Town Beam

The Town Beam is a historic structure likely built before 1822, located in front of the early 19th century Custom House and south of the Town Cellars, which was a wool house from the late 13th or early 14th century and is now part of Poole Museum. This cruciform timber structure features a square-section shaft topped with a domed cap made of brass or copper sheeting. It has horizontal arms with diagonal braces on either side, which support a wrought-iron tie or beam with eye-bolt terminals. This beam would have originally held a steelyard balance for weighing objects. Although the woodwork has been renewed, the original fittings are believed to still be in place. The Town Beam underwent significant restoration in 1947 and again in 2019.