Victorian Post Box - The Bake House, Papworth St Agnes, Cambridgeshire, UK
Posted by: 
Dragontree
N 52° 15.878 W 000° 08.559
30U E 694979 N 5794318
A Victorian Post Box on the unusual building of The Bake House in the centre of Papworth St Agnes.
Waymark Code: WM4BHK
Location: Eastern England, United Kingdom
Date Posted: 08/02/2008
Views: 42
The village website describes this unique building and mentions this post box!
'The Bake House
One of the most interesting features of the village is the old bread oven which sits on the triangular green where the road splits off to the Church and Rectory in one direction and past the old cart pond and Passhouse Farmhouse in the other direction.
Built of white bricks with a slate roof it occupies a central position in the village. The pump for the village supply of washing water was beside the back wall of the Bakehouse. To this day there is a small post-box in the side wall facing Manor Cottage.
According to Dora Tack in her book about the village, "ln the past, this Bakehouse had been used to bake bread and pies for the occupants of the cottages in the village.
There was a large cast iron, brick surrounded copper to the left of a large oven. It had a very tall chimney (it had been shortened since) - possibly to lift the smoke and sparks high above the nearby thatched cottages. Ted Webb had provided a notice-board, and there was a seat beside the pump.
It was built in 1815 and was used to bake bread for the village. Certain houses or cottages were allocated a day on which the baking of their bread took place. Thus everybody had a turn to use the oven and copper if needed." '
Tell us about the area the post box is situated.:
Papworth St Agnes is a hamlet of less than 20 houses, some relatively modern, some very old. There is a thriving community spirit with many an event held in the redundant church of St John the Baptist.
Condition of the box: Good/Average/Poor: Good
Is this post box still in use?: Monday to Friday 12.30pm and Saturday 9.30am
Is VR embossed on the post box or is it an "anonymous" box?: VR
Any other embossed lettering, such as manufacturer?: POST OFFICE
Manufacturer Inscription: WT Allen & Co, London (1881-1901)
|
Visit Instructions:
You must provide a photo taken by yourself of the waymark.
Tell us about your visit.