Tolhouse Museum

Great Yarmouth's medieval courthouse sits right in the town centre, a squat flint-and-brick building that's survived centuries of Norfolk life. Inside, the Tolhouse Museum does exactly what it says - it tells you how justice worked in this corner of England, from medieval times through to the Victorian era. You'll find period courtrooms, old prison cells (properly grim), and displays about the town's more unsavoury characters. It's the kind of place where history feels immediate rather than dusty.

The museum works best if you actually care about how ordinary courts operated, or if you're the sort who finds old crime stories interesting. Families with younger kids might find it a bit slow-paced unless they're genuinely engaged by Tudor punishments and the like. A solid hour covers everything without rushing.

Admission is free, which is the least they could do given it's only a couple of rooms. The building itself is worth seeing regardless - that medieval fabric is proper rare. During a park holiday at Haven Seashore or Caister-on-Sea, it's a quick stop on a rainy afternoon rather than a destination in itself. Park it in your itinerary between the seafront and one of Great Yarmouth's better fish and chip shops. The town's got enough quirky attractions that the Tolhouse slots in nicely without overselling itself.