Description

Gabriel Andrew, 1879. Single storey, roughly cruciform-plan gabled library with neo-Norman detailing, large canted gable bay to front and round-arched windows. Red sandstone ashlar; random rubble to sides and rear. Rubble base course; projecting window cills; eaves course. Roll-moulded window and door margins; moulded skewputts to central gable.

WEST (PRINCIPAL) ELEVATION: hoodmoulded tripartite window to central advanced gable with tall central light and pilaster mullions: THE LORIMER LIBRARY inscribed in raised stone above window; semi-circular hood-mould above with carved ball stops. Moulded roundel (possibly for clock face) to gable apex. Hoodmoulded round-arched windows to canted sides. Recessed wings to each side: timber-boarded door with fanlight to left; window to right.

OTHER ELEVATIONS: gables to N and E; M-gabled to S; later addition to SE corner.

Plate glass in timber sash and case windows. Coped, shouldered stacks with some octagonal yellow clay cans. Ashlar-coped skews. Graded grey slate.

Statement of Interest

Occupies a prominent position on Tarbolton's principal thoroughfare. The building was funded by John Lorimer, a wealthy businessman from Tarbolton. The building originally comprised a library, reading room, recreation room and caretaker's room. An old photograph shows that there was originally a low boundary wall with railings in front of the library. Although the roundel on the front gable was probably intended to hold a clock face, this does not seem to have ever been fitted. Gabriel Andrew (1851-1933) was one of the foremost architects in Kilmarnock during the late 19th and early 20th century. He mainly designed commercial buildings, and was the retained architect for Johnnie Walker & Sons of Kilmarnock. The Lorimer library is the earliest building currently known to be by him.

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Wikidata Q77781249

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

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