Coffin corners are notches in the walls along winding staircases of homes that accommodated the transport of coffins without damaging the walls. Coffin corners were a feature of Victorian-era homes, when many people died at home and were laid out in coffins in the rooms in which they died. If a home had a winding staircase or staircase that turned on a narrow landing, it was difficult to move the coffin up and down. Coffin corners aided the job.
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The Encyclopedia of Ghosts and Spirits– Written by Rosemary Ellen Guiley – September 1, 2007