Telephone Kiosk, Maghera Street, Coleraine, Co. Londonderry, BT51

Telephone Kiosk at Maghera Street, Coleraine

This is a K6 telephone kiosk, the iconic mass-produced design created by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott in 1935 to commemorate the Silver Jubilee of King George V. The kiosk dates from between 1936 (when the K6 was first released) and 1953, based on the style of its crown motif. It is now a relatively rare surviving example in Northern Ireland and continues to function as originally intended.

The structure is a square-plan, freestanding kiosk of cast iron construction, painted red. It stands on a concrete base and features a shallow cast-iron domed roof carried on moulded pediments. The roof is surmounted by a raised crown moulding on each of the four elevations. Three sides are glazed with 8 by 3 panes of plain glass, whilst the west elevation has a blank back panel with a foundry plate beneath. Glazed, opaque rectangular panels beneath the roof read 'Telephone' on all four sides.

The south elevation has a timber painted door with a metal door handle and 'Pull' sign. The door is in fairly poor repair with some glass panes missing. The interior has been fitted with modern telephone equipment, though the exterior remains largely original.

The kiosk is located at a prominent site within the town at the main traffic junction between New Row and Maghera Street. Several other listed buildings stand in close proximity: Kilrea Second Presbyterian Church directly to the north, 67 Maghera Street to the north-east corner, and the Northern Bank building across the road to the south-west. In conjunction with these adjacent listed buildings, the kiosk contributes to the historic interest and visual character of this area.

The K6 design proved highly successful, with approximately 60,000 examples placed throughout the UK from 1936 onwards. About 8,000 were installed under the 'Jubilee Concession', which allowed towns and villages with a post office to apply for a kiosk. A further 1,000 were installed over 12 years under the 'Tercentenary Concession' celebrating the Post Office's 300th anniversary, for local authorities paying a five-year subscription of £4. A minor alteration occurred following the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953, when the Tudor crown motif was replaced with St Edward's crown. From 1955, the Crown of Scotland was used for kiosks in Scotland, with a slot in the fascia allowing either version to be inserted into all kiosks manufactured from that date onwards. The K6 continued in production until 1968, when it was superseded by the more modernist K8 designed by Bruce Martin.