[1] The first building on the site was a medieval tollbooth which enabled Sir Thomas Chaloner and his descendants, who were the lords of the manor, to collect tolls from pilgrims travelling to Gisborough Priory.

The central section of three bays was flanked by full-height pilasters supporting a pediment containing a cartouche with the coat of arms of the Chaloner family in the tympanum.

[8] Ownership of the town hall subsequently passed to a pub company which got into financial difficulties: after becoming vacant in 2013, the building was acquired by Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council at auction in September 2015.

[9] Following the award of grants of £1.1 million from the National Lottery Heritage Fund and £300,000 from the Tees Valley Combined Authority,[10] work started on the refurbishment of the building in January 2021.

[11] The building was renovated by the Durham based firm, Hall Construction,[12] and the local Guisborough firm, Sollet Bros: works include the conversion of the ground floor for use as a heritage and information centre and as a retail unit, and the conversion of the upper floors for use as visitor accommodation and as commercial space.