Telephone Kiosk, High Street, Cushendall, Co.Antrim, (Beside Turnly'S Tower)

TELEPHONE KIOSK, HIGH STREET, CUSHENDALL

This is a K6 pattern telephone kiosk of cast-iron construction, sited prominently at the north-west corner of the crossroads in the centre of Cushendall, adjacent to the landmark Turnly's Tower. The kiosk is designed to accommodate a single standing user and was manufactured in cast iron rather than the steel that was already common by its production date, chosen for its superior longevity and ease of maintenance.

The kiosk stands on a black-painted square cast-iron pedestal set into the ground and is painted red. It features a curved roof carried on four moulded corner posts and bears a Tudor Crown insignia in bas-relief around all four sides, symbolising Government ownership during the period 1902 to 1953. The entrance door is positioned on the north-west elevation. All elevations except the blank south-west side (set against a wall) are fitted with 1x8 margined fenestration. Below the crown insignia, the legend 'Telephone' appears in black serif capital letters within a white glazed rectangular panel.

The K6 design was created for the General Post Office in 1935 by the eminent architect Sir Giles Gilbert Scott to commemorate the silver jubilee of King George V. It was based on Scott's earlier K2 design of 1926. The distinctive domed roof echoes the design of a mausoleum in St Pancras Old Church Gardens, London, designed by Sir John Soane in 1815. Scott, a trustee of the Sir John Soane Museum, was also responsible for Liverpool Cathedral, Battersea Power Station, and Bankside Power Station (now Tate Modern).

The K6 was introduced throughout the United Kingdom in 1936 and remained in production until the mid-1960s, with approximately 60,000 installed during this period. They were manufactured by the Lion Foundry in Kirkintilloch and the Carron Ironworks in Falkirk. Like pillar boxes, K6s were painted red for visual prominence at a distance and served as symbols of Government ownership.

This kiosk is probably an original placement, installed sometime between 1936 and 1953, when the Tudor Crown was in use. Historical records show that as early as 1919, questions were being raised in Parliament about extending telephone services to Cushendall, suggesting this kiosk may date from the late 1930s or 1940s rather than the early 1950s. The kiosk does not appear on the 1921 Ordnance Survey map but is captioned 'T.C.B.' (telephone call box) on the 1974 Ordnance Survey map.

Apart from its internal fittings, the kiosk remains unaltered in all respects as originally designed. Its prominent setting at the main village crossroads beside Turnly's Tower enhances its architectural and historical interest. Prior to the advent of mobile phones, it would have held considerable social value to village inhabitants. The kiosk is set against a random rubble wall, with a litter bin and two public bench seats immediately to its south-east and a road traffic sign to its north-west.