What is called and does it have a purpose?

[LadyinRead]

The bit of wood trim halfway up the wall going up the stairs, I mean (as indicated by the arrow).

I know it's not coving or wainscoting. Is there a name for this?

And… does it help prevent the wall from being scuffed/damaged or is it just for decoration?

It’s a dado rail.

It’s a dado rail - traditionally used in dining rooms to stop chairs damaging the wall but whoever decorated my house attached it to every single fucking wall in the house with no more nails meaning we have to re plaster the room when we want to decorate.

Yes dado rail.

Originally in rooms at chair height so that if you pushed back your chair you wouldn't mark the wall, I think. So common in dining rooms.

It's a dado rail and their purpose is both aesthetic and practical. It breaks up the height of the wall to make the proportions more aesthetically pleasing and fit to classical ideals. They are also known as chair rails, which explains their practical purpose - to prevent the walls being damaged by furniture placed against the wall.

Dado rail! Thank you all!

So no purpose having it in a corridor then, other than for aesthetics?

@HavfrueDenizKisi

Yes dado rail.

Originally in rooms at chair height so that if you pushed back your chair you wouldn't mark the wall, I think. So common in dining rooms.

Historically, until the regency period, chairs and furniture were all kept against the walls of the room and only moved into the centre of the room when they were needed. Furniture was expensive so people didn't have so many pieces and rooms often had multiple uses so chairs were brought into the centre of the room only when in use. Have a look at the state rooms at Buckingham Palace to see what I mean.

Otherwise known as a dildo rail (according to my ex MIL! )

It still helps protect the walls from getting damaged on a staircase/corridor, @LadyinRead. If you live in a house that was originally designed to have dado rails, I wouldn't remove them, it spoils the proportions.

Our house is 1903 and has the original dado rails in living, dining, hall and staircase. There are none upstairs (you can tell from marks in the plaster walls when stripping wallpaper).

You don’t have to remove them. It’s nice how they break up a tall wall and also allow you to decorate in two tones.

Very beautiful

We're in a new build and have them going up the stairs too, looks lovely

@HavfrueDenizKisi

Yes dado rail.

Originally in rooms at chair height so that if you pushed back your chair you wouldn't mark the wall, I think. So common in dining rooms.

Also, they had more hard wearing wall covering below the rail (like Lincrusta) and more delicate wallpaper above.

www.wallpaperdirect.com/products/lincrusta/art-nouveau-dado/42252?msclkid=c55dba52c18a15e65ed0d84041a982ac&utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=WPD_UK_Smart%20Shopping&utm_term=4581046489700540&utm_content=All%20products

or
www.amazon.co.uk/Anaglypta-Dado-Panels-Oriental-Wallpaper/dp/B0064MPPJE/ref=asc_df_B0064MPPJE?hvlocphy&linkCode=df0&psc=1&hvnetw=o&hvlocint&hvdev=c&hvadid=80745442135220&hvqmt=e&hvbmt=be&tag=mumsnetforu03-21&hvtargid=pla-4584345018824359

Thanks all! We are thinking of installing them in the communal staircases of our apartment block, as the walls are always looking bashed and grubby. Full-on wainscoting is too expensive.
Building is late 19th C.

I like mine because it means I don't have to budget for expensive wallpaper for the entire wall. I just have it about the dado where it's less likely to get damaged and paint a plain, washable finish in a darker colour below, easily to repaint if when it gets scruffy.