Laigh Kirk, Bank Street, Kilmarnock

Laigh Kirk, Bank Street, Kilmarnock

A Grade A listed building comprising a 17th century tower with a 2-storey rectangular-plan classical church body designed by Robert Johnstone in 1802 and enlarged in 1831, with major renovations undertaken by Andrew and Newlands in 1903-4. The complex includes projecting stair towers at angles and a single storey session house to the rear.

The 4-stage tower is constructed of roughly coursed rubble with ashlar angle margins, set-offs and cornice, raised on a battered plinth. The tower features a blind elevation with a door and window to the right return and a slit window to the left return on the first stage. The second stage has a pair of vertically placed rectangular windows to the front and left return. The third stage displays a clock set in a square panel on each face, with black faces to the northeast and southwest elevations. The fourth stage is set back with louvred belfry openings and a bellcast roof surmounted by a gilt weathervane.

The church body is harled and painted with ashlar dressings. The session house is constructed of dressed ashlar with polished ashlar margins and cornice, and features giant angle pilasters and an ashlar base course to Bank Street.

The northeast principal elevation presents the tower to the left with band courses. The main church to the right is regularly fenestrated with 2 storeys. A later stone porch with angle pilasters and central window projects from the ground floor centre. Windows flank the porch, with a pair of arched windows to the first floor above. Projecting single bays project from the flanks, each with angle pilasters. The left projection is blind with a door and window in the right return. The right projection houses a single window to the left return of both floors, and features a later columned and architraved door surround supporting a triangular pediment to the right of the window.

The southeast elevation displays a regular 2-storey, 7-bay arrangement (1-2-1-2-1). A slightly projecting central bay with angle pilasters features a ground floor door accessed by a double flight of steps with wrought-iron handrail and a pair of later gas lamp standards. An arched blind window appears to the first floor above. Pairs of rectangular windows to the ground floor flanks are matched by pairs of arched windows above. Projecting single bays at the ends each have angle pilasters, with a door to the left ground floor bay and a window to the right ground floor bay, both with arched windows to the first floor.

The southwest rear elevation is 2-storey with 1-2-1 bays and the session house extension. The main church comprises a regular pair of bays to the first floor centre with single projecting stair bays to the flanks, featuring windows to the ends and re-entrant angles. The later L-plan session house adjoins to the ground floor right and centre. The Bank Street-facing elevation of the session house comprises a tripartite window with angle pilasters to the flanks. The southwest elevation of the session house has 3 irregularly placed windows, with 2 further windows on the arm of the L-plan and a window to the left return.

The northwest elevation is a regular 2-storey, 7-bay elevation (1-2-1-2-1). A slightly projecting central bay with angle pilasters is surmounted by a later projecting ground floor porch with angle pilasters supporting a triangular pediment and blind returns. An arched blind window appears to the first floor above. Pairs of rectangular windows to the ground floor flanks are matched by pairs of arched windows above. Projecting single bays at the ends have angle pilasters, with a door to the ground floor and window above.

Ground floor windows are square-headed, while first floor windows are round-arched with simple intersecting tracery.

The interior is classical in character. The ground floor contains pews beneath a horseshoe gallery supported on cast-iron Doric columns. The interior is enriched with plentiful stained glass by William Meikle and Sons, AC Whalen and Norman M McDougal. Walls are finished in painted plaster with partial wood panelling. A memorial window to Lord Howard De Walden and a reset memorial dated 1589 to Lord Boyd are features within the interior.

The roof is piended and platformed grey slate with lead flashing, with each stair bay individually roofed. Rainwater goods have been replaced.