County Buildings, Wellington Square, Ayr

The County Buildings, located on Wellington Square in Ayr, were designed by Alexander Mair and constructed in 1931. They are a two-storey building with a basement and attic, encompassing seventeen bays and adjoin the Sheriff Court (listed separately). The building is of inter-war classical style and incorporates inner courtyards.

The exterior is constructed of ashlar stone, channelled at ground floor level, and features a base course, dividing band course, cornice and blocking course. The ground floor windows are round-arched. The west elevation, designed in the manner of Place de Saint-Germain-en-Laye, is seventeen bays, arranged in a grouped 3-4-3-4-3 pattern. Basement openings are fitted with iron grilles, and first-floor windows have cill blocks, cornices and balconies (omitted from the outer bays of the end pavilions). A prominent, pedimented three-bay central entrance is flanked by Ionic columns, with a keystone above the square-headed entrance, which contains a two-leaf timber door and a geometrical letterbox fanlight. The pediment displays a carved Coat of Arms and the County Motto, "God Shaw The Richt," within a wreath roundel and incorporates iron flanking flagbearers. Regular fenestration is present at basement, ground and first floor levels in recessed bays and within advanced end pavilions.

The south elevation has twenty-seven bays, arranged in a 4-17-3-3 grouping and includes architraves and aprons to the first-floor windows. The westernmost four bays are advanced, with three bays further advanced to the right. A pedimented doorpiece is located in the penultimate bay, featuring a roundel, square-headed margin, two-leaf timber door, letterbox fanlight, and cill blocks, cornices and balconies to the first-floor windows. The seventeen bays to the centre have regular fenestration, and a keystoned arched entrance provides access to a courtyard. A bowed balcony is positioned above the ninth bay to the left. The right-hand section is advanced, with a central doorpiece mirroring the left side, featuring a window above. The north elevation (Bath Place) largely mirrors the south elevation with the exception of a round-arched entrance in the central bay of the three bays to the outer left and alterations to the attic of the seventeen-bay section.

The building mostly uses steel and timber casement windows, with secondary glazing fitted. The roof is slate, with rooflights, corniced ridge stacks, and circular cans.

Inside, two semi-circular staircases rise from the Entrance Hall, providing access to the Council Chamber and a suite of committee rooms on the first floor. Leaded stained glass windows are incorporated into the staircases. The committee rooms are named after the five burghs of South Ayrshire: Troon, Prestwick, Ayr, Girvan, and Maybole. Both the Council Chamber, committee rooms, and members' corridor are finished in fumed oak, with sliding partitions in the Council Chamber to allow adjoining committee rooms to be used for larger functions.

The courtyard entrances feature two-leaf iron gates with elaborate detailing, including an 'A' to a central roundel and Greek keywork frieze.