stairheads

"What's going on now," he said, and raised himself on one arm to stare at the stairheads in the central groove of the stage.

When the Sleeper Wakes 1906

Both branches of the stairs ran up to a common landing, and in the wall facing him, midway between the two stairheads, was a great door of tulip wood.

Clementina 1906

It is not difficult to realise the flying rumour which would go like the wind before them announcing their errand, and how windows and doorways and stairheads would fill with eager spectators, and all the moving population would press up the hill after them to see what was to be seen.

Royal Edinburgh Her Saints, Kings, Prophets and Poets George Reid 1862

The streets were meant for such fine shows; its stairheads and strong deep doorways to relieve the glories of sweet colour, plumes, and jewels.

Royal Edinburgh Her Saints, Kings, Prophets and Poets George Reid 1862

In such a crowded centre the sheets that were being read so eagerly, laughed over by the very cadgers at their booths, conned by the women at the stairheads, lying on every counter, where Allan's new verses would be pulled to pieces by brother wits who had known him to do better, or heard a livelier witticism from his lips no farther gone than yestreen, must very soon have come to the notice of the westland lads at the college, and from them to the learned professors, and still more directly to the lively groups that went and came to the Parliament

Royal Edinburgh Her Saints, Kings, Prophets and Poets George Reid 1862

“What’s going on now,” he said, and raised himself on one arm to stare at the stairheads in the central groove of the stage.

When the Sleeper Wakes 2006