The Tolhouse Museum

The Tolhouse Museum

The Tolhouse is one of the oldest prisons in the Country.  It was built around 800 years ago and it was once the home of a rich merchant.  It then became the Courthouse and gaol.  Its dungeon was known as The Hold.  It was also the local Police Station at one point.  During WW2 it was gutted by bombs.  It has been a museum since the 1880's and today is still a popular museum with dungeons to visit and special events throughout the year.

While it was a gaol this was where the 16 people were held that were accused of witchcraft.  In Medievil times it was also used as a meeting place for the Baliffs of Great Yarmouth.  Sarah Martin, who was a prison visitor, also  used to visit the prisoners here regularly.  She moved from Caister to Great Yarmouth so she could help people less fortunate than herself in the nineteenth century.

Situated close to the Quay, it is now very different to how Yarmouth was when it was first built 800 years ago.  The Museum today has had visits from Ghost Hunters and enthusiasts.  Today the Library is just behind it, and is in excellent walking distance to town and other local museums.

Sarah Martin - Prison visitor of Great Yarmouth

Sarah Martin

Sarah Martin was born in June of 1791 and died in October of 1843.  She was the only child who was brought up by her Grandmother.  She learnt at an early age to sew and be a dressmaker.  Born in Caister, Norfolk, she used to walk the 3 miles to work in Gt Yarmouth every day.  After hearing a sermon one day, she was inspired to help those less fortunate than herself.  She began by teaching children in Sunday School.  She then learnt that the workhouse did not have a Chaplain.  so Sarah devoted one day a week to visit the workhouse.  She also provided comfort and friendship to the sick and elderly.

It was in 1818 that she first visited the Gaol in Great Yarmouth (now the Tolhouse Museum.)  This is where she discovered that the conditions were dreadful.  Her first visit was to visit a female inmate.  She went on to visit this gaol for seventeen years.  She read the Bible to the prisoners, and she also conducted services on Sundays.  She also taught practical things ready for when the prisoners were released, like teaching the women how to sew baby clothes.  She also taught the men how to make cloth caps, and also how to make needles and spoons from bone.  This gave the inmates invaluable experience and life lessons for when they were released.

When her Grandmother passes away, she left her just enough money to live on.  She also relied on her dressmaking skills to bring in money.  But when people saw the good she was doing, they were also kind enough to donate money to her to help her with her work.  There is a stained glassed window in Yarmouth Parish Church dedicated to her.  She worked in the gaol until bad health prevailed and she passed away on 15 October 1843.  She is buried in Caister graveyard alongside her Grandmother.