The Tolbooth

As far back as Forres Records go the meetings of the Provost, magistrates and Town Councillors are reported as being convened in the Tolbooth.

The building, probably only a shanty or hut in the beginning, would have been used to collect the customs and dues of The Burgh on behalf of the Crown.

In the middle of the 1655 the building is described as a 'thackit' building. "The Tolbooth is ruinous and cannot carry thack till the walls are repaired. Crackit to the very top" In 1671 work commenced by George and John Balmanno on a stone building.

Records tell us that 'The Council appointed John Laing and Bailie Brodie (Town Treasurer) to go and speak to the Lord Brodie about the stones in Kinloss to help build the Tolbooth.' Throughout the 1700's various works and repairs are carried out but it is not until 1837 that an Act for the building of a new Court House and Public Offices was made. At that time the question of a new jail was raised and the Town Council evidently agreed that the question of new Council Buildings and a jail should be combined. On 19th February 1836 the site of St John's Mason Lodge, which was adjacent to the Tolbooth, was chosen as the site of the Jail and work was completed around 1849.

The foundation stone of the new court house and public offices was laid &quot with Masonic Honours by the Honourable John Hoyes as officiating Grand Master&quot on 30th March 1838. The following items were placed in the foundation, which was laid in the south-east corner of the Tower:-

• An inscription on parchment,
• Coins of the day comprising - a gold sovereign, a silver crown, a silver half-crown, a silver shilling, a silver sixpence, a silver groat, a copper penny and a copper farthing
• a Victoria medal
• a chronological table
• a copy of the Act of Parliament for erecting New Jails, Court Houses etc, for the County of Elgin and Forres and for the Burgh of Forres, an almanac for 1838
• an extract of the funds, properties and revenue of the Burgh of Forres 1837,
• an extract of the funds and expenditure of Andersons Institution,
• three &quot Forres Gazettes, and Elgin Courant
• a copy of the rules and regulations of the Forres Gas Company.

The building was completed in 1849 at a cost of Two thousand and seventy six pounds, 2 shillings and sixpence.

The town council met in the building until is demise in 1976 and since 6th April 1977 the Courtroom has been the home of the Community Council for the Royal Burgh of Forres.

Despite major reconstruction of the Tolbooth which started 1992 the building is seldom used except for monthly meetings of the Community Council, who meet in the Courtroom. The Rent Office is situated downstairs and is used to collect council housing rent and Council Tax payments. The building used to house the Moray Council Archivists but they were deemed unnecessary in 1997 and their work is now undertaken by the Council's Library Section in Elgin.

Despite a controversial choice of colour scheme the Courtroom still holds some vestiges of it's former glory.

The council minutes of 1848 tell us that this was presented to the Town Council by William Smith of Greenhaugh, Huntly, a native of Forres who made his presentation through his friend a Mr Miller of the &quot Forres Gazette&quot .

Below this window sits the Magistrates Bench which was installed together with other benches now in situ along the opposite wall.

The leather seats and benches were installed in 1893.

Above the door of the courtroom hangs a painting of The Riding of The Marches of 1840.

The artist was a Mr Cranmer of London and was completed in 1841.

This painting became the property of the Burgh &quot at the subscription price of fifty guineas without touching a farthing of the Town's funds.&quot

Sir Alexander was a generous benefactor to Forres gifting Forres House and grounds (now Grant Park) to the Town.

He also gave a gift of £100,000 to enable the Government to take over the Advocate's Library in Edinburgh and convert it into the National Library for Scotland. The Government of the day could only come up with £2,000.

In recognition of this gift he was presented with the freedom of the City of Edinburgh in 1923. Sir Alexander and Lady Grant took an active part in the unveiling of the War Memorial in 1922. Sir Alexander was also presented with the Freedom of the Burgh of Forres and in 1932, the freedom of the Burgh of Nairn, for his substantial financial assistance in improving Nairn's harbour.

This painting was presented to Forres by Miss Mary M Fraser of London in 1924. Major Fraser was a friend and advisor of Lord Lovat and an ancestor of a Simon Fraser of Drumduan.