Has anyone heard the exclamation "I go to the foot of the stairs"
My Mum and ladies around her age use it, no one I’ve asked can tell me where it comes from or what it should mean or refer to.
Either way you say it to express shock or surprise.
It just seems to be the strangest expression Ive ever heard.

Never heard it, but seems fascinating that it should mean that.

(well) I’LL GO TO THE FOOT OF OUR STAIRS! - "An old north England expression of surprise or amazement - meaning presumably, that the short walk to the place mentioned would allow the speaker to recover equanimity. Or perhaps it meant it was time to give up and go to bed! Used by Tommy Handley in BBC Radio’s ITMA (1940s) and elsewhere. Said to have been used by the entertainer George Formby as ‘Eeh, I’ll go to the foot of our stairs’, as also, ‘Eeh, I’ll go to our ‘ouse (pronounced ‘our rouse’)’ - Robina Hinton, Suffolk (1999). Chris Littlefair gave this variation from the North-East (2000): ‘I’ll go to the bottom of our garden.’" From "Oops, Pardon Mrs Arden! An Embarrassment of Domestic Catchphrases" by Nigel Rees (Robson Books, London, 2001) Page 99-100.

Submitted by viewers/listeners to Mr. Rees on British TV and radio. The dates are when the informants submitted the information to him.

From The Phrase Finder.

-Tim

That sees like a weird origin to me.  When I read this [removed]which I’ve never heard before), I thougt of a woman standing at the top of the stairs, fainting from shock and falling to the bottom (a.k.a. the foot).  That’s my take on it…

Robby