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Visdelou, Claude de

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(old form vys=a screw), a spiral staircase, the steps of which wind round a perpendicular shaft or pillar called the newel. The majority of ancient church towers are provided with staircases of this kind, and they are to be fluid in various situations in most Middle-age buildings. During the prevalence of the Norman style, the steps were formed of small stones supported on a continuous spiral vault reaching the whole height of the stairs, one side of which rested on the newel, and the other on the main wall; subsequently to this period the steps were each made of a single stone, one end of which was inserted into the main wall, and the other rested upon and formed part of the newel.