There are numerous and very extensive malting-houses in Yarmouth and its neighbourhood, belonging to the metropolitan brewers and others, which afford employment for a large number of hands. The town is a great centre of the fishing trade. The mackarel fishery employs upwards of 3,000 tons, with about 90 boats and 870 men, and produces about 16,000 a year. The herring fishery, for which Yarmouth is so highly and justly celebrated, employs about 6,000 tons, with 160 boats and 1,300 men, besides those on shore; the produce is about 100,000 barrels yearly, about 20,000 of which are sent to the southern countries. There are also fisheries of cod, sprats, turbot, soles, skate, whitings, eels, and shrimps. A large portion of this produce is sent to London, Manchester, Birmingham, and other distant towns. The number of vessels belonging to the port is about 500, besides 250 fishing-boats and other smaller craft. Ship and boat building employs many hands, and vessels of 460 tons are built here. The silk mills, belonging to Grout and Co., erected in 1818, give employment to nearly 700 operatives of both sexes.
The church of St. Nicholas is a fine cross-shaped building, of unusually large dimensions. It had formerly sixteen chapels. The spire is 168 feet high, erected in 1683. There is a fine peal of ten bells and a clock. The organ is of some celebrity, and has been most materially improved by Gray and Davidson; it was built in 1733 by Muller. Here are monuments of the Englands, and some few other families of distinction, while plain marble slabs point out the resting-places of John Carter, a great friend of Cromwell, and of Mrs. Bridget Bendish, daughter of General Ireton, grand-daughter of the Lord Protector. The living is a perpetual curacy, in the gift of the Dean and Chapter of Norwich. The font, which is of Purbeck marble, is octagonal and very ancient. The vestry contains a small collection of old books.
St. George’s chapel was built in 1714, and is a fine building, partly of stone, with square tower. St. Peter’s church was built in 1833, at a cost of £12,000; it is in the Gothic style, of white brick, with a tower 118 feet high; there is in it a copy of Ruben’s Descent from the Cross. There is also an ancient church at Gorleston, with curious font and brasses. St. Mary’s Southtown was built in 1831. The Roman Catholic chapel is a new Gothic building, of neat appearance. There is a Jews’ synagogue, which has been rebuilt. Here are meeting-houses for Independents, General and Particular Baptists, Wesleyans, Countess of Huntingdon, Society of Friends, Primitive Methodists, and Unitarians. The Roman Catholics have a small cemetery, situate on the road leading to Caistor, north of the town.
The Town Hall, built in 1716, is of the Tuscan order, with a fine suite of rooms; it contains also the court rooms. There is also a Town House, belonging to the corporation. The Borough Gaol was built in 1260, and much of the original building remains. The market-place is very extensive, covering an area of three acres; the fish market adjoins it. The Corn Exchange is in Regent-street, and the Commercial Club House on the Quay. The Custom House, on the Quay, is a large and handsome building. The Bath House was built in 1759, and has a large public room and all requisite bathing accommodations. There are several small docks or basins belonging to the shipbuilders, and one of which will take a 500 ton ship. The town is well paved and lighted with gas, and watched by a borough police. The large naval and military hospital, situate at the southern extremity of the town, is now used as a Government asylum for insane officers of the navy and army. One of the chief ornaments of the town is the conspicuous column, erected on the South Denes by county subscription in 1817, to commemorate the immortal Nelson; it is a fine pillar, of the Doric order, with fluted shaft: its extreme height is 144 feet; the summit is reached by 270 steps; the views from it of the sea and surrounding country are varied and extensive.
CLERGY, GENTRY, &c.
Agar, Moses, 78, Southtown road
Aldis, Mr. John, North end
Alexander, Mrs. Caroline, Regent road
Ames, Edward, Esq., East street
Ansell, the Misses, 1, North Beach terrace