The Tolbooth, High Street, Forres

Finely stugged ashlar, rubble to Tolbooth Street; tooled ashlar dressings. 3-storey courthouse, with imposing 3-stage tower and belfry much resembling its predecessor. Entrance on W face of tower with round-arched head in deeply splayed reveals. String course rising over door, and window on N elevation. Round-arched windows above with string course raised as square hoodmould over; corbelled stepped parapet with bartizans; smaller clock stage with similarly detailed parapet bartizans with conical caps. Tall belfry stage with round-arched openings, cable moulded cornice, tall bell-cast roof with crowning cupola; weather vane with gilded cock. Courthouse and jail to E and S; 3 storeys, 2 bays(W) to High Street, 9 bays(E) to Tolbooth Street. Square-headed windows to High Street with corbelled, squared bartizans to outer bay. Courtroom to S with 2 round-head windows at 1st floor E and W; 3 smaller round-headed windows and pend to ground floor. Tolbooth Street; multi-pane glazing. 4 bays to jail, facing E to Tolbooth Street.

Built on site of previous Tolbooth. Juts into High Street; corner site with Tolbooth Street. Cells remain within. Building used as Moray District Record Office. Stained glass window depicts St Laurence, patron saint of Forres; gifted by Mr William Smith of Colithie, Huntly, a native of Forres. Provost's Chair, 1893. Pair of Provost's lamps in front of main entrance. (Historic Scotland)

February 2011: HBPT nominates the building for inclusion on the Register. The Tolbooth is owned by the Moray Council but is now disused. The exterior is in reasonable condition, stone repairs having been implemented 15-20 years ago. Internally the building is exhibiting problems associated with water ingress, condensation and dampness, which if left unattended could become more serious. A local organisation, the Forres Heritage Trust, has been set up to try and save the Tolbooth as a community facility. Highland Buildings Preservation Trust has been engaged to undertake an options appraisal. The Forres Gazette reported in 2010 on support from a local MSP being offered to a group planning to form a community trust to take over the Tolbooth and also Nelson's Tower. The article goes on to note that Moray Council had referred the future of the building to its asset management group earlier in the month. The Childrens and Young Persons Services Committee has agreed for the archive services to be moved to a purpose built facility in Greshop, with plans also in place to move council staff based at the Tolbooth to the museum office.

16 August 2012: External inspection finds the building remains vacant, but otherwise the external condition remains good.

13 December 2013: Forres Gazette reported in Dec 2012 that Moray Council had approved the transfer of ownership of Tolbooth to Forres Heritage Trust on a one-year lease.

26 November 2014: Listed Building Consent for alterations to external staircase balusters is being sought ref: 14/02150/LBC.

13 July 2015: External inspection finds the former tolbooth in partial use at the ground floor. The building is understood to have been community asset transferred from Moray Council to Forres Heritage Trust in 2014. The Trust is undertaking refurbishment and alteration work to enable the full use of the building as a community asset and visitor attraction. Moved to Restoration in Progress.

20 January 2020: Listed Building Consent to remove inside wooden steps and replace them with steps made of non-combustible material being sought (ref: 20/00052/LBC)

21 January 2022: Listed building consent (21/00837/LBC) and planning permission (21/00978/LBC) to erect four safety barriers on the walkway around the clock tower.

22 February 2022: Listed building consent (22/00096/LBC) being sought for proposal for new external elevation lighting scheme.

4 March 2024: Forres Heritage Trust website notes restoration works continue.