Description

1899/0/10062

EASTBOURNE
WILLINGDON
Outside 116 Wish Hill
K6 Telephone Kiosk

08-MAY-09

II
K6 telephone kiosk

DESCRIPTION: the K6 is a standardised design made of cast iron, painted red overall with long horizontal glazing in the door and sides and with the crowns situated on the top panels being applied not perforated. There are rectangular white display signs, reading TELEPHONE beneath the shallow-curved roof. It had modernised internal equipment but this has been removed, possibly through vandalism. It is in fair condition (2009).

This kiosk stands in the midst of a group of listed buildings. It is located directly in front of the Old Post Office (Grade II), therefore enjoying a contextual relationship with its setting. Adjacent to the Post Office stands Pelham Cottage (Grade II), and on the other side of this, approximately 15m from the kiosk, stands the premises occupied by F.G French, the Crystal Shop and `Miria' (Grade II). On the opposite side of the road stands Sea View (Grade II). Approximately 15m to the south stands Malthouse Cottage (Grade II). These five listed buildings are all situated along the sides of a square with the telephone kiosk at the centre, and thus form a close visual grouping with it.

HISTORY: The K6 telephone kiosk is a milestone of C20 industrial design. The K6 was designed by Giles Gilbert Scott in 1935 for the General Post Office, on the occasion of King George V's Silver Jubilee. The K6 was a development from his earlier highly successful K2 telephone kiosk design of 1924, of Neo-classical inspiration. The K6 was more streamlined aesthetically, more compact and more cost-effective to mass produce. Giles Gilbert Scott (1880-1960) was one of the most important of modern British architects; his many celebrated commissions include the Anglican cathedral of Liverpool and Battersea power station. The K2 and K6 telephone kiosks can be said to represent a very thoughtful adaptation of architectural tradition to contemporary technological requirements. Well over 10,000 K6s were eventually produced. In the 1960s many were replaced with far plainer kiosk types. But many still remain, and continue to be an iconic feature on Britain's streetscapes.

REASONS FOR DESIGNATION
The K6 telephone kiosk in Wish Hill, Eastbourne, is designated at Grade II for the following principal reasons:
* It has a strong visual relationship with five listed buildings
* It is a representative example within an urban setting of this important C20 industrial design
* It enjoys a contextual relationship with adjacent Post Office

Reasons for Listing

The K6 telephone kiosk in Wish Hill, Eastbourne, is designated at Grade II for the following principal reasons:
* It has a strong visual relationship with five listed buildings
* It is a representative example within an urban setting of this important C20 industrial design
* It enjoys a contextual relationship with adjacent Post Office

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26672460

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

• 
  Farrow & Ball How to Decorate: Transform your home with paint & paper
• 
  Historic Environment Law: Planning, Listed Buildings, Monuments, Conservation Areas and Objects by Harwood, Richard (2012) Paperback
• 
  Old House Eco Handbook: A Practical Guide to Retrofitting for Energy-Efficiency & Sustainability
• 
  Somerset: South and West (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Sussex: East with Brighton and Hove (Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Harrow on the Hill: A photographic portrayal of listed buildings and structures (Historic Buildings Picture Guides)