Latitude: 55.7444 / 55°44'39"N
Longitude: -4.6266 / 4°37'35"W
OS Eastings: 235216
OS Northings: 653235
OS Grid: NS352532
Mapcode National: GBR 39.C59H
Mapcode Global: WH2NB.XW05
Plus Code: 9C7QP9VF+Q8
Entry Name: Gates And Boundary Walls, Gatepiers, Speirs School, Beith
Listing Name: Barrmill Road, Gatepiers, Railings and Boundary Walls to Former Spier's School
Listing Date: 31 March 2004
Category: C
Source: Historic Scotland
Source ID: 397331
Historic Scotland Designation Reference: LB49727
Building Class: Cultural
ID on this website: 200397331
Location: Beith
County: North Ayrshire
Electoral Ward: Dalry and West Kilbride
Parish: Beith
Traditional County: Ayrshire
Tagged with: Architectural structure
James Sellars, 1887. 2 tall, imposing gatepiers (original gates replaced with non-descript versions), each pier quatrefoil on plan on low shaped plinth with corniced top; attenuated pyramidal cap resting on 4 spheres. Adjoining low coped wall with cast iron railing over and entrance gate to R. Further boundary wall to road. Squared and snecked tooled red Ballochmyle sandstone walls; dressed ashlar piers.
The Renaissance style Spier's School was built with an endowment from the late John Speir, son of a wealthy solicitor and landowner in Beith. The gatepiers, railings and boundary walls enclosing the richly wooded grounds are now all that is left of the B-listed complex designed by James Sellars. Following the closure of the school in 1972 and a period of ensuing neglect, the local authority granted its demolition in 1984. Located on the road from Beith to Barrmill, the prominent gatepiers are still very much of local significance to those who attended the school and serve as a reminder of the location of the renowned institution. Stylistically of 17th century style, they are comparable to those at Moray House of 1628 in the Canongate, Edinburgh.
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