District Council Offices, John Finnie Street, Kilmarnock, Kilmarnock, East Ayrshire

Description

Gabriel Andrew, 1879 -1880; extended 1889. Large 3-storey and basement, Free Renaissance commercial block building with classical details, 4-storey domed tower and clock. 10-bays to John Finnie Street, angle tower with Dunlop Street and 5-bay return; curved angle to John Dickie Street with 7-bay return and additional 4-storey, 13-bay block detailed as main elevation. Red Ballochmyle sandstone ashlar with rusticated piers to angles, central bays to John Finnie Street elevation and to clock pediment entrance bay to John Dickie Street. White brick rear with red sandstone dressings, red brick gable. 1st floor principal windows with stilted heads and alternating triangular and segmental pediments. Bracketed cornice and blocking course.

W (PRINCIPAL - JOHN FINNIE STREET) ELEVATION: 2 almost identical 3-storey, 5-bay blocks linked to returns by bowed angles. Altered ground floor to left hand block: modern door to left, 3 enlarged bays to right; to 1st floor, 5 windows with stilted heads and alternating triangular and segmental pediments; to 2nd floor, 5 architraved rectangular windows with adjoined flanking pilasters each supporting a bracket of the cornice; blocking course surmounting. Right hand block identical, but retaining original ground floor of window to each bay, bar 4th bay with blind door. SW ANGLE: bow flanked by full height rusticated quoins, central door with blind flanking panels supporting corbelled cornice; to 1st floor, tripartite window with stilted heads and linked triangular-segmental-triangular pediment; canted tripartite window to 2nd floor with panelled mullions; bracketed cornice supporting semi-balustraded parapet with squared end plinths and stone vases surmounting; clock to centre under shell pediment.

NW (DUNLOP STREET) ELEVATION: timber entrance door with glazed fanlight to 4th bay, pilastered surround supporting decorated frieze and segmental pediment; later large rectangular windows to bays 1-3, later tripartite window to 5th bay. Five 1st floor windows with stilted heads and alternating triangular and segmental pediments; to 2nd floor, 5 architraved rectangular windows with adjoined flanking pilasters each supporting a bracket of the cornice; blocking course surmounting. NW ANGLE: bow flanked by full height rusticated quoins, 3 later windows with pilaster mullions supporting corbelled cornice; to 1st floor, tripartite window with stilted heads and linked triangular-segmental-triangular pediment; tripartite window to 2nd floor with panelled mullions; bracketed cornice supporting semi-balustraded parapet with squared end plinths and stone vases surmounting; octagonal tower rising behind at 3rd storey with scooped parapet and vaulted dome roof.

NE AND E (STRAND STREET) ELEVATION: essentially M-plan. To left, brick gable of John Dickie Street elevation with smaller building adjoining to lower storeys. To centre, regularly fenestrated 3-storey, 2-bay hall with tripartite windows to upper levels and vehicular entrances to ground floor, 3-sided canted end with tripartite windows to upper floors. To right, blind gable end of Dunlop Street elevation except for bipartite window to ground floor left.

S (JOHN DICKIE STREET) ELEVATION: original 7-bay building to left, 13-bay extension to right. To left of elevation: paired pilaster doorpiece to 3rd bay with decorative cornice and triangular pediment, 2-bays to left and 4-bays to right with altered fenestration. Seven 1st floor windows with stilted heads and alternating triangular and segmental pediments; to 2nd floor, 7 architraved rectangular windows with adjoined flanking pilasters each supporting a bracket of the cornice; blocking course surmounting. 3rd bay of upper floors slightly advanced with rusticated quoins to flanks and triangular pediment surmounting eaves. To right of elevation, formal entrance to 11th bay: paired plinthed pilaster doorpiece with recessed segmental headed inner doorway; decorative cornice and segmental pediment surmounting; 2 large windows to flanks with further door and window to left; essentially 2 altered bays covering ground floor bays 1-6, now blind to left, much later recessed glazed door and window to right. 13 1st floor windows with stilted heads and alternating triangular and segmental pediments; to 2nd floor, 13 architraved rectangular windows with adjoined flanking pilasters each supporting bracket of cornice; blocking course surmounting. 11th bay of upper floors slightly advanced with rusticated quoins to flanks and open base triangular pediment breaking eaves, stone vase surmounting.

2, 3 and 4-pane timber sash and case windows to upper floors; all upper sashes horned; upper sashes also arched on 1st floor. Elaborate stained glass, 2-light windows to 2nd floor rear hall, visible from Strand Street. Replacement 2 & 3-pane windows to ground floor. Piended grey slate roof to main building; metal ridging, flashing and valleys. Copper domed roof to NW angle. Various stacks, some still with cans

INTERIOR: now used as council offices, halls & staircases still surviving.

Statement of Interest

Part of the John Finnie Street A-Group. John Finnie Street is nearly ? mile long and was built around 1864. It provided a grand thoroughfare for the town with the focal point to the north being the railway station. Business and commerce spread to this street and rows of high quality, 3-storey or more, red sandstone building were constructed. The ground floors were given over to retail, offices and accommodation were above. The street dominated the lower, narrower streets in Kilmarnock that were filled with traditional buildings. The street's architect was William Railton, who went on to design the Kilmarnock Infirmary (now demolished) and the surveyor was Robert Blackwood. This building was designed by Gabriel Andrew for the Kilmarnock Equitable Co-operative Society in 1879. It was the new headquarters within the town and cost ?4,164 to build. By 1889, such was the success of the Co-op, an extension was built at a cost of nearly ?14,000 taking the total cost to ?18,000. The annual turnover of the Kilmarnock Co-op's 13 branches was at the time ?63,000 per annum. The emblem of the Co-op is a beehive and 2 clasped hand signifying industrial communism - working together for the common meal. Many separate departments operated within this main branch. The basement was used for general storage. The ground floor housed the reading room; boot & shoe shop; fleshers; fish shop; central grocery; china; readymades; drapery; general merchandise; tailors' cutting and fitting room; check office; fruit; egg and linoleum departments. On the first floor could be found the library; education committee; general office; savings bank; auditor's room; board room; dressmakers' cutting and fitting rooms; dressmakers' work rooms; general stores office; tailors' workrooms; tailoresses' room and machine room. Two halls were situated on the 2nd floor, the larger one accommodated 600 people and the smaller one 250-300 people. The latter was used for marriage ceremonies, where the unions were effected at the hymeneal altar. Accommodation for a janitor was situated on this floor too. The Co-op building is now used by East Ayrshire Council as District Council Offices.

External Links

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