St John The Baptist's Church, Ayr

St John the Baptist's Church dates back to the 14th century, with subsequent alterations. It features a five-stage, square-plan tower that was originally connected to a 13th-century parish church. The tower is constructed of coursed, squared ashlar, with a base course and a corbelled parapet that bows at the corner angles. It includes a caphouse, spout holes, and square-headed window openings. The openings at the fifth stage have lancet arches and louvres with quatrefoil carving.

The east (entrance) elevation has a central round-arched entrance with steps to a recessed timber door. To the right is a round-arched opening leading to a re-entrant angle, with a ledge providing access. Above this is a deeply recessed round-arched opening, containing plaques and an infilled section. A fanlight window illuminates the tympanum, and a deeply recessed rose window is at the third stage. A single window sits above at the fourth stage. The gable end of the original parish church is visible above the tower. A lancet-arched, louvred window is located at the fifth stage. Remains of buttresses and adjoining walls are seen to the outer right and left.

The west (rear) elevation has four single, non-aligned openings, with two aligned arrow-slit openings to the right. The north (side) elevation also has four single, non-aligned openings, with three arrow-slit openings to the right (non-aligned at the fifth stage). The south (side) elevation displays four single, non-aligned openings, four non-aligned arrow-slit openings to the left, and a single arrow-slit opening to the right. A single opening is present within the crowstepped gable of the caphouse, to the outer left of the parapet.

Inside the tower, notable features include a stone turnpike stair that changes direction from the southeast to the southwest at the second stage. There are seated alcoves on the north and south elevations at the second, third, and fourth stages. A deep architrave moulding frames the tympanum opening at the second stage, and X-detailing appears on the rose window's moulding at the third stage. Timber beams support the roof at the fifth stage. The windows are fitted with leaded glass, and the roof is covered in grey slate with a corniced stack.

Square-plan, coped gatepiers mark the main entrance to the northeast of the tower, accompanied by a two-leaf decorative iron gate with side lights. Another gatepier and iron gate are located at the corner of Bruce Crescent and Eglinton Terrace. Various remnants of stone walling are visible to the east of the tower entrance. A coped rubble boundary wall encloses the site, with some timber fencing along Eglinton Terrace.