Summary
K6 telephone kiosk, designed in 1935 by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott.
Description
K6 telephone kiosk, designed in 1935 by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott.
The K6 is a standardised design made of cast iron, painted red overall with long horizontal glazing to 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.
The kiosk is in good overall condition and survives well, although it leans slightly out of perpendicular. The internal equipment has been modernised.
It is located in its original position adjacent to the village hall (unlisted) in the centre of the village of Crowan and in close proximity to the Church of St Crewenna (Grade II*), the churchyard walls and gate piers (Grade II), and the Grade II-listed Rakaia and Crewenna Cottages, all of which it has a strong visual relationship with.
History
The K6 telephone kiosk is a milestone of C20 industrial design. The K6 was designed by Sir 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 neoclassical inspiration. The K6 was more streamlined aesthetically, more compact and more cost effective to mass produce. Sir 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 70,000 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 Listing
The K6 telephone kiosk in Crowan is listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons:
Architectural interest:
* as an iconic example of industrial design, showing Sir Giles Gilbert Scott's adaptation of neoclassical forms for a modern technological function.
Historic interest:
* the K6 telephone kiosk was designed to celebrate the Silver Jubilee of King George V in 1935 by the eminent architect Sir Giles Gilbert Scott, further developing his successful K2 telephone kiosk design of 1924.
Group value:
* for its contribution to the streetscape and its strong visual relationship with the Grade II*-listed Church of St Crewenna with its Grade II-listed walls and gate piers, and Rakaia and Crewenna Cottages (Grade II).
External Links
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
London 3: North West: North West v. 3 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
Northamptonshire: Buildings of England Series (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
Georgian Style and Design for Contemporary Living
Old House Eco Handbook: A Practical Guide to Retrofitting for Energy-Efficiency & Sustainability
Staffordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
Essex: Buildings of England Series (Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)