The Post Box

In the UK the Ludlow wall box is what is known as a wall mounted post box.  They are built into a stone pillar or in the walls of a building.  They are not free standing.  Originally manufactured out of wood, they took their name from the now defunct company who manufactured them, they started out life in 1885 and continued until the mid 1900’s.

There are approximately 100,000 post boxes found througout the UK, out of this there are only a reported 450 left, but aside from this the Ludlow letter box is regarded as an important design.

Construction

Ludlow post boxes are made out of wood which makes them unique amongst their cast iron counterparts.  They came in large and small and consisted of a rustic pine box which had doors in either the front, or the front and back.  These doors, or aperatures, were surrounded by a decorative beading which was manufactured in cast iron and which usually bore the coat of arms of monarch ruling at the time.  Today they can be found bearing the arms of Victoria, Edward VII and VIII George V and VI as well as Elizabeth II.

Below this aperature casting is a wooden door. This dor is faced with a sheet of thin steel at the top and at the bottom, a decorative enamel plate which apart from bearing the coat of arms also bore the words ‘ Post Office Letter Box’.  There may have also been a recessed plate which advertised what time the next collection would be.  The lock used in the Ludlow post box was a five lever Chubb brass lock which was situated on the inside.

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