English: The Village Pound, North Elmham, Norfolk. The most common use was to hold stray animals, cattle, sheep, pigs, etc. They were driven into the pound and kept there at the expense of the owner, until such time as he paid the fine, the amount claimed by the 'impounder' (the person onto whose land they had strayed on) for the damage done and the fee to the pound keeper, for feeding and watering them.

If not claimed within three weeks, the animals were driven to the nearest market and sold, the proceeds going to the impounder and the pound-keeper. A clever form of receipt was sometimes used. The person who found the animals on his land cut a stick and made notches, one for every beast, and then split the stick down the centre of the notches so that half of each notch appeared on each stick; one half he kept, the other he gave to the pound-keeper. When the owner came to redeem his animals and had paid for the damage done, the impounder gave him his half stick. He took this to the pound-keeper, and if the two pieces tallied, it proved he had paid, and his beasts were freed.

Hence the word 'Tally-stick' and the pound-keeper being referred to as 'The Tallyman'.