Rebuilding The Great Yarmouth Tolhouse

Being one of the oldest buildings in Great Yarmouth, the Tolhouse has origins dating back to Medieval times. The earliest records are of a grand building standing on the land in 1190, being built by a wealthy merchant. By 1333, The Tolhouse was being rented to the Borough of Yarmouth for the use of public business, eventually resulting in Queen Elizabeth I establishing the building as an Admiralty court in 1559.  By 1619 The Tolhouse was being used as a Gaol as well as a court house. 

By 1823 the last trial had been held in the Admiralty Court. Although the court was no longer there, the building still played an important role in law and order. In 1842 the Bridewell Gaol in the market place of the town was closed. The Tolhouse was substantially enlarged to make space for extra prisoners. This rare photograph from the early 1880's shows the rear of the Tolhouse - over looking the exercise yards, a view not often seen. 

On June 18th 1895, 125 years ago, the Tolhouse reopened as a public museum. The building had been saved in 1883 and lovingly restored through public subscription and grants from the Borough Council, lead by local historian Frederick Danby-Palmer. The Prince of Wales even visited the building, venturing down into the old 'Hold' prison cell. Adjoining the museum was a new public library.  

This oil sketch is one of the few surviving objects displayed at the Tolhouse before the Second World War. The artwork was created by Tobias Lewis, the image shows a sailing smack entering the River Yare at Gorleston; the north pier is in the foreground and Gorleston pier, the pilots’ lookout and the Cliff Hotel shows in the background.  On the reverse side is a label for the Tolhouse Museum Art Exhibition dated 1910. 

The impact of the Second World War was devastating for the culture and economy of Great Yarmouth. Many of the ancient streets and rows were destroyed. New buildings were constructed in their place. You can see a modern block of flats where shops once stood looking over the empty shell of the Tolhouse. It was decided that rather than demolish the building, as much of the surviving Medieval structure as possible would be saved. Any original bricks or features that could be salvaged would be reincorporated back into the building. 

The cells in the basement of the Tolhouse remained relatively undamaged from the bombing. The incendiary bombs were extinguished by the time the fire had burnt through the roof and first and ground floors. There are still however signs of the damage present in the building today - look at the base of the cell doors. Charred edges show how the flames almost consumed this last surviving undamaged original feature of the building.  

Behind the bikes, you can see restored elements of the Admiralty court room. This is a strange exhibition, combining Bikes and Cigarette advertising plaques. It is very much of its time. However many of the bikes and advertising signs are still in the museum collections, in storage and no longer on display. Also note that it was acceptable to smoke your pipe indoors while browsing the display cases.  

The museum galleries were redisplayed in the 1980's and 1990's with examples of recent archaeological finds displayed and the galleries adapted for school group visits. This photo from 1992 shows Museum Attendant Bryan Phillips and Education Officer Sheila Watson with some of the exhibits on display. The skull was found beneath Great Yarmouth Fire Station during construction work in the 1970's.