Survey Data
Reg No
40909237
Rating
Regional
Categories of Special Interest
Historical, Social, Technical
Original Use
Post box
In Use As
Post box
Date
1880 - 1905
Coordinates
175515, 383115
Date Recorded
12/12/2007
Date Updated
--/--/--
Description
Wall-mounted cast-iron post-box, installed c. 1890, having raised ‘VR’ royal cipher and crown motif to head. Raised 'Post Office' lettering to letter flap and foundry name to the base reading ‘W.T. Allen and Co. London’. Set into rendered boundary wall of single-storey house (not in survey). Located close to rural crossroad junction in the rural countryside to the north-east of Killybegs.
Appraisal
An attractive item of street furniture that represents an early surviving artefact of mass-produced cast-iron ware. Its survival is testament to the quality of its original design and of the materials used in its manufacturing. The modest design of the box is enhanced by the royal cipher (identifying the reign of Victoria) and the crown motif, which enliven the appearance of this otherwise functional object. It is a rare example of a VR post box in County Donegal, particularly in the west of the county. Many pre-independence post boxes were simply painted green and retained their royal insignia but are now becoming an increasingly rare sight and are worthy of retention as historical artefacts. This post box was cast by W.T. Allen and Company of London (1881 - 1955), who were responsible for many of the Victorian era post boxes in Ireland. It is located close to a rural crossroad junction, a common site for post boxes for obvious a reasons. The building into which this box is set may have been formerly in use as a post office, and it is possible that the post box was moved to its present location from a site close by. This simple piece of street furniture makes a positive contribution to the rural landscape to the north-east of Killybegs, and is an integral element of the built heritage and social history of the local area.