TELEPHONE KIOSK

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A mid-20th telephone kiosk of K6 design adjacent to Turnly's Tower (HB05/02/001), at the NW corner of the crossroads in the centre of Cushendall.

The kiosk is of cast-iron construction with a curved roof and entrance door on its NW elevation. It is painted red and sits on a black-painted square cast-iron pedestal set into the ground.

Except for its blank SW (which is up against a wall), all its elevations have 1x8 margined fenestration. Its domed top, which is carried on four moulded corner posts, bears a Tudor Crown insignia in bas-relief around all four sides. Below these insignia the legend 'Telephone' is carried in black serif capital letters in a white glazed rectangular panel.

Setting:
The kiosk is prominently sited at the bottom of High Street side, tucked in below Turnly's Tower at the NW corner of the crossroads. It is set up against a random rubble wall delineating the property behind. There is a litter bin and two public bench seats to its immediate SE and a road traffic sign at NW.

Materials:
Kiosk Cast iron

Historical information

This telephone kiosk is of K6 (Kiosk number 6) pattern which was designed for the General Post Office in 1935 by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott (1880-1960) to mark the silver jubilee of King George V. It was based on his earlier (but larger and more costly) K2 design of 1926. The top of the K2 and K6 kiosks bear a striking resemblance to the roof of a mausoleum in St Pancras Old Church Gardens, London which was designed by Sir John Soane in 1815 as his family tomb (Scott was a Trustee of the Sir John Soane Museum).
Scott was also responsible for Liverpool Cathedral (1924) and was to go on design Battersea Power Station (1933) and Bankside Power Station (1935; now Tate Modern) amongst others
The K6 was introduced throughout the UK in 1936 and remained in production until the mid-1960s. In total c.60,000 K6s were installed during this period. Like the GPO's pillar boxes, they were painted red to make them visually prominent from afar. They were manufactured by the Lion Foundry, Kirkintilloch and the Carron Ironworks, Falkirk. This kiosk may bear its maker's name at the base of its blank side, but this is not accessible.
The Tudor Crown around the top of the kiosk is also known as the King's Crown or Imperial Crown and was used from 1902 to 1953 to symbolise the Government (which also owned the GPO). With the accession of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953, it was replaced by St Edward's Crown (which has depressed arches around its top).
The kiosk is obviously not on the 1921 OS map. It is captioned 'T.C.B.' (telephone call box) on the 1974 OS map.
Although telephone boxes were sometimes recycled to other locations, this one is probably an original placement, installed sometime between 1936 and 1953. As early as 1919, questions were being asked in the Westminster Parliament as to when telephone services were to be extended to Cushendall, so it is not impossible that this kiosk was installed in the late 1930s or '40s rather than the early '50s.

References - Primary sources:
1. PRONI OS/10/1/20/1/2. OS 1:2500 map, Co Antrim sheet 20-01 (1921).
2. PRONI OS/11/25/9/1. OS 1:2500 map, Irish Grid sheet 25-09 (1974).

References - Secondary Sources:
1. Hansard, July 1919. Correspondence with Postmaster-General re extension of phone service to Cushendall.
2. N. Johannessen, Telephone Boxes (Princes Risborough: Shire Publications, 1994).
3. The Telephone Box website, .

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
D. Plan Form
I. Quality and survival of Interior
J. Setting

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Y. Social, Cultural or Economic Importance
Z. Rarity
R. Age
S. Authenticity
T. Historic Importance
X. Local Interest

Evaluation

This telephone kiosk is of standard K6 design and is proportioned to accommodate a single standing user at a time. Although steel would have been in common use when it was manufactured, cast-iron was used in preference owing to its longevity and ease of maintenance. Its prominent setting, at the main crossroads in the village beside the landmark Turnly's Tower (HB05/02/001), also enhances its interest.
Apart from its internal fittings, this kiosk is unaltered in all respects and is as designed by the prominent architect Sir Giles Gilbert Scott. Prior to the inception of mobile phones, it would have been of great social value to the inhabitants of the village and of local significance in that respect.