You'll find the entrance to the Museum downstairs, just inside the entrance to the existing Post Office. To enable accessibility for those in a wheelchair or with limited mobility, there's a stair lift.
Considering how much there is too see, it's been thoughtfully laid out to make the most of the space; and for children there's fun things to do too.
I knew a bit about mail coaches and what they looked like, and also about turnpikes from research for the first novel I tried writing, but there was so much more I didn't know.
For example the mail went to and from London along six routes, until Ralph Allen, the Postmaster of Bath, began an expansion with cross routes.
 |
| 1.8 Scale Model of John Palmer's Trial Coach built by Ronald Stiff of Aylesbury |
My favourite item in the museum was being able to listen to the different horn calls that were used during the mail coach journey; there were various warning calls: to the passengers to get aboard, to alert the inn to get the horses ready, the turnpikes open, and when they finally arrived at their destination among them. Each slightly different, but you can hear the echoes of future military bugle calls.
 |
| The horn to signal... |
The display of Post Boxes certainly reminded me of a few from my childhood. Did you know how many types there have been? There's a few on this link.
This is the post box in Laura Place, and there's another on Great Pultney Street, both are hexagonal, the 'New Standard Letter Box', designed by J.W Penfold in the 1860's.
 |
| Laura Place Hexagonal Post Box... |
I've only chosen a couple of items to show you, but there's so much more to see and discover...