Town Hall

Town Hall, Great Yarmouth, was built in 1882 by J.B. Pearce, following a design competition. It is a red brick building, laid in a Flemish bond, with terracotta detailing and sandstone dressings, covered by slate roofs. The building is arranged around a narrow courtyard and is constructed in the Queen Anne style.

The asymmetrical north-west front has two storeys rising to three in the tower, with a seven-window range. The ground floor is rusticated, with string courses marking the floors above. The left three bays feature cross casement windows with plate-glass sashes and two transoms. The centre bay has a three-light cross casement on each of its three floors. The right three bays are dominated by a round-arched principal entrance, flanked by two-light cross casements. The first-floor windows incorporate double transoms and round heads, with swags in the balustraded parapet. A tower, square in plan, rises above the main building, topped with an ogeed lantern, featuring clock faces within open round arches, and a glazed lantern.

The south-west facade, facing the river, is symmetrical, with eight bays plus closing bays on either side. It also features cross casement windows with sashes. A garlanded parapet and central segmental pediment are present. The roofs are hipped with flat sections.

The interior entrance hall features pairs of panelled baluster piers on high plinths, alternating with single piers that are attached to the walls as pilasters. These are topped with modified Ionic capitals. An Imperial staircase rises to the east, with a twisted baluster design over vases, a moulded handrail, and painted glass windows illuminating the space from a small internal courtyard. The ceremonial hall on the first floor’s west side comprises nine by three bays, separated by fluted pilasters. The north wall has paired fluted columns and pilasters, while the south wall features Corinthian columns set in front of pilasters. A heavy modillion cornice with leaf-trail decoration and deep coving runs along the hall, leading to a barrel-vaulted roof with eared and shouldered raised panels.

Until 1990, the south-east corner of the first floor housed magistrates' court fittings from 1882, including a panelled dock with an internal staircase leading down to a secure room and a side entrance at ground level. The council chamber has a canopy at the west end and a gallery at the east end.