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A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

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First published 1971 (DOST Vol. IV).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Nowell, Newell, n. Also: nowall, newall, -ill, nevell, neiwell. [ME. nowell (1365), e.m.E. nuel(l (1611), newel(l (1625), noell (1655), OF. nouel, noel, noal (later noiel, noial, mod. F. noyau), kernel, newel, etc.]

1. A newel-stone. ? Chiefly or only one of some length, shaped so as to form in a single piece both a step and the corresponding part of the pillar or a newelled staircase.Also as a coll.(a) 1519 Reg. Soltre 182.
Pro octodecim le nowellis ad dictum opus x s. Ib. 185. 1529–30 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I. 32.
Wynnand nowellis pend ande wal stane 1535–6 Ib. 136.
For viii nowellis of viii futtis lenth 1622 Aberd. B. Rec. II. 379.
Long wark for lintellis and nowelliscoll. 1535–6 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I. 137; etc.
For xxvi pece nowell soill and lyntell ilk pece xiiii d.(b) 1561–3 Edinb. Old Acc. I. 421, 423.
Newellis 1611 Macgibbon & Ross V. 5.
The newalls alwayes of this turnpyek passand be fair passage to the halldure and gusht abone 1623 Misc. 3 Spald. C. III. 120.
Newillis 1632 Glasg. Univ. Mun. III. 484.
At laying of the first nevell for ane quart of aill iij s. iiij d. 1655 Ib. 495.
A neiwell and two great stones for a tabell

2. The newel-post of a staircase. 1684 Thanes of Cawdor 368.
The … staire is to be thrie foot and eight inches wyde … including the nowall