Survey Data
Reg No
50030284
Rating
Regional
Categories of Special Interest
Artistic, Social, Technical
Original Use
Post box
In Use As
Post box
Date
1880 - 1900
Coordinates
318626, 236625
Date Recorded
30/10/2014
Date Updated
--/--/--
Description
Wall-mounted cast-iron postbox, cast c. 1890, having raised royal cipher of Queen Victoria and crown motif to head. 'Post Office' in cast lettering to letter flap. Foundry mark to base illegible. Set in uncoursed limestone wall to south of Howth Road.
Appraisal
An attractive item of street furniture, this postbox is an early surviving artifact of mass-produced cast-iron ware. Its survival is testament to the quality of its original design and of the materials used in its manufacture. Its modest design is subtly enhanced by the royal cipher, indicating its casting during the reign of Queen Victoria, and providing a visible reminder of Ireland's colonial history. Many pre-Independence postboxes were simply painted green and retained the royal insignia. This postbox makes an interesting contribution to the streetscape at the junction of Howth Road and Hollybrook Road and is sited close to the former Clontarf railway station.