A short guide to UK postboxes
What they are, how they are identified, and why mapping them helps preserve a piece of British heritage.
A brief history
The first standard roadside postboxes in the British Isles appeared in the 1850s, after trials in Jersey and mainland Britain. Before that, letters were handed in at post offices or collected by carriers. The new pillar and wall boxes allowed people to post letters at any time, and the design quickly spread. Early boxes were sometimes green; from 1874 the General Post Office adopted red as the standard colour so that postboxes were easy to spot. That choice has stuck, and the red postbox is now one of the most recognisable symbols of the UK postal system.
Over the following decades, designs evolved. Cast-iron pillar boxes became cylindrical or hexagonal; wall boxes were set into buildings and walls; smaller lamp boxes were fixed to posts in rural areas. Different monarchs reigned during this period, and the Post Office marked new boxes with the reigning monarch's cypher. That is why today you can find boxes bearing VR (Victoria), E VII R (Edward VII), GR (George V), G VI R (George VI), E II R (Elizabeth II), and now C III R (Charles III). Each cypher is a small historical marker that tells you when that box was installed.
Royal cyphers and identification
The royal cypher is usually cast or embossed on the front of the postbox or on the door. It consists of the monarch's initial(s), often with a Roman numeral if there has been more than one monarch with that initial (e.g. E II R for Elizabeth II, C III R for Charles III), and "R" for Rex or Regina. Identifying the cypher is the main way to date a box when there is no other marking. Some reigns were short — Edward VIII reigned for less than a year, so E VIII R boxes are very rare — while others, such as Elizabeth II's reign, lasted decades, so E II R is the most common cypher you will see on current UK postboxes.
At PostboxMap we ask contributors to record the reign (cypher) and the type of box — pillar, wall, lamp, Ludlow, Penfold, coffin, double aperture, or parcel — so that the map can be searched and filtered meaningfully. Our identification guide shows photos and notes for each reign and type, so you can match what you see in the street to the right option when adding or correcting an entry.
Types of postbox
Pillar boxes are the familiar free-standing cast-iron cylinders (or, in older designs, hexagons or ovals). They include the Victorian Penfold (hexagonal, ornate) and the later "Type A" through "Type P" designs. Wall boxes are set into a wall so that only the front is visible; they are very common on street corners and in buildings. Lamp boxes are small boxes often mounted on a lamp post or pole, typically in housing estates or rural areas. Ludlow boxes are a recessed wall style, largely wooden, common in Victorian and Edwardian times. Coffin boxes are oval-topped early pillars; double aperture boxes have two slots (e.g. for "Town" and "Country"); parcel boxes have a larger aperture for parcels. Knowing the type helps when searching the map or describing a box you have found.
Why map them?
Postboxes are working heritage. Many are still in use every day, but their age and variety are not always obvious to passers-by. By recording location, reign, and type in one open database, PostboxMap makes it easier to see where Victorian, Edwardian, or interwar boxes survive, and where the newest Charles III boxes are appearing. Historians, local groups, and enthusiasts can use the map to plan walks, study distribution, or simply enjoy discovering what is on their doorstep. Contributors add value by submitting new postboxes and corrections, so the map improves over time and helps keep this aspect of British postal history visible and searchable for everyone.
Get started
You can explore the map without an account. To add postboxes or submit corrections, register for free. Use the identification guide when you are unsure of a cypher or type, and check the knowledge base and FAQ for how to contribute and how moderation works.