Sir Giles Gilbert Scott’s standard K6 brings a compact piece of national communications design into Pennan’s tightly enclosed village street.
Quick facts
- Date
- 1936 design; installed later in the 20th century
- Architect / designer
- Sir Giles Gilbert Scott
- Type
- Red cast-iron K6 telephone kiosk with Scottish crowns
- Designation
- Listed building, Category C (LB2760)
- OS grid reference
- NJ 84615 65488
Architecture, archaeology and continuing use
Red cast-iron panels rise to a shallow dome. Horizontal glazing fills the door and sides, the word “Telephone” occupies the upper lights, and Scottish crowns replace the Tudor crowns used on many kiosks elsewhere.
Its story
The K6 design was introduced in 1936 and installed widely across Britain. This kiosk became associated with Pennan’s film tourism, but the designation explicitly records that it was not the telephone box used in Local Hero.
Why it is included
Category C listing recognises a well-known industrial design in a striking village setting while preserving an important distinction between the listed object and the film prop.
What to notice
- Scottish crowns beneath the domed roof.
- Narrow horizontal panes in the door and sides.
- Raised “Telephone” lettering above the glazing.
Reading the surroundings
View without blocking the road, inn access or any working telephone use. Do not assume the kiosk is operational or step into traffic to photograph it.
Timeline
- 1936 Scott introduced the Jubilee-year K6 as a national standard design.
- Early 1980s Local Hero gave Pennan’s telephone-box image an international audience.
- 1989 Listing recognised this surviving kiosk in its village setting.
What we know — and what remains uncertain
Installation date, current telecommunications equipment and operational status were not independently verified.
Sources & further reading
- Historic Environment Scotland: Pennan K6 Telephone Kiosk, LB2760 — Designation status, mapped location, date, fabric and architectural or archaeological interest.
- Trove designation: LB2760 — Parallel national record identity and archival context.
Location
OS grid reference NJ 84615 65488 · Location confidence: High: the national designation supplies an official mapped National Grid Reference; an additional source confirms record identity and archival context. · Select the marker to open its satellite view in Google Maps. On desktop, drag Pegman (the yellow figure) onto a blue road. On mobile, turn on the Street View layer and tap a blue road. Other photo markers may be user-contributed.
Suggest a marker correction
Suggest a more accurate position
The teal marker is the current published position. The orange marker starts slightly to its right so both remain visible; this is only a visual starting position. Tap the correct place on the map or drag the orange marker. Sending this form creates a private review entry only; it does not move the published marker.
Check this area in Google Maps Choose the Satellite layer there if useful.
Map: © OpenStreetMap contributors. You can also enter checked coordinates below.