Youth Hostel, 3 Craigweil Road, Ayr

John Murdoch, 1879. 2-storey and attic (main block), with single storey and attic service wing, Baronial house. Coursed sandstone. Crowstepped gables. Band course (stepped in part) dividing 1st and attic floors. Dentilled eaves course to circular-plan stair tower; pedimented dormers; finials to conical roof towers.

SE (ENTRANCE) ELEVATION: steps to square-headed entrance to left of main block within circular-plan stair tower; 2-leaf timber door; stained glass fanlight; blank panel to stepped hoodmould; single window at 1st floor; 3 single windows at attic. 2 single windows at ground floor to bay to right of tower; large staircase window at 1st floor; single window at attic within crowstepped gable, flanking tiny arrowslit windows. Single windows at ground, 1st and attic floors to adjacent bay to right. Tripartite window at ground floor; bipartite window at 1st floor; single window at attic to bay to right (square plaque lies between 2 bays to right). Corner angle turret; single window at 1st floor; 3 single windows at attic floor. Bipartite window at gabled ground floor to single storey and attic service wing to left; single window at attic; recessed single windows at ground and attic floors to right; 2 single windows to recessed single storey section to outer left; timber door to lean-to.

NW (REAR) ELEVATION: timber door to later section to outer left at ground floor; canted bay at ground and 1st floor to crowstepped bay to left; single window within gablehead at attic. Single windows at ground, 1st and attic floors to remaining 2 bays of main block. Single windows at ground and attic floors to bay to left in single storey and attic wing to right; bipartite window at ground and single window at attic to crowstepped gable to right; single window to adjacent single storey section; recessed brick lean-to to outer right.

NE (SIDE) ELEVATION: corner-angle turret to outer left (see SE Elevation). Canted window at ground; bipartite window at 1st floor; single window within gablehead at attic to crowstepped bay to left. Single windows at 1st and attic floors to later crowstepped advanced bay. Single windows at ground, 1st and attic floors to recessed bay to outer right.

SW ELEVATION: not seen 1999.

Predominantly plate glass timber sash and case windows. Slate roof; ridge and gablehead stacks; circular cans. Cast-iron rainwater goods.

INTERIOR: not seen 1999.

GATEPIERS AND BOUNDARY WALL: iron gatepiers to pedestrian entrance to left; square-plan gatepiers with vermiculated base course to vehicular entrance to right; pyramidal caps. Coped boundary wall enclosing site.