Janitor's House, Troon Primary School, 39 Barassie Street, Troon, Troon, South Ayrshire

Description

Circa 1900; addition James Miller, dated 1908; single storey addition at rear later 20th century. Near square-plan 2-storey, 4- by 6-bay original gabled block with advanced 2-storey, 12-bay rectangular-plan addition to NE (grouped 3-6-3); single storey, 4-bay wing beyond. Squared and snecked stugged red sandstone throughout; polished sandstone dressings; coursed bull-faced sandstone basement in parts. Chamfered base plinth to original block; architraved cill courses at ground and 1st floors; raised band course dividing floors; raised eaves course; corniced eaves; polished parapet. Polished quoins; polished long and short surrounds to chamfered openings; giant order pilasters flanking shaped gabled bays; giant order angle pilasters with urn finials above. Narrow side-lights to tripartite openings; sandstone mullions. Plainer addition to NE: no base course; moulded eaves course beneath corniced eaves; shaped gableheads. Single storey, L plan janitor?s house to W: squared and snecked red sandstone; polished sandstone dressings. Raised base course; shaped gableheads. Polished quoins; long and short surrounds to openings; chamfered cills. Single storey, rectangular-plan outbuildings enclosing NW boundary. 4-bay, red brick storage block; adjoining bicycle shed with columnar openings; adjoining 9-bay red brick wing with ridge ventilators; further red brick bicycle shed beyond.

SW (ENTRANCE) ELEVATION: single window centred in projecting single storey porch off-set to right of centre; shaped gable breaking parapet; flanking stairs accessing advanced, corniced doorpieces in returns to right and left. Replacement 2-leaf timber doors; tripartite fanlights; architraved door-surrounds with stylised friezes; guttae beneath cornice; ?Boys? carved at centre. Single window aligned above porch; tripartite windows at both floors in bay to left; clock face centred in surmounting gablehead. Single windows at both floors in bay to outer left; single windows at both floors in bay recessed to outer right.

SE (SIDE) ELEVATION, ORIGINAL BLOCK: steps to 2-leaf timber door off-set to right of centre; small-pane fanlight; narrow side-light to left; single window above. Tripartite window at 1st floor centred in gablehead; raised panels above. Tripartite window at ground in bay to left of entrance; single window above. Tripartite windows at both floors in bay recessed to outer left. Small single window at ground off-set to right of centre; tripartite windows at both floors in bay to outer right. ADDITIONAL WING: single windows in all bays at ground and 1st floors; blind panels centred in skewed gableheads. SINGLE STOREY WING: steps to 2-leaf timber door in bay to outer left; 4-light fanlight; architraved door-surround; stylised frieze with guttae beneath cornice; "Girls" carved at centre. Single windows in remaining bays recessed to outer right.

NW (SIDE) ELEVATION, ORIGINAL BLOCK: bipartite windows at both floors in bay off-set to right of centre; single windows at both floors in bay off-set to left (flanking central wallhead stack). Tripartite windows at both floors in bay to outer right; single windows at both floors in bay to outer left. ADDITIONAL BLOCK: single storey projecting wing off-set to left of centre; large window above. Single windows at ground in 3 bays to left; 2 large tripartite windows above. Single windows at both floors in remaining bays to right. SINGLE STOREY WING: single windows in lean-to addition to right; single window in bay recessed to outer left; coped parapet above.

Part-stained, small-pane upper, plate glass lower (some 2-pane) timber sash and case glazing to original block; small-pane upper, plate glass lower timber glazing with tilting uppers to additional block; some skylights. Grey slate piended and platformed roof; red ridge tiling; raised stone skews. Coped wallhead stack to NW original block (cans missing); corniced wallhead stack to NE additional block; circular cans.

INTERIOR: double-height hall centred in original block; balustraded upper balcony; panelled, combed ceiling with pitch at centre; flanking rooflights; central circular ventilators. Timber dado rails; plain cornices; part-glazed timber panelled doors; round-arched surrounds to openings. Stairs accessing upper floor with stone treads, cast-iron balustrades, ball-finialed stylised newels, timber handrails; glazed tiles lining walls (coloured base, regularly-spaced frieze, coloured dado rail). Central corridors at both floors in additional wing; raised, painted dado; flanking classrooms with small-pane internal glazing; part-glazed timber panelled doors. Regularly spaced metal partitions with coat-hooks in cloakroom.

JANITOR'S HOUSE, SE (ENTRANCE) ELEVATION: steps to replacement timber door at centre; opaque fanlight; single window in bay to outer left. Single window centred in gabled bay advanced to outer right; polished panel beneath shaped gablehead; surmounting urn-shaped finial. 9-light upper, 2-pane lower timber sash and case glazing. Graded grey slate roof; red ridge tiling; cast-iron rainwater goods. Red sandstone ridge stack off-set to left of centre (cans missing); coped red brick ridge stack off-set to right of centre. INTERIOR: not seen 1997.

OUTBUILDINGS, SE (PLAYGROUND) ELEVATION: regularly spaced, 5-light segmental-arched windows in 4-bay block to S; 5-light skylights aligned above. Adjoining 4-bay bike shed to NE with cast iron columns dividing bays (blocked bay to outer right). Adjoining 9 bay wing with single door at centre; single doors in penultimate bays to outer left and right; squat single windows in remaining bays; pitched ridge ventilators aligned above. 4-bay bike shed to NE adjoining red brick screen wall; cast-iron columns dividing bays. Graded grey slate roofs throughout; red ridge tiles; raised stone skews in part.

BOUNDARY WALLS, RAILINGS, GATEPIERS AND GATES: polished coping to stepped, squared and snecked red sandstone walls enclosing site; cast-iron railings with fleur-de-lys finials. Square-plan piers flanking paired entrances to Barassie Street and Burnside Place (part rebuilt to Barassie Street); stop-chamfered reveals; tiered, pyramidal caps with stylised gablets centred in each facet; 2-leaf cast iron gates; fleur-de-lys finials.

Statement of Interest

Despite the simplicity of its later addition (dated 1908 and thought to be by James Miller), Troon Primary School retains a degree of architectural interest both inside and out. Outside, much of the original detailing remains, including timber glazing, shaped gables, urn finials and carved entrance porches. Inside, the double height hall (with its combed ceiling and galleried 1st floor), the glazed tile walls and impressive balustraded stairs are all notable features. The janitor?s house, bicycle sheds (former play sheds), various outbuildings, walls, railings, gatepiers and gates, complete the original arrangement.

External Links

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