Old Post Box, Coombe Street
Point of interest
A wooden post box dating back to between 1799 and 1853 can be found in the blue lias wall of the Grade II listed building at 29 Coombe Street. The building was the former home of the Norman family, and John Norman was appointed Post Master in August 1799. The building became the town's first post office and the post box is believed to be one of the oldest in the country.
What makes the post box even more interesting is the presence of both a vertical and horizontal slot. According to The Lyme Regis Society, in 1846 postmasters were instructed to adopt a vertical slot because it was thought it was more difficult to steal a letter through one. By 1856 the postal authorities concluded that the horizontal slots were best after all.
