IMAGES TAKEN NEAR TO
Central Way, CARSHALTON, SM5 3NF

A rather fine example of the Victorian 'Penfold' design, essentially the predecessor to the cylindrical form which has been the norm since the 1870s. The box is one of many across the country which, during the last quarter of 2014, have had alterations made to the collection times as part of the Royal Mail's "Collection on Delivery" scheme. The box is now emptied during the postman's delivery round, hence the (not earlier than) 9am stated on the box for weekdays. Below that, it explains that the nearby box at Queen Mary's Avenue, has a 4pm or later collection; and that the Croydon Mail Centre box has the area's latest weekday time, 7:30pm. The scheme, which is being rolled out nationwide in late 2014/early 2015, affects mainly suburban postboxes which average fewer than 50 items posted per day. The information plates of affected boxes will gradually be updated, as this one already has, giving details of the nearest box with an afternoon weekday collection. The scheme aims to maintain all postboxes in the current network, safeguarding their existence while not being a costly exercise to go round in the evenings collecting from boxes which have very little in them.

Looking north along Beeches Avenue. The road has seen various names over time: Beechnut Tree Road on the 1895 25 inch map, The Beeches on the 1915 map (when this section was first developed), The Beeches Avenue on the 1935 map and finally its current name, Beeches Avenue (without a "The") on current maps. On the right is the Penfold postbox in Image

A Penfold pillar box outside 56 Beeches Avenue. These distinctive hexagonal boxes were manufactured by Cochrane & Co of Dudley in Worcestershire between 1866 and 1879, to a design of John Penfold, hence the name. Although there is no suggestion that this example is not an original box (as opposed to a replica), it would not appear to be in its original position. The houses along this stretch of Beeches Avenue are first marked on the 1913 25 inch map, which is consistent with their Edwardian design, and although the road (marked on that map as The Beeches rather than its current name) is also shown on earlier maps it was largely undeveloped - for example the 1895 25 inch map shows it (then marked as Beechnut Tree Road) with only a farm (Barrowhedges Farm) accessed opposite this point and a large house (Barrow Hedges) further south. Neither map marks a postbox at this point, although the 1913 map shows one further north along the road. It is not until the 1935 edition (when the road was named The Beeches Avenue) that a box is shown at this point (but not the one further north). This is some 50+ years after the box would have been manufactured, hence my suggestion that the site is not original. Grade II listed - see https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1357565?section=official-list-entry. For a wider view see Image

A Penfold postbox outside 56 Beeches Avenue. These distinctive hexagonal boxes were manufactured by Cochrane & Co of Dudley in Worcestershire between 1866 and 1879, to a design of John Penfold, hence the name. Although there is no suggestion that this example is not an original box (as opposed to a replica), it would not appear to be in its original position. The houses along this stretch of Beeches Avenue are first marked on the 1913 25 inch map, which is consistent with their Edwardian design, and although the road (marked on that map as The Beeches rather than its current name) is also shown on earlier maps it was largely undeveloped - for example the 1895 25 inch map shows it (then marked as Beechnut Tree Road) with only a farm (Barrowhedges Farm) accessed opposite this point and a large house (Barrow Hedges) further south. Neither map marks a postbox at this point, although the 1913 map shows one further north along the road. It is not until the 1935 edition (when the road was named The Beeches Avenue) that a box is shown at this point (but not the one further north). This is some 50+ years after the box would have been manufactured, hence my suggestion that the site is not original. Grade II listed - see https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1357565?section=official-list-entry. For a wider view see Image

Looking along Beeches Avenue, a road marked (with no houses) on both the 1871 6 inch map and 1896 25 inch map as Beechnut Tree Road, on the 1913 map (by now largely developed) as The Beeches, and then on the 1935 edition as The Beeches Avenue, with the "The" being retained on subsequent maps up to at least the 1967 1:10,000 map. In the centre of the photo is the sewer vent column in Image and below it is the Penfold pillar box in Image

Staplehurst Road.

The B278 (Beeches Avenue / Woodmansterne Road) follows a valley southwards out of Carshalton: Staplehurst Road here forms part of an east-west route that dips into that valley and up out on the other side.

Shows the location of Image

Shows the location of Image