Town House, Eglinton Street, Beith

This is an 1817 town house situated on a prominent corner in Beith, with alterations to the ground floor around 1900. It is a two-storey classical hall of three bays facing the Strand, and four bays facing Eglinton Street. The Strand elevation features outer pilasters supporting a pedimented gable, topped with a round-arched bellcote finished with an ogival-domed roof and weathervane. The Eglinton Street elevation has similar pilasters supporting a cornice and blocking course. The ground floor has segmental-headed window openings; a central entrance is on the Strand side, with a decorative fanlight over the Eglinton Street entrance. The first floor has a moulded continuous cill course and architraved windows. A lunette displaying painted town arms sits above the entrance. The building is constructed of painted sandstone ashlar.

The upper floors have timber sash and case windows with 12 panes of glass; the ground floor has plate glass windows. The roof is covered with grey slates, and cast-iron rainwater goods are present.

The interior ground floor features timber boarding, an Art Nouveau chimneypiece with overmantel, and a staircase with a turned timber balustrade and a window with etched blue and red borders. The principal first-floor apartment, originally a public meeting hall, retains original timber panelled doors set within reeded Regency architraves, a dado, and a cornice.

The building has historical significance; it was constructed on the site of a 17th-century tolbooth and built by public subscription, owned by subscribers until 1838. Originally, the ground floor contained two shops, and rental income was directed towards public purposes. The upper hall was used for judicial purposes (including a small ground-floor cell), public meetings, and as a newspaper reading room. The bell, donated in 1823 by George Shedden of London and cast by Thomas Mears, is a notable feature.

The building is part of a group with 9 Eglinton Street and in 2003 was in use as the Post Office. It is marked on the 1858 Ordnance Survey map and is referenced in several historical publications.