Marr College, Dundonald Road, Troon

Marr College, Dundonald Road, Troon

A restrained Edwardian baroque school designed by John Arthur between 1919 and 1930. The building is a substantial 2-storey structure with basement, arranged on a rectangular plan that encloses two courtyards. The symmetrical front elevation features a projecting 2-storey octagonal entrance block at its centre, topped by a drum and copper dome, flanked by 9-bay wings. Full-height single-bay pavilions advance to the outer left and right.

The building is constructed of cream sandstone ashlar with ashlar dressings. Banded angle pilasters emphasise the central and outer blocks. The coursed, rusticated basement sits on a raised plinth. The 1st floor is articulated by an architraved cill course running across the entrance block and the 9-bay wings, with tablet details positioned beneath stylised, pilastered mullions. A moulded eaves course runs continuously, with widely spaced paired brackets supporting the cornice. The octagonal tower is topped with a balustraded parapet, while the surmounting drum carries an architraved parapet.

The southwest entrance elevation features a swept stair leading to a 2-leaf timber panelled door set within an architraved surround. The doorpiece is bolection moulded with roll-moulded reveals. Above the door's keystone sits a coat of arms set in a foliate frame, crowned by a carved foliate frieze and heavy cornice. A single window aligned at 1st floor sits in a recessed panel, with further single windows in recessed panels at both ground and 1st floors in the remaining facets to left and right. The flanking 9-bay wings are regularly fenestrated at both floors. The advanced pavilions feature recessed central panels with blind aedicules framing plain tablets, flanked by Ionic columns set in antis.

The northeast rear elevation comprises 23 bays grouped 1-9-3-9-1, with an advanced, pedimented central block. Three single openings centred at ground level align with single windows at 1st and 2nd floors above, where Ionic columns set in antis divide the bays. The 9-bay wings, recessed to left and right, are regularly fenestrated at all floors. Full-height single-bay pavilions at the outer left and right mirror the entrance elevation design.

Windows throughout consist of large 12-pane leaded windows with outer screens to the entrance block, some containing stained-glass panels, while the remaining openings feature small-pane metal-framed windows, some with opaque glazing. The roof is of green Cumbrian slate, topped by the copper dome surmounting the entrance tower. Cast-iron rainwater goods run throughout, with corniced ashlar ridge stacks finished with circular terracotta cans.

The interior contains a circular vestibule with Doric columns forming an outer ambulatory, complete with guttae to the cornice. A sculpted bust of Charles Kerr Marr surmounts a central square-plan plinth. Steps lead to a 2-leaf, 10-pane door accessing the main block, topped by a geometric-glazed fanlight and a corniced doorpiece with central keystone. Timber dado panelling lines the central outer hall, which has a panelled ceiling and timber panelled doors. Tiling beneath a timber dado rail appears in the flanking corridors, with timber panelled doors to offices and 2-leaf small-pane doors dividing the corridors.

The main hall is defined by pilastered bays forming outer side aisles, separated by decorative railings. Timber dado panelling, tiered seats, and a corniced stage surround with carved banding and bolection moulded central coat of arms characterise the space. A curved gallery sits at the rear; the timber panelled ceiling shelters an organ in place. An octagonal 1st floor library features square-plan timber columns forming an outer ambulatory, timber balustrades fronting the windows, timber shelving, and a compartmental ceiling.

The front terrace is bounded by low coped ashlar walls flanking the splayed stair to the entrance. Wrought iron lamp standards surmount circular-plan ashlar piers to the front, though the lamps are missing. A polished coping runs along a low rubble sandstone wall enclosing the front garden, with coped piers flanking garden steps aligned on the central axis.

A later 20th-century block has been adjoined to the south.