Post Box, St. Lucia's Barracks, Barracks Lane, Omagh, Co Tyrone

This is a freestanding Victorian post box made of cast iron. Dating to between 1880 and 1899, it is located at the rear of the pavement near the boundary of the Police Barracks, at the end of the access road to the St. Lucia Barracks site. The post box is painted red with a flat dome top and a black plinth. It bears the "VR" monogram on the front, indicating it was manufactured during the reign of Queen Victoria (1837-1901). The plinth displays the makers mark: A.HANDYSIDE & Co Ltd DERBY & LONDON. These post boxes were first introduced in 1852, shortly after the introduction of adhesive postage stamps and the uniform penny post, and were standardised after 1859. The lower aperture design appeared after 1879, and the “VR” cipher was introduced after 1887. The post box is of local interest and contributes to the group value of the area, demonstrating an example of municipal architecture associated with the Barracks. The dwarf wall behind the postbox appears to be the remnant of an older wall, though it includes a section of modern reconstituted stone that runs parallel to the main road.