Tintagel Post Office

Rear garden behind the post office Franzfoto / CC BY-SA 3.0 (Creative Commons)

Exterior of Tintagel Post Office Zaian (Public Domain)

Staircase turret of the building Humphrey Bolton / CC BY-SA 2.0 (Creative Commons)

East gable of the post office Humphrey Bolton / CC BY-SA 2.0 (Creative Commons)

Entrance to the structure Lobster1 / CC BY-SA 3.0 (Creative Commons)

Interior of Tintagel Post Office Andrea Vail / CC BY-SA 2.0 (Creative Commons)

Fireplace inside the post office Lobster1 / CC BY-SA 3.0 (Creative Commons)

Historic post box Chris Downer / CC BY-SA 2.0 (Creative Commons)

Sign announcing the post office Knochen / CC BY-SA 3.0 (Creative Commons)

Known for its iconic wavy roof that’s been compared to elephant hide, this medieval manor was built in 1380 as a yeoman’s farmhouse. It was made up of small rooms, low ceilings, and a central hearth, furnished with lovely oak and pine furniture.

Now known as the Tintagel Post Office, the building didn’t start off as a mailing facility. After housing livestock for hundreds of years, it served as a a dressmaking shop, a greengrocer, a drapery store, and a cobbler’s shop. Only between 1844 and 1892 did the building actually send and receive mail.

The original Victorian-era post office remains well preserved, with its old stamps, historic post box, antique telegraph undulator, and traditional cloam oven still intact. The National Trust acquired the property in 1903 and saved it from falling into disrepair.

Outside the cottage was a vibrant garden that has been maintained to this day. The colorful garden is filled with seasonal flowers creating a smorgasbord of scents, as well as butterflies, birds, and bunnies.