Knox Institute, 21 Main Street, Kilbirnie

The Knox Institute, on Main Street in Kilbirnie, is a three-storey corner building constructed in 1892. It has four bays facing west and five bays facing north, with an additional bay at the corner. The exterior is of stugged ashlar stone with polished dressings. The corner entrance is set within a round-headed aedicular surround, with a round-headed window above it. A corbelled angle turret rises at the second floor, featuring three narrow, pilastered round-headed lights, a panelled drum, and a parapet above. Narrow pilaster strips connect the ground floor openings. The north elevation features two entrances, one with a fanlight, and two large shop windows. A continuous cornice runs along the top of the ground floor. The first floor has an off-centre Venetian window flanked by round-headed aedicular windows, and a round-headed window with an apron panel to the left. Panelled pilasters flank the end and corner bays, supporting a frieze and dentilled cornice at both the first and second floors. The second floor has a galleried section with broad, round-headed, pilastered windows, and a small round-headed window in the outer bay. The elevation is topped with a balustraded parapet. The Main Street elevation is similarly detailed, with two large shop windows on the ground floor and two Venetian windows on the first floor. The second floor has two pairs of broad, round-headed windows, leading up to the parapet. End stacks rise from the roof, which is covered in piended slate.