post box

Wall-mounted cast-iron post box, c. 1905, with 'ER VII' royal cipher and raised crown motif. Raised 'Post Office' lettering to letter flap and foundry name to the base reading .W T ALLEN & Co. LONDON'. Mounted in painted rendered gate pier to wall surrounding Crossroads Inn, adjacent to road, and just to the south of Malin Head.

This cast-iron post box is an interesting in the scenic rural landscape to the south of Malin Head. The modest design of the post box is enhanced by the royal cipher with crown motif, which enlivens the appearance of this otherwise functional object. It identifies the reign of Edward VII (1901-1910). Many pre-independence post boxes were simply painted green and retained their royal insignia but are becoming a rare sight and are worthy of retention as historical artifacts. The raised insignia demonstrates the artistic qualities of mass production at the time of its casting. The foundry mark indicates that it was cast by W. T. Allen and Company of London (1881-1955), who were responsible for many of the late-Victorian and Edwardian post boxes in Ireland. This post box is sited at a prominent crossroads, which is a common site for post boxes for obvious reasons. The repainting of post boxes following the foundation of the state was a simple and practical method of reclaiming these artefacts of Ireland's colonial past. This is the smallest type of wall box, known as the C type, and was used where the volume of mail didn't justify a pillar box.