Building record MAB3406 - THE TOLBOOTH, 80 HIGH STREET, FORRES

Tolbooth, built in 1838-9 by William Robertson on the site of a previous tolbooth built in circa 1700, of which there is now no trace.

Tolbooth, built in 1838-9 by William Robertson on the site of a previous tolbooth built in circa 1700, of which there is now no trace. The present tolbooth continues the design of its predecessor, in a Scots Baronial style. It is constructed from finely stugged ashlar, and is a three-storey courthouse with an imposing three-stage tower and belfry. The entrance is on the west face of the tower, with a round-arched head in deeply splayed reveals. There is a string-course rising over the door and window on the north elevation. Round-arched windows sit above, with a second string-course raised above the windows as a square hoodmould. There is a corbelled stepped parapet with bartizans, and a smaller clock stage with similarly detailed parapet bartizans with conical caps. The tall belfry stage has round-arched openings, a cable moulded cornice, a tall bell-cast roof with a crowning cupola and a weather vane with a gilded cockerel. The courthouse and jail extend to the east and south. They have three storeys and two bays facing High Street to the north, and nine bays to Tolbooth Street to the east. There are square-headed windows to High Street, with corbelled, squared bartizans to the outer bay. The courtroom to the south has three round-head windows at the first floor, one of which is blind, and three smaller round-headed windows and pend to the ground floor. The pend continues to a single west-facing bay with a round-headed window at the first floor. There is multi-pane glazing to Tolbooth Street. There are four bays to the jail, facing east to Tolbooth Street. Inside, the tower room are vaulted, and the courtroom has a coffered ceiling and stained glass windows. The stained glass depicts St Laurence, the partron saint of Forres, and was gifted by Mr William Smith of Colithie, Huntly, who was a native of Forres. Some late 19th century courtroom fittings survive. There are cells remaining in the jail. Some of the upper window cills have ventilation grills added to them in circa 1980. The building is now owned by the Forres Heritage Trust.

Period Notes
Present tollbooth built in 1839, on an earlier one built in circa 1700. Listed designation given on 30/03/1983.

Author unknown, , PRESS & JOURNAL, 25/10/84 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1416.

RHIND, W, 1839, SKETCHES OF MORAY, 136 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1520.

MACGIBBON, D, 1892, THE CASTELLATED AND DOMESTIC ARCHITECTURE OF SCOTLAND, 1-5, 101 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1140.

CANT, R. G., 1948, OLD MORAY: A DESCRIPTION OF OLD BUILDINGS, 7 (Bibliographic reference). SAB614.

TURNER-SIMPSON, A, 1982, HISTORIC FORRES, 6 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1978.

FARRELL, S, 2023, WRITTEN SCHEME OF INVESTIGATION FOR PROPOSED ARCHAEOLOGICAL WORK AT HIGH STREET, FORRES, WSI (Bibliographic reference). SAB4202.

Apr 3 2015 , AAS-GR-15-04-189, AAS-GR-15-04-189 (Ground Photograph). SAB35472.

Apr 3 2015 , AAS-GR-15-04-242, AAS-GR-15-04-242 (Ground Photograph). SAB35804.

Author unknown, n.d., THE NORTHERN SCOT, 21/02/14 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1270.

Author unknown, n.d., THE NORTHERN SCOT, 23/09/16 p.7 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1270.

Oct 17 2013 , AAS-GR-13-10-293 - 301, AAS-GR-13-10-293 - 301 (Ground Photograph). SAB35318.

Record last edited

Jan 26 2026 10:27PM