friday the 13th November, check back then to download the model and try it for yourself.

Cast Newel post
A cast Newel post 19/NP114 from different angles.

Download and use in your visuals.

As with our spindle patterns, you can download the 3d model and use it to give your visuals that more life like look, as in our, how to seperate the handrail over a feature tread article.

Save time by deciding which finish you would like before creating your job specific visual.

Monkey's tail with Ram's horn set behind
Monkey’s tail with Ram’s horn set behind

Here we have a picture of this style of newel post fitted to a cantilevered stone staircase. The newel has an opening cap set over it and Due to the narrow stairwell the handrail from the lower flight comes up and returns over on itself, this is to pick up the cast spindles that are mounted on the side of the stringers.

This particular style of newel can be found in properties dating back to the early 19th century.

Cast Iron Newel Post.
Cast Iron Newel Post.

Cast newel post gallery.

Here we have a selection of cast newels of varying shapes and sizes.

Used in various ways at the start of or through the flight.

Metal balusters mounted onto the stringer faces set ove rtop of each other.
A cast newel used as a support for the opening cap and roll position for the handrail.
opening cap offset over cast newel post.
Opening Cap set over a cast newel post.
cast newel commode curtail tread
Cast newel on a commode curtail tread with Monkey’s tail handrail termination.
Cast newel “D” tread.
Cast newel floor mounted.
Cast newel floor mounted 1
Cast newel mounted on the floor. side view.
Cast newel floor mounted
This is an example of a Monkey's tail with the landing handrail connecting in to the Newel post.
Cast newel Handrail butting in
Cast newel on timber newel stubs.
Cast newel on timber newel stubs.
Restored curtail tread with cast newel and Monkey tail.
Cast newel over curtail tread
Offset cast newel post with opening cap set over.
Cast newel with offset opening cap
Cast newel with rams horn set over. 1
Cast newel with rams horn set over. 1
Cast newel with rams horn set over.
Cast newel with rams horn set over.
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