Description

Possibly J & RS Ingram, 1876. 3-storey, 4-bay by 5-bay, symmetrical Italianate, commercial building. Coursed red sandstone ashlar. Giant angle pilasters. 1st floor windows with chamfered arrises and lintels. Bracketed eaves course, cornice and blocking course.

W (PRINCIPAL - JOHN FINNIE STREET) ELEVATION: altered pilastered door to 1st ? of 2nd bay: timber door with 3-lying panes, blind rectangular fanlight above; full-height pilaster to left. To 1st bay, modern shop front with door in right, large painted fascia above. To right, former large shop with central doorway, now subdivided to form single bay shop at left; former central door with small window to left and large window to right; full length fascia above with 104 McSHERRY HALLIDAY lettering to left and J.H. THOMSON 106 lettering to centre and right. Heavy band course above. To 1st floor: 4 bipartite windows with chamfered arrises and lintels, resting on rectangular panelled aprons; pilasters matching those at angles to outer flanks of bays 2 and 3. Narrower band course above. To 2nd floor: 4 arched bipartite windows with chamfered arrises, resting on rectangular panelled aprons; pilasters matching those at angles to outer flanks of bays 2 and 3. Bracketed eaves course terminating in cornice, slightly stepped to central bays.

N ELEVATION: narrow gap adjacent to modern bank building, N gabled elevation not seen, 2001.

E (REAR) ELEVATION: concealed behind roofline of Bank Street building

S (NELSON STREET) ELEVATION: symmetrical elevation: central door now blocked; pair of now blind windows to flanks. To 1st floor, 5 regularly placed segmental-headed windows with shallow panelled apron panels below, resting on heavy band course. To 2nd floor, 5 round arched windows with shallow panelled apron below, resting on narrower band course. Bracketed eaves course and cornice.

2-pane timber sash and case windows to upper 2 floors, arched heads to 2nd floor; blind to right hand side of 2nd bay at both floors, although window remains; modern plate glass shop windows to ground floor; blind windows to ground floor of Nelson Street elevation in-filled with red sandstone. Pitched grey slate roof, terminating in gable to N. Painted cast-iron rainwater goods; gutters concealed within cornice, down pipes placed to side elevations. Yellow brick stacks with some plain yellow cans remaining to E gable, lowered substantially to N gable, still full height to roofline stack.

INTERIOR: altered at ground floor to form 3 shops; pilastered doorway altered with loss of timber panelled door. Upper levels in use as offices, not seen, 2001.

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. This property was known as "Smith's Building" and may have been linked with the printing firm of Smiths who moved further down Nelson Street after premises were built after the turn of the century. The building has had many uses, although the ground floor has always remained in commercial usage. The newsagent's at 106, "JH Thomson", has been in this shop many years. It is listed in the early 1930's directory as being a stationer and tobacconists. In 104 was "Elizabeth's" and at 100 could be found "William Brown, tailor and clothier". 102, the upper floors, were rooming tenements where a carriage repairer, a joiner and a bond worker have all lived.

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Wikidata Q56642471

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

• 
  Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990
• 
  Sussex: West (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Pioneers of Modern Design: From William Morris to Walter Gropius (Penguin Art & Architecture)
• 
  Setting up a Listed Building Heritage Partnership Agreement: Historic England Advice Note 5
• 
  Old House Care and Repair
• 
  Somerset: South and West (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)