K6 Telephone Kiosk

A K6 telephone kiosk designed by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott and constructed by various contractors. It dates from the 20th century, specifically designed in 1935 for the General Post Office to commemorate King George V's Silver Jubilee. The K6 design evolved from Scott’s earlier successful K2 kiosk of 1924, incorporating neoclassical influences but with a more streamlined aesthetic, compact dimensions, and greater cost-effectiveness for mass production.

The kiosk is square in plan, built of cast iron, and painted red. It has long horizontal glazing in the door and sides, with crowns applied to the top panels rather than perforated. Rectangular white display signs reading “TELEPHONE” are positioned beneath the shallow-curved roof. The interior now contains modern telecommunications equipment.

Sir Giles Gilbert Scott (1880-1960) was a significant British architect responsible for notable commissions including Liverpool Cathedral and Battersea Power Station. The K2 and K6 kiosks represent a considered adaptation of architectural tradition to meet contemporary technological requirements, with over 70,000 K6s eventually being produced. Many were replaced in the 1960s, but the remaining kiosks remain iconic features of the British streetscape.

The kiosk is designated at Grade II for its status as an iconic example of industrial design, demonstrating Scott's adaptation of neoclassical forms for modern technology. Its location within the village conservation area is also significant, with visual relationships to the Old Post Office and Northbrooke Cottage (jointly listed Grade II), and Downend, Lovat (Grade II) and Tichborne (Grade II).