The Coats Observatory, 49 Oakshaw Street, Paisley

The Coats Observatory, located at 49 Oakshaw Street in Paisley, was designed by architect John Honeyman and completed in 1884. This building features a square tower constructed with channeled ashlar stone above a plinth, leading up to an impost moulding that frames a voussoired arched surround for a recessed door. The upper parts of the tower are finished in polished ashlar, while a Doric frieze and mutule cornice support a balustrade. At the top, there is a circular observation drum with oculi, a cornice, and a copper dome. An octagonal, domed turret is attached to the structure. To the left, there is a two-storey, two-bay side wing that is set slightly back from the main tower. The ground floor of this wing mirrors the tower's detailing below the impost, featuring a round-headed doorpiece and a sash window. On the first floor, there are two sash windows with an eaves band, cornice, and blocking course. The building is topped with a piended slate roof that includes an end stack.