What is a counting house?

A counting house is a term from the 18th and 19th centuries that refers to a place where businesses conducted their financial transactions and kept their accounts. It was essentially an early form of an accounting firm or financial institution, where accountants and clerks would keep careful records of all the money coming in and going out of the business. The counting house often had safes and strong rooms to store cash and valuable documents, and it was usually located close to the business premises. The term is no longer in widespread use, as modern businesses conduct their financial transactions through digital and online systems.