Port House

The former customs house and associated offices of the Port of Lowestoft, constructed in 1831.

MATERIALS: The building is constructed of gault brick and its hipped roofs are covered in slate.

PLAN: The layout of the building in 2022 resembles a lower case 't' in plan form: a long range facing south with central 'transepts' and a return wing at the east end.

EXTERIOR: Port House is a two-storey building walled in gault brick with hipped slate roofs and has a long range facing south with a central transept. The transept is lit through one six-over-six sash window on the first floor to the south (all of the windows are glazed in this way and have gauged-brick arches), with similar fenestration to the east and west returns. To the right of the transept are five ground-floor sashes, with two C20 windows in blocked doorways. At the first floor, there are three on each side of the transept, with some replaced. The central doorway is flanked by one sash on each side at the ground floor. There is a shallow hipped roof with five stacks, all set to the left.

The east elevation forms the entrance and is of four bays. There is a late C20 pedimented porch in the second bay from left, with a pediment. One sash window is on the left, and two on the right. There are four identical first-floor sashes.

INTERIOR: There is an open well staircase at the west end with two turned balusters to each tread, a moulded handrail and heavy turned newels with ball finials. Otherwise, the interior has been modernised for office use.