Town Hall

Yarm Town Hall is a small brick building from 1710 that stands in the middle of the High Street in Yarm, a market town on the River Tees in northern England. It is one of the most recognisable landmarks of the town and a good starting point for a walk along its historic main street.

What is Yarm Town Hall?

The building is a compact, foursquare structure made of local mottled brick. It has a pyramidal roof topped by a square central clock tower. Its style is often described as Dutch in character, which sets it apart from the Georgian frontages that line the surrounding street. The hall is listed at Grade II, a status it has held since 5 May 1952.

Administratively, Yarm lies in the borough of Stockton-on-Tees, on the border of North Yorkshire and the Tees Valley area. The Town Hall is not a modern council seat. It is a historic civic building that reflects the town's past as a trading place.

Who built it and why?

Yarm Town Hall was built in 1710 by the Lord of the Manor, the 3rd Viscount Fauconberg. According to the heritage service of Stockton-on-Tees, it replaced an earlier tollbooth that was demolished the same year. The new building served as a courthouse and as a market hall, bringing the town's trade and its justice under one roof.

How was the building used over time?

The Town Hall kept its role as a tollbooth. Its importance grew after 1747, when the turnpike road from Catterick Bridge to Durham opened and brought more traffic through the town. The building also hosted hearings held by the lord of the manor and, later, by local magistrates.

On the ground floor, open arches originally gave access to the old market cross. A bell in the Town Hall was rung to warn residents in times of flood or fire, which was a real concern in a town surrounded by a bend of the Tees.

What can you see today?

• the brick facade, pyramidal roof and clock tower on the High Street,
• the arched ground floor, a reminder of the market that once operated here,
• a flood marker for 1771, the highest recorded, which sits seven feet above ground level. It shows how far the river could rise.

The surrounding High Street is a Georgian streetscape and the Town Hall fits naturally into a walk past historic shopfronts and inns.

Practical tips for visitors

The Town Hall stands in the centre of the town, so it is easy to reach on foot once you arrive in Yarm. Allow around 15 minutes to look at the building and its details from the outside. Combine the visit with a stroll along the High Street and a look at other historic buildings of the town. Stockton's heritage website publishes a historical walk for the area, which is a handy way to put the building in context.

Frequently asked questions

When was Yarm Town Hall built? In 1710, by the 3rd Viscount Fauconberg, Lord of the Manor.

Is Yarm Town Hall a listed building? Yes. It has been listed at Grade II since 5 May 1952.

What was it used for? It served as a courthouse, a marketplace and a tollbooth, and later hosted local magistrates.

What does the building look like? It is a small square brick building with a pyramidal roof and a central clock tower, in a style often called Dutch.

What is the flood marker? A mark from 1771, the highest recorded flood level, located seven feet above the ground.