Ayr Sheriff Court

Ayr Sheriff Court is a substantial classical courthouse built between 1818 and 1822 by Robert Wallace, and later extended in the 19th century. It occupies a prominent position overlooking Wellington Square. The original building is two storeys high with a basement, and features an eleven-bay design (grouped 4-3-4) on its west-facing elevation. It is constructed of polished ashlar, with channelled detailing at ground floor level. Architectural features include a base course, a dividing band course, a first-floor sill course, a cornice, and a balustraded parapet. Round-arched windows with keystones are present at ground floor level, while the first floor windows are corniced and architraved, except for the three central windows which lack cornices.

Further pavilions were added to the rear in 1863 by John Murdoch (south) and around 1874 by James Maitland Wardrop (north), these being slightly lower in height than the original structure. A central, advanced, pedimented tetrastyle Ionic portico dominates the facade. A lanterned dome rises above the balustrade. The north and south elevations are two storeys high with eight bays, incorporating later advanced three-bay sections to the west, with pilasters dividing the ground floor bays.

The windows are predominantly timber sash and case windows with 6-over-6 pane glazing. The roof is covered in grey slates, and decorative cast iron rainwater goods are present.

The interior, as viewed in 2014, is centred around a large, square-plan central hall featuring a spiral staircase that ascends around a massive stone newel, topped with an elaborate bronze tripod, and beneath a coffered dome with an ocular window. Round-arched niches and timber panelled doors, some with decorative cornices, are situated around the stairwell on both lower and upper levels. Courtrooms 1 and 2, located on the first floor, are rectangular, with clerestory lighting, cornices over the central doors, and compartmented ceilings incorporating lantern lights. Courtroom 1 contains an armorial stained glass lunette panel above the bench, flanked by round-arched single windows and pilasters delineating bays, and includes an Ionic column upper order on the sides. Courtroom 2 features a semi-circular fanlight above the bench, flanked by double pilasters with anthemion detailing to the cornice, and distinctive niches with deep decorative aprons in the upper level outer bays. Various rooms on the ground floor have groin vaulted ceilings, decorative cornicing, and fireplaces. One room is distinguished by its decorative coffered ceiling with a large lantern light.

A low coped boundary wall runs along the east, north, and south sides, incorporating iron railings. Pairs of square gatepiers are topped with decorative metal vases.