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Summary

Description

Alexander Mair, 1931. 2-storey, basement and attic, 17-bay inter-war classical County Buildings, with inner courtyards (adjoins Sheriff Court, see separate list description). Ashlar; channelled at ground floor. Base course; dividing band course; cornice; blocking course. Round-arched windows at ground floor.

W (PLACE DE SAINT-GERMAIN-EN-LAYE) ELEVATION: 17-bay, grouped 3-4-3-4-3; iron grilles to basement openings; cill blocks, cornices and balconies to 1st floor windows (no balconies to outer bays of end pavilions). Advanced pedimented 3-bay central entrance; Ionic columns flank central bay; keystone to square-headed entrance; 2-leaf timber door; geometrical letterbox fanlight; geometrical 'A' to wreath roundel within; 'God Shaw The Richt' (Motto of the County) and carved Coat of Arms to pediment above; flanking single windows at basement, ground and 1st floor; iron flanking flagbearers. Regular fenestration at basement, ground and 1st floor to 4 recessed bays flanking. Regular fenestration at basement, ground and 1st floor to advanced 3-bay end pavilions.

S (SIDE) ELEVATION: 27-bay, grouped 4-17-3-3; architraves and aprons to 1st floor windows. Regular fenestration at basement, ground and 1st floor to advanced 4-bays to outer left (3 bays to right further advanced) (cill blocks, cornices and balconies to 1st floor windows); pedimented doorpiece to penultimate bay to right; roundel square-headed margin; 2-leaf timber door; letterbox fanlight. Regular fenestration to 17 bays at ground, 1st and attic floors; keystoned-arched entrance to courtyard to 9th bay to left; cill blocks to bowed balcony at 1st floor window aligned above. Advanced 3-bay section to right; central doorpiece as for 4 bays to outer left, single window aligned above at 1st floor; regular fenestration to remaining bays (cill blocks, cornices and balconies to 1st floor windows). Corniced, square-headed central entrance to 3-bay section to outer right, single window aligned above at 1st floor; regular fenestration to remaining bays.

N (BATH PLACE) ELEVATION: reverse of S elevation (see above) with following exceptions; round arched entrance to central bay of 3 bays to outer left; alterations at attic to 17-bay section to outer right.

Predominantly steel and timber casement windows; secondary glazing. Slate roof; rooflights; corniced ridge stacks; circular cans.

INTERIOR: 2 semi-circular staircases rise from Entrance Hall, giving access to the Council Chamber and suite of committee rooms at 1st floor; leaded stained glass windows to stairs. Committee rooms named after the 5 burghs in South Ayrshire - Troon, Prestwick, Ayr, Girvan and Maybole. Council Chamber, committee rooms and members' corridor finished in fumed oak; sliding partitions to Council Chamber to enable adjoining committee rooms to provide additional floor space for large functions.

GATES: 2-leaf iron gates to courtyard entrances; elaborate detailing, including 'A' to central roundel and Greek keywork frieze.

Statement of Special Interest

B Group with Nos 1-12 (Inclusive), 16-27 (Inclusive), Sheriff Court (No 14), Monuments to James George Smith Neill, Earl of Eglinton and Wintoun, Sir James Fergusson of Kilkerran, War Memorial, and Gatepiers, Gates and Boundary Walls. The original County Buildings (now Sheriff Court) housed administrative offices, the Sheriff Court and on the site of the current County Buildings, the County Gaol. With the increase in responsibility of Ayr County Council, following the local Government (Scotland) Act of 1929 however, it became clear that the original accommodation was inadequate. The prison was demolished, and the present building erected. Smaller courtyard entered via Bath Place, adjoined the original County Buildings (access now denied). Mair's work is notable for his sympathetic alignment to Wallace's Ayr Sheriff Court, without any slavish copying, and his attention to detail bringing the classical inspiration into the 20th century, note for example the Art Deco influenced window detailing.

References

Bibliography

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