The
Antiquarian Magazine
& Bibliographer.
The Great Yarmouth Tolhouse.
REAT YARMOUTH possesses a building of considerable antiquarian interest. This is known by the somewhat unsuggestive name of the Tolhouse. Its relation to the collection of tolls is referred to in many old documents; but since this was but one of many uses to which it was devoted, and far from a primary one, it is highly probable that, like the Tolbooth of Edinburgh, its name is derived from its use in a greater degree as the common prison of the town.
The building is spoken of by the old local historian, Manship, in 1619, who states that it was used in his time as the Borough Gaol, and had been so used from the time of the granting of the Charter by King John to the Burgesses. There are also records, which are referred to in Palmer’s “Perlustrations of Great Yarmouth,” of the very early use of the building as a gaol by the burgesses. A gaol for prisoners was also granted by Henry III. in 1261.
Apart from this, the building has been used for almost every municipal purpose, though it has never been actually a town-hall, for Great Yarmouth, like many other corporations, possessed a town-hall over or beside the entrance to the churchyard. Here various courts were held. The bailiffs were accustomed to receive their tolls or dues in the great chamber on the first floor. It was called the Host House, from a peculiar local custom. The accounts for the herrings, the staple article of commerce of the town in old days as now, that were caught by foreign fishermen, and sold by their “hosts,” or salesmen of the town to whom they were consigned, had to be settled in the great chamber, and their “heightening money” paid. It was used also as their apartment of state by the local authorities; and there are many records of the quarrels over the questions of precedence with the deputies of the Cinque Ports when they paid official visits here.
It is for these most varying uses that the Tolhouse of Great Yarmouth is unique among our municipal antiquities, for England has not its counterpart elsewhere. Its history affords evidence of a most interesting nature of the growth and development of the authority of the town, no different it may be from what has taken place in other corporations, but illustrated here by the actual building.
The structure also is the original erection in all its essential features. Its walls are of early thirteenth century date, thus indicating its existence prior to 1261. It has a picturesque external staircase of open woodwork, giving access from the street to the level of the first floor, where the “Great Chamber” is situated, access being gained through a doorway of Early English moulded work; while the lobby of approach is lighted by a two-light open arcade, of somewhat later date. A very quaint figure of Justice, with sword and scales, stands on a projecting buttress; and the high-pitched roof, and the general features of the design, are both of considerable artistic interest. Internally, the Great Chamber has lost its open roof, which was replaced by a flat ceiling, probably in 1622, when it was “fitted up for assemblies.” The windows, too, are square-headed, with wood frames and mullions; but there are several features of the original work of great beauty, while others peep temptingly from the plastering and whitewash of more recent days.