Bank, 51-53 John Finnie Street, Kilmarnock, Kilmarnock, East Ayrshire

Entry Name: Bank, 51-53 John Finnie Street, Kilmarnock

Listing Name: 51 and 53 John Finnie Street

Listing Date: 3 July 1980

Category: B

Source: Historic Scotland

Source ID: 380598

Historic Scotland Designation Reference: LB35911

Building Class: Cultural

Also known as: Kilmarnock, 51 - 53 John Finnie Street, Bank

ID on this website: 200380598

Location: Kilmarnock

County: East Ayrshire

Town: Kilmarnock

Electoral Ward: Kilmarnock West and Crosshouse

Traditional County: Ayrshire

Tagged with: Bank building

Description

Possibly J & RS Ingram, circa 1870. 2-storey, 5-bay by 3-bay, rectangular-plan, classical commercial building with channelled piers to ground floor. Red Ballochmyle sandstone ashlar, rusticated to ground floor. Polished columns to 1st floor; balustraded parapet. Base and band courses.

E (PRINCIPAL) ELEVATION: to ground floor: step leading to central paired timber doors, each with 4-lying panels, enlarged rectangular fanlight surmounting. Narrower rectangular window with moulded sills and architraved surrounds flanking door; similarly treated larger windows to outer bays; lintels merging to form band course; rusticated pilasters with slightly advanced bases dividing all. To extreme left, small rectangular black street sign (JOHN FINNIE STREET inscribed and picked out in gold). Chamfered ground floor angle. Dentilled cornice over ground floor leading into projecting 1st floor: 3 identical arched bays consisting of blind balustraded sill, engaged column to flanks supporting architraved arched lintel, mask keystone, paired architraved band course surmounting; projecting paired Corinthian columns dividing windows and to outer angles, decorative winged lions heads in frieze above. Arched angle leading to Woodstock/Grange Place elevation. Dentilled, modillion cornice, balustraded parapet.

N ELEVATION: adjoining 2-storey, 43 - 49 John Finnie Street, listed separately.

W (REAR) ELEVATION: adjoining single storey stable building at 3 Grange Place, listed separately.

S ELEVATION: to ground floor, 3 regularly placed rectangular bays with moulded sills and architraved surrounds, centre bay narrower; lintels forming band course, rusticated pilasters with slightly advanced bases dividing; to extreme right, small black rectangular street sign (GRANGE PLACE inscribed and picked out in gold), contemporary street sign (WOODSTOCK STREET) adjacent to left. Dentilled cornice over ground floor leading into projecting 1st floor: 3 identical arched bays consisting of blind balustraded sill, engaged column to flanks supporting architraved arched lintel, mask keystone, paired architraved band course surmounting; projecting paired Corinthian columns dividing windows and to outer angles, decorative winged lions heads in frieze above. Dentilled, modillion cornice, balustraded parapet.

Later, timber single pane windows to ground floor elevations. 3-pane timber casement windows to 1st floor: paired panes with semi-circular fixed arched window surmounting. Shallow, piended grey slate roof. Concealed, cast-iron rainwater goods.

INTERIOR: formerly offices, then a bank: wooden panelled interior of ground floor bank, now missing. Upstairs office: fine plastered ceiling surviving, ornate ceiling roses, plaster cornicing and angles.

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 red sandstone buildings 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. Not long after the street was built, Archibald Adamson noted the number of handsome buildings. In 1875, this building was the office of Archibald Finnie and Sons, local coal merchants who lived at Springhill House, now a retirement home. The offices were later the Kilmarnock Savings Bank.

External Links

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.