The Tolhouse

The Tolhouse is a fortified merchant's house in Great Yarmouth, beginning around 1150 and altered around 1250. It was hired to the Borough in the 14th century, and purchased by them in 1552. Over the centuries, it served various civic functions, including as a prison (1261-1875), town hall (until 1882), police station, court house, and toll office. Restored in 1883, damaged by bombing in 1941 and again restored 1960-1, it has since been used as a museum and library from the 1880s.

The building exemplifies an early adaptation of military architecture to domestic use. Constructed primarily of flint, it incorporates ashlar and ashlar dressings with a plain tiled roof. The north gable wall was rebuilt in the 20th century, and the south gable wall largely rebuilt.

The east front has two storeys and a three-window range. The left side features a four-light transomed casement dating from 1960, intended to replicate a window inserted in 1622. To its right is a flat buttress surmounted by a statue of Justice and a cartouche displaying Yarmouth's coat of arms (three royal lions dimidiated with herring tails) and the name of the Mayor from 1781, William Fisher. Further to the right is a forebuilding added around 1250, situated in front of a blocked arch dating to around 1150. The forebuilding includes a staircase leading to the first-floor hall's entrance and features a pointed arched grille (inserted in 1883) and a corbel table of trefoiled machicolations beneath a pair of arched, unglazed cinquefoiled windows. The main hall is lit by two two-light Geometric windows of 1883, replacing earlier wide transomed casements. An added bay from the 14th or 15th century, located on the extreme right, is lit by two slit vents and a 20th-century leaded casement.

Inside, the first-floor hall is entered via a pointed arched doorway with two orders of colonnettes, featuring dog-tooth decoration on the jambs. It contains a further doorway leading to the former south-west wing and two window embrasures. The roof is a crown-post design, dating from 1960. The basement is divided into two rooms. The north room contains four detention cells, protected by an iron screen with circular-section verticals. Each cell has an oak door with a heavy gate latch, and is oak-lined, with an air vent in the barrel vault. These cells were proposed in 1796 and erected shortly afterward. The added north bay retains the remains of a winder staircase.

The Tolhouse is a Scheduled Ancient Monument.