Description

J Ingram, 1859. Italianate 2-storey 7-bay, T-plan court house with 4-stage tower. Sandstone ashlar (much weathered in places), channelled at ground, with base course, cornice, consoled eaves cornice and balustrade with dies; channelled quoins; roughly coursed rubble to rear. Round-arched, keystoned openings with dividing pilasters.

S (HIGH STREET) ELEVATION: 2-tier classical porch at centre (lower stage of tower) comprised of paired columns on pedestals, with dividing entablature and railings to 1st floor balcony, 2-leaf door at ground with fielded panelling and semicircular fanlight, door at 1st floor. Regular fenestration in flanking bays, architraved arch heads at 1st floor. TOWER: 120 ft high, lower stage as 2-tier porch. 2nd stage above eaves as square panelled shaft with bracketed block cornice; 3rd stage with tripartite pilastered faces with louvred round arch at centre, entablature above; 4th stage swept into tall, elegant polygonal lantern with clock at base of centre face, and narrow round-arched louvred openings to each face, bracketed cornice and leaded roof with weathervane finial.

SE ELEVATION: 3-bay to left with single storey, flat-roofed stone porch projection at ground and 3 windows at 1st floor (outer windows blinded), wallhead stack. Taller body of council chamber recessed to right with paired round-arched windows.

Timber sash and case windows with 4-pane glazing and semicircular upper lights. Lying-pane glazing to 1st floor window to SW.

INTERIOR: not seen 1996, but with decorative mosaic tiled vestibule floor, with town's motto and logo, 'Tandem Bona Causa Triumphat' and lion sedent. Originally contained council chambers, court hall, library and offices.

Pair of lantern lamps, with fluted standards, with decorative carved brackets and lanterns with painted crests, sited to front of court house, flanking elevation. Foundry plate illegible.

Statement of Interest

Axially sited at end of Kirkgate. Groome reports that the town hall cost ?4000 to build in 1859.

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Court House, High Street, Irvine at Wikipedia
• Wikidata Q17829698

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.

Recommended Books

• 
  Cumbria: Cumberland, Westmorland and Furness (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Old House Handbook: A Practical Guide to Care and Repair
• 
  Historic Environment Law: Planning, Listed Buildings, Monuments, Conservation Areas and Objects, Supplement 2014
• 
  Warwickshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Sussex: West (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  The Shredded Chef: 120 Recipes for Building Muscle, Getting Lean, and Staying Healthy